Course Catalogs

Geography, BA

Contact

Director of Undergraduate Studies
144 Eggers Hall
GEOundergraddirector@syr.edu

Faculty

Ethan Coffel, Peng Gao, Timur Hammond, Matthew Huber, Meghan Kelly, Natalie Koch, Laura-Anne Minkoff-Zern, Anne E. Mosher, Karl Offen, Andre Ortega, Thomas Perreault, Jane M. Read, Jonnell Robinson, Tod D. Rutherford, Chie Sakakibara, Naomi Shanghuyia, Farhana Sultana, Robert M. Wilson, Jamie L. Winders

Have you ever wondered why the world works the way it does? So do geographers, who study everything from economic, political, and cultural relations within and between countries, to environmental practices of different people, to the physical and biological processes of the planet - in brief, the spatial aspects of human life and the natural environment. At Syracuse University, geographers study globalization, environmental change and history, mapping and spatial techniques, immigration, urban and cultural politics, social movements, and surface processes of the physical environment. As a major, geography gives you a range of skills and a new perspective on the world. Because geographers research issues such as sustainable development, gender equity, and environmental change, geography provides tools not only to understand the world but also to change it!

Geography is easy to pair with another major, such as international relations or biology, or a degree from another college, such as the Newhouse School of Public Communications or Smith College of Engineering and Computer Science. After graduation, geography students find jobs in emergency management, federal and state environmental agencies, GIS and cartography, urban planning, non-profit organizations, community and international development, teaching and research, journalism, real-estate analysis, environmental consulting, and other fields. The Geography Department also offers research opportunities for undergraduates. Our majors work with community groups to address concerns like hunger, and public transportation. They complete senior theses on topics from political change in East Africa to water management in Central America. Finally, majors can take advantage of internships or study-abroad opportunities to obtain course credits while gaining valuable work and international experience.