Undergraduate Major/Minor Information

DEPARTMENT OF GEOGRAPHY

The Geography Department provides a broad-ranging perspective on humans as inhabitants and transformers of the face of the earth. The search for this kind of understanding involves thorough study of (a) the interlocking systems of the natural environment (climate, landforms, oceans, biota) and the evaluation of natural resources; (b) those diverse historical, cultural, social, economic, and political structures and processes which affect the location and spatial organization of population groups and their activities; and (c) significant geographical units, whether described as cities, regions, nations, states or landscapes, where integrated interpretation can be attempted, and a variety of problems thereby better understood.

The Geography Major

The undergraduate major in geography therefore includes the study of various aspects of, cultural, human, physical, and regional geography as well as cartography, quantitative methods, and field work. Backgrounds in the natural and social sciences, history, and statistical methods will be found useful to the geography major, the emphasis depending on the student's particular interests. It allows specialization in the area of the student's chief interest, and assumes that the student has previously achieved some breadth in the basics of geography through completion of the lower division requirements. A late-declaring major (determined as a Senior) who has not completed one of the lower division requirements will be required to complete an upper division equivalent to be chosen in consultation with a departmental advisor.

It is not necessary to declare an option formally, but it is necessary to complete one for graduation. In some cases there are course options within the major options. Occasionally, due to the unavailability of a course listed in the option, substitution of another course is necessary. Any such substitutions, once approved by an advisor, must be in writing and placed in your file.

Most courses are offered only once a year, therefore careful scheduling is important to avoid course "jam-up" or situations in which some courses cannot be taken due to the necessity of completing a left-over Letters and Science or Departmental requirement. It is best to complete requirements as rapidly as possible to allow maximum flexibility during your last semesters when your interests are best defined.

Major Requirements

Lower Division: All majors take three (3) lower division courses, one of which must be:

GEOG 1 (Global Environments)
GEOG 40 (Introduction to Earth System Science).
This covers physical geography basics. Everyone must take one of these.

Two more must be chosen from the following--one from each group:

GEOG 10 (World Regions, Peoples, and States) or GEOG 20 (Globalization). This covers world geography.

GEOG 50AC (California) or GEOG C32 (Introduction to Development) or GEOG 51 (Political Economy of Development in East Asia). This represents regional geographies.

Upper Division: Majors may select from one of the following plans:

5-2-1 option
Majors must take at least eight (8) upper division courses. Five (5) of these must be in one specialty group and two (2) from the other. One (1) course from the methodology group must also be completed. Everyone choosing the Earth System Science option must take Geography 140A (Physical Landscapes: Process and Form). Everyone choosing the Geography of Economy, Culture & Society option must take Geography C110 (Economic Geography of the Industrial World) -OR- Geography 130 (Natural Resources and Population).

4-2-2 option
Majors must take at least eight (8) upper division courses. Four (4) of these must be in one specialty group and two (2) from the other. Two (2) courses from the methodology group must also be completed. Everyone choosing the Earth System Science option must take Geography 140A (Physical Landscapes: Process and Form). Everyone choosing the Geography of Economy, Culture & Society option must take Geography C110 (Economic Geography of the Industrial World) -OR- Geography 130 (Natural Resources and Population).

Specialty Groups:

Earth System Science 109. Prehistoric Agriculture 134. Natural Hazards and Problems C136. Water in Terrestrial Environment C139. Atmospheric Physics & Dynamics 140A. Physical Landscapes: Process and Form* 140B. Physiography & Geomorph.. Extremes C141. Paleoclimatology 142. Climate Dynamics 143. Global Change and Biogeochemistry 144. Principles of Meteorology C145. Geological Oceanography 148. Biogeography 171. Spec. Topics in Physical Geography 175. Undergraduate Seminar*		Economy, Culture & Society 109. Prehistoric Agriculture C110. Economic Geography of the Industrial World 111. Local and Regional Transformation C112. History of Development/Underdevelopment 123. Postcolonial Geographies 125. The American City 130. Natural Resources and Population* 134. Natural Hazards and Problems 138. Political Ecology of the Third World C152. Multi-Cultural Europe 153. What's in a Rim?: Soc. & Econ. Dev. in E. Asia 156. Polit. Econ.& Hist. Geog. of Latin Am. Dev. C157. Central American Peoples & Cultures 159AC. The Southern Border C160A. American Cultural Landscapes, 1600-1900 C160B. American Cultural Landscapes, 1900-1970 164. Geog. of Economic Development in China 165. Africa: Ecology and Development 167. The Middle East 169. The New Europes 170. Selected Topics 175. Undergraduate Seminar
*Methodology:* 180. Field Methods for Physical Geography 181. Urban Field Study 183. Cartographic Representation C188 Geographic Information Systems

* Class required within the specialty

Honors Program

Students with an overall grade point average of 3.5 or higher on all work completed at the University, and an average of 3.5 in courses taken in the Geography Department, may apply for the Honors Program, with the consent of a departmental advisor. The application should be made at the beginning of the senior year. A senior in the Honors Program must complete Geography H195A and/or H195B consecutively, in which a thesis is required (usually over two semesters). Any faculty member in the Department may administer an honors course. It is suggested that you approach faculty members from whom you’ve taken classes about being your mentor. After deciding on the number of units (1-4 units) you wish to undertake, see the Student Affairs Officer for a course control number and the departmental application. Upon successful completion of the program and graduation, the designation of "with Honors", "with High Honors", or "with Highest Honors” will be noted on your transcript and diploma.

The College of Letters and Science’s awarding of "Distinction", "High Distinction", and “Highest Distinction” is based solely on the grade-point average established for the year in which the student graduates. The required minimum grade-point averages for this award may vary from year to year. This notation will appear on the student’s diploma, on the List of Certificates, Degrees and Distinction, and on their Berkeley record when they graduate.

Scholarship Requirement

Students in the major must maintain an overall grade point average of a C or better in upper division courses used to fulfill the requirements for the major. All courses required for the Geography major must be taken for a letter grade. Geography 197, 198, and 199 cannot be used to satisfy a major or minor program requirement.

Note about maintaining minimum grades: According to an Academic Senate rule, if a student fails to get at least a 2.0 in any unit undertaken in the major, the department can dismiss him/her from the major, and send the student back to the College to select another major at which he/she will be more successful. The Geography Department would be reluctant to do that, but the faculty advisors may review a student’s file it if at any time his/her grade points in any course taken in the major dips below a 2.0. Thus a student cannot accumulate a number of D's and F's in Geography, while managing to pass a number of other courses with a C or better, and expect to be allowed to complete the major. If at any time you need help, don't fail to take action. Make an appointment to talk to the Student Affairs Officer, one of the undergraduate faculty advisors, or your instructors.

The Minor Program in Geography

The requirements for the minor program are as follows, effective Fall 1997:

A minimum of five upper division courses, all taken for a letter grade. Students must maintain an overall grade point average of 2.0 for all courses taken for the minor. A minimum of three courses must be taken on the Berkeley campus. Students must take at least one course in the physical area and one course in the human area from among the courses listed in the range of 103-171. Students may select courses in the range of 175-189, but if so, there are several that have limited enrollment and require permission of the instructor. (See Page 2 for course breakdown within each option.) Students should contact the Student Affairs Officer (SAO) to obtain a list of the courses being offered each semester which fall into the two designated areas.

To formally enroll in the minor program, please see the SAO. Once you have completed all of the requirements for the minor, you must see the Student Affairs Officer to fill out the "Confirmation of Minor Program" petition. You should plan on filing this petition with the SAO during finals week during the semester in which the last course is taken.
It is the student’s responsibility to fill out this petition.

Departmental Procedures

The Geography Department is located in 507 McCone Hall (phone number: 642-3903), and is open from 8 - 12 noon and 1 - 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. The Student Affairs Officer's desk is located in Room 517 and her direct phone number is 642-3904. The Graduate Student Instructors' Offices are located in McCone Hall; please see the Departmental Receptionist for exact locations.

Departmental Advising

The Student Affairs Officer, Carol Page, will help you to plan and execute your course work in the major program and answer questions concerning requirements and course substitutions. Robert Rhew and Nathan Sayre are the Designated Undergraduate Faculty Advisors for the 2007-2008 academic year. They may be consulted on any other questions concerning the major during their office hours or by special appointment. Students are also encouraged to seek substantive advice on academic matters from other faculty who share their interests or with whom they have had classes. Information on general Letters and Science requirements should be obtained from a College advisor in the L&S office in 113 Campbell Hall.

Fall 2007		Spring 2008
Professor Robert Rhew		Professor Robert Rhew
Professor Nathan Sayre		Professor Nathan Sayre

Transfer Students

The Geography Department does not rule on the acceptability of course work and units earned at other universities towards University requirements; this is determined by the College of Letters and Science. The Geography Undergraduate Advisors, or the Student Affairs Officer acting on their behalf, will determine whether geography courses taken at other institutions fulfill any of the major requirements. Most courses taken at other campuses in the UC system and other major universities may be applied toward the major program. Most community college courses in cultural, physical and economic geography are accepted as equivalent to the lower division course requirements in the Berkeley Geography Department. Courses in general Geography (e.g., World Regional Geography) are sometimes accepted as fulfilling one of the lower division course requirements.

If you wish to substitute a course taken elsewhere for a departmental requirement, you must provide the course description, syllabus, and/or textbooks used in the courses in question. You should also bring proof of taking such courses (i.e., a copy of your transcript or a copy of your DARS report which shows transfer work). If a substitution is approved, it must be in writing (indicated on a Substitution Form available from the SAO) and placed in your file.

Transfer students should be aware of University requirements pertaining to the number of units to be applied toward graduation that must be taken in residence at Berkeley in consecutive semesters (senior residency) of course work on this campus.

Declaration of Major

Students may declare the Geography major after they have completed at least 30 units and have a C (2.0) average. They should declare by the end of their sophomore year at Berkeley, or by the start of their second semester if they are a transfer student. To declare, see the Student Affairs Officer to obtain a “Petition to Declare a Major” and a Departmental Information Sheet. These should be turned in with an unofficial transcript (showing UC Berkeley or community college work completed). The SAO or one of the Faculty Advisors can approve this petition.

Residence in the Major

All students must complete at least one semester of residence in the major before graduation. At least a C average (2.0) is required on all coursework undertaken at the University, and a C average is required on all coursework required for the major program, as well as a C average on all upper division courses required for the major.

Tele-BEARS Registration System

Tele-BEARS is an interactive computer system that allows you to enroll in classes via the Internet. Because Tele-BEARS is interactive, you always receive the most immediate, up-to-the moment information regarding your registration and class enrollment.

Tele-BEARS consists of two phases plus an adjustment period. Phase I begins towards the end of the previous semester and allows undergraduates to enroll, on the basis of randomly assigned appointment times, in 10 units plus one physical education activity course, for a maximum of 10.5 units. Phase II begins immediately after Phase I ends, extends until two weeks before instruction begins, and allows students on the basis of randomly assigned appointment times to complete their class schedule. The Adjustment Period starts after Phase II ends, and continues through the fifth week of classes. During the Adjustment Period, students have access to all transactions on a first-come, first-serve basis. After the Adjustment Period, students are restricted to using Tele-BEARS for inquiry only, with the exception of changing the grading option from letter grade to pass/not pass by the tenth week. Any subsequent class schedule adjustments must be done via petition to the Dean. Please consult the current Schedule of Classes and your registration packet for complete up-to-date Tele-BEARS instructions and information regarding enrollment and registration procedures.

Advisor Code (AC)

For security purposes, each semester students are assigned a unique AC number, which must be used in conjunction with the Student Identification Number (SID number), in order to access Tele-BEARS. Undergraduates who have declared geography as their major may obtain their AC number from the Student Affairs Officer in the department office. Note that majors will need a new advisor code every semester.

Class Workload

A 15-unit class schedule is considered a normal course load; a class schedule totaling at least 13 units per semester (including repeated courses for which unit credit toward graduation may not be allowed) is required; a maximum of 20.5 units per semester is permitted. Exceptions to the maximum can be approved by the major department; please see the SAO. Exceptions to the minimum must be approved through an Advisor in the College of Letters and Science.

Double Major

Geography may be part of a double major. Regulations regarding the declaration of a double major may be found in the "Earning Your Degree," the announcement of the College of Letters & Science. An application can be obtained in the Letters and Science Office, 113 Campbell Hall. Applications must be submitted one full semester prior to graduation. Double majors should make it a point to see a Geography Undergraduate Advisor early in order to plan their programs.

Incompletes

Students must arrange for the completion of Incompletes with the instructor of the course before the end of the semester. Incompletes will be assigned only if the coursework has been of passing quality but due to circumstances beyond the student's control that work is incomplete. The remaining work to remove the "I" must be completed as follows:

Fall - no later than the first day of Fall semester classes the next year.
Spring - no later than the first day of Spring semester classes the next year.
Summer - no later than the first day of Spring semester classes the next year.

If the "I" is not made up within the periods indicated, the "I" converts to an "F". Please consult the "Announcement of the College of L&S" for a complete description of regulations governing "I" grades. The following are excerpts:

1. To remove an "I" after you have completed the remaining work, submit a "Petition for Grade and Grade Points in Incomplete Course" within the required time period. This form is available at the Office of Admission and Records, Letters and Science and outside the door of the Geography Department. The filing fee is $5.00 per Incomplete petition, payable at the cashier office or by check payable to "UC Regents".

2. An "I" grade may be revised by repeating the courses (no petition required). The Dean's approval is required but permission is seldom granted, since a student should be able to revise an "I" grade without repetition.

Graduation Procedure

The first semester of your senior year you should:

1. Arrange with the Student Affairs Officer to have a degree check on major requirements.

2. In the semester before you file for candidacy for the AB degree, arrange to have a degree check of your Letters and Science breadth requirements at 113 Campbell Hall.

3. During the Tele-BEARS phases you will be asked if you wish to be placed on the degree list. If you respond appropriately you will be placed on the degree candidate list with the Office of Admissions and Records (OAR). If you fail to do so via Tele-BEARS, you will have to place yourself on the degree list in person at the Office of Admission and Records during their designated time period.

Berkeley Undergraduate Geographers (BUGs)

The Berkeley Undergraduate Geographers (BUGs) is a group organized by undergraduate Geography students in the department. BUGS has an elected Body of Officers and holds frequent meetings during the semester. Field trips, informal lectures, picnics and potlucks, movie nights, lunch time talks, T-shirt sales, and afternoon beer-on-the-balcony are some of the activities organized by BUGs. BUGs is open to all students interested in geography. For events and meeting times check the Bulletin Board located next to the elevators on the 5th floor or the web site at http://geography.berkeley.edu/BUGs/index.html

The Geography Major and Minor