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| Why Choose Geography? | |||||
| Classes - Take a class in Geography and fall in love! Geography at Berkeley includes such broad-ranging topics as the culture of cities and the dynamics of the global economy; race, gender, and social movements; glaciers and climate change; the origins of agriculture and the evolution of plant life. The faculty are as varied and interesting as the classes they teach, as well as outstanding scholars in their fields. What’s more, the major curriculum allows for a lot of choice. A typical semester’s offerings might feature: | |||||
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| Field Trips - Lookin’ for adventure? As a Geography major you will be eliglible to participate in field trips both in and outside classes. The Fall semester field course features three weekend trips: to Mount Lassen, Modoc Plateau, Mount Shasta and the Sacramento River Canyon; over the Sierra to Mono Lake, hot springs in Long Valley, Manzanar and Alabama Hills, and the White Mountains; then south along the San Andreas Fault to Carrizo Plain, returning along El Camino Real to Mission San Antonio, Cone Peak and the Big Sur coast. The urban field course explores the metropolitan Bay Area, while the Spring semester field methodology class involves trips to study sites in the delta and Klamath Mountains. |
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BUGs - The Berkeley Undergraduate Geographers organization (BUGs) sponsors movie nights, beer-on-the-balcony afternoons, picnics, parties and potlucks. But BUGs don’t just want to have fun—they also organize field trips, informal lectures, career and graduate school seminars, and lunch time talks. For events and meeting times check the bulletin board located next to 135 McCone Hall or visit their web site at http://geography.berkeley.edu/BUGs Computer Facilities - The Geography Computing Facility provides a spacious laboratory specially equipped for computer graphics. Powerful workstations with large monitors are used in the Spring semester cartography class and other classes in web design and advanced techniques in geographic imagery. |
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| More Reasons... | |||||
| The Balcony - A delightful perk of being a Geography major is hanging out on the fifth floor balcony of McCone Hall. Here you can enjoy a panoramic view of the Bay and the Golden Gate far above the campus and urban bustle. Have lunch near the treetops, study in the sunshine, and hold your meetings alfresco. It’s also a great way to meet other geographers. | |||||
| The Staff - Undergraduates typically need a bit of help negotiating bureaucratic hurdles, finding the faculty they need to talk to, figuring out how to “do” Berkeley. We think you’ll find the whole Geography Department staff always friendly, eager to help you, and extremely capable in their roles. If you hang around enough, we’ll know your name! | |||||
| What our majors say: “Because you are studying the Earth and people’s responses to it, you really learn something about every subject!” • “The great thing about geography is that it is situated at the intersection of peoples and their environments and uses knowledge from both earth and social sciences to understand them as interconnected.” • “Geography is not just about maps, earthquakes, and wide oceans. In Physical Geography we study why the Grand Canyon is what it is. In Economic Geography, we study the roots of the late 90’s Asian Crisis. In Political Geography we look at ethno-religious differences and conflicts around the world and their causes. Geography is what you want it to be.” • “I love the fact that the classes are usually small which means in both of my Geography classes my professors grade my work, not GSIs.” • “Geography offers the advantages of a ‘small school’ environment on a ‘big school’ campus.” | |||||
| What can you do with a degree in Geography? Plenty! You might become a TV weatherman or a cartographer for a travel guide publisher; get involved in transportation and urban and community planning or teach overseas; serve as a park ranger or an outdoor guide; or become an environmental specialist or a GIS analyst. The Association of American Geographers claims that most geographers work in business, government, or teaching. If you plan to continue with graduate school, Geography is an appropriate background for many professional programs and academic majors, such as Environmental Science, Earth Sciences, Geology, City and Regional Planning, Landscape Architecture, Law, Public Policy, International Studies, and Forestry. | |||||
| What are the major requirements? Three lower division courses, one of which must be GEOG 1 or 40, and two more from the following selections, one from each group: GEOG 10 or 20 (world geography); GEOG 50AC, C32, or 51 (regional geographies). Majors must take at least 8 upper division courses. There are two configurations to choose from: 5-2-1 option: Five courses must be in one specialty group and two from the other. One course from the Methodology group must also be completed. Everyone choosing the Earth System Science focus must take Geography 140A (Physical Landscapes: Process and Form). Everyone choosing the Geography of Economy, Culture & Society focus must take Geography C110 (Economic Geography of the Industrial World) -OR- Geography 130 (Natural Resources and Population). 4-2-2 option: Four courses must be in one specialty group and two from the other. Two courses from the Methodology group must also be completed. Everyone choosing the Earth System Science focus must take Geography 140A (Physical Landscapes: Process and Form). Everyone choosing the Geography of Economy, Culture & Society focus must take Geography C110 (Economic Geography of the Industrial World) -OR- Geography 130 (Natural Resources and Population). |
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Course Options
Economy, Culture & Society: |
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For more information, see Carol Page, the Student Affairs Officer, in 517 McCone Hall.
Drop in or call for an appointment. Phone: (510) 642-3904. email: carolpage@berkeley.edu |
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