Geography students at Sacramento State explore Earth’s natural and cultural landscapes using methods from the natural sciences and the social sciences. Students study climate, weather, landforms, water resources, plants and animals, and at the same time, peoples, societies, economies, and cities. Geography emphasizes the human-environment interface, such as climate change, resource degradation, urban growth and design, globalization, immigration, and ethnic and territorial conflict. Geography's approach to these phenomena emphasizes their interrelationships and spatial patterns, which overlap in intricate ways and give rise to distinctive places and regions. Students work with quantitative and qualitative data from a variety of sources, including published censuses and maps, aerial imagery, field and lab work, and surveys and interviews. They use a variety of tools, including Global Positioning Systems (GPS), Geographic Information Systems (GIS), and other computer applications to collect, display, and analyze spatial data.
Lower division offerings in physical geography, cultural geography, and geographical techniques introduce students to the discipline. At the upper division level, students can choose among regional classes on many parts of the Earth, topical classes on subjects from meteorology to transportation, and technique classes that include GIS, map making, spatial analysis, remote sensing, and field work. Geography majors select a concentration in a geographic subfield. Although not required, the department encourages students to take elective courses and/or pursue a minor complementary to their geographical interests. |
