Geography

Opportunities for Geography Students

Geography is the study of the spatial distribution of the Earth’s physical features and human societies, and how humans and the environment interact throughout the world. The questions geographers ask investigate the way human-environmental interactions vary and evolve across space, between places, and over time.

Initial questions investigated by a geographer

Where do people live?

Why are businesses located where they are?

How does the distributions of plants and animals differ, and why?

How have urban infrastructures changes over time?

Broader questions addressed by a geographer

What are the factors that influence the migration of groups of people?

What human-environment spatial interactions are contributing to climate change?

How are different groups of people adapting to changing climate conditions?

How do issues of place and space influence civil wars?

What is the role of the mining industry on human health?

Careers in Geography

The graduate in geography has the skills and insights to think independently and critically, communicate effectively, and function in a multicultural world. Options for geographers include careers in international development, education, natural resource management, government, law, non-profit organizations, and business.

Check out our suggestions for paths to success and careers in geography.

Paths to Success
Careers in Geography

Geography at CSU

Our geography program provides a broad range of courses designed to provide foundational knowledge in the classroom and further engage students in experiential learning in our lab and field school courses.

CSU Geography Course Subjects Include:

  • Climate Change Implications for Society and Ecosystems
  • Land-Use and Land-Cover Change
  • Critical Human Geography
  • Biogeography
  • Livelihood Systems
  • Conservation
  • Cultural Geography
  • Urban geography
  • Cconomic Geography
  • Political/Electoral Geography
  • Geography of Virtual Worlds

Our undergraduate program includes a geography major and two options for a minor in geography.

Geography Undergraduate Programs

Geography Paths to Success

The following are examples of course sequences that prepares students for specific jobs or careers

The following are common career paths that geography students pursue. Check out recommended courses, research opportunities, and internships that would help prepare for that job. Be sure to also seek the advice of Keri Canada, your Academic Success Coordinator, and professors to get help planning your future career success.

GIS Analyst

Besides taking the required courses for a Geography Major, the following are courses that particularly should be taken to prepare for GIS Analyst positions:

  • GR100 Introduction to Geography
  • GR220 Mapping, Cartography and Spatial Thinking
  • GR315 Quantitative Geographical Methods
  • GR323 Remote Sensing and Image Interpretation
  • GR420 Spatial Analysis with GIS
  • GR430 Land Change Science and Remote Sensing
  • GR431 Land Change Science Lab

A GIS analyst uses knowledge about geography, spatial analysis, and geographic information systems to answer spatial questions related to a variety of subject areas. Jobs in this category are found in urban and regional planning, park planning and park management, marketing, health services, engineering, local and state government (city, county, and state government, public safety, etc.), national government (State Department, US Agency for International Development, Department of Defense, USGS, US National Park Service), non-governmental organizations (CARE International, Center for International Forestry, and others), and international organizations (World Health Organization, World Bank, International Food Policy Research Institute, and others). Examples of groups who have hired students from CSU to work as GIS Analysts include Maxar Technologies (Westminster), CACI (Fort Collins), the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, and more.

Internships

The Geospatial Centroid
The Land Change Science and Remote
Sensing Lab

Foreign Service Officer

Besides taking the required courses for a Geography Major, the following are courses that particularly should be taken to prepare for international related positions:

  • GR100 Introduction to Geography
  • GR102 Geography of Europe and the Americas
  • GR213 Climate Migrants
  • GR305 Geography of Global Health
  • GR320 Cultural Geography
  • GR330 Urban Geography
  • GR415 The Geography of Commodities
  • GR420 Spatial Analysis with GIS
  • GR440 Political Geography

A Foreign Service officer uses knowledge about human and physical geography to respond to spatial questions related to a variety of subject areas in the international arena. Jobs in this category are found in the State Department and the US Agency for International Development.

Field Schools

Ethnographic Field School for Risk and Disaster

Internships

The Geospatial Centroid
Internships, Practicums, and Independent Study

Park Ranger

Besides taking the required courses for a Geography Major, the following are courses that particularly should be taken to prepare for Park Service or Conservation Science positions:

  • GR100 Introduction to Geography
  • GR220 Mapping, Cartography and Spatial Thinking
  • GR315 Quantitative Geographical Methods
  • GR323 Remote Sensing and Image Interpretation
  • GR342 Geography of Water Resources
  • GR345 Geography of Hazards
  • GR348 Biogeography
  • GR420 Spatial Analysis with GIS
  • GR430 Land Change Science and Remote Sensing
  • GR431 Land Change Science Lab
  • GR448 Forest Biogeography and Climate Change
  • GR410 Climate Change

A Park Ranger uses knowledge about human and physical geography to respond to spatial questions related to a variety of subject areas in park management and potentially other natural resource conservation work. Jobs in this category are found in the US National Park Service, state and city park units.

Field Schools

Internships

The Nature Conservancy in Colorado
Wildlands Restorations Volunteers
The Geospatial Centroid
US National Park Service
Internships, Practicums, and Independent Study

High School Geography Teacher

Besides taking the required courses for a Geography Major, the following are courses that particularly should be taken to prepare for teaching positions:

  • GR100 Introduction to Geography
  • GR102 Geography of Europe and the Americas
  • GR213 Climate Migrants
  • GR220 Mapping, Cartography and Spatial Thinking
  • GR305 Geography of Global Health
  • GR320 Cultural Geography
  • GR330 Urban Geography
  • GR415 The Geography of Commodities
  • GR440 Political Geography

A high school geography teacher uses knowledge about human and physical geography to educate high school students, foster more knowledgeable citizens, and inspire interest in the field.  Jobs in this category are found in public and private school districts throughout the country. Examples of school districts that have hired students from CSU to work as teachers include Poudre School District and Thompson School District.

A teacher licensure will be required for undergraduate students interested in becoming a high school geography teacher.

The Geography Program Reflects the Overlapping and Diverse Research Interests of our Faculty

Opportunities for Geography Students

Geography students at CSU are encouraged to engage in research early. Faculty-supervised student research projects and independent studies may include a wide range of research methods, including geographic information systems (GIS), remote sensing, spatial modeling, spatial statistics, ethnography, and participatory methods to address applied research questions in the Arctic, Antarctic, Colorado, the Rocky Mountains, Southeast Asia, Mesoamerica, Melanesia, Africa, and South America. These projects are made possible by faculty research facilities.

Opportunities to engage in original research with faculty mentorship

Amanda Carlson, 2017 Graduate Student Showcase
Ari Porter, 2017 Graduate Student Showcase, Great Minds in Research Award
Kirk Saylor, 2017 Graduate Student Showcase

Opportunities to engage in original research with faculty mentorship in the field, nationally and internationally

Amanda Potter, geography major, conducting fieldwork in the mountains of Colorado with Associate Professor Jason Sibold
Eric Rounds MA ’16, back left, and Professor Stephen Leisz, back right, conducting international fieldwork in Quang Tri, Vietnam
Jamie Hoover (Phd ’16) giving an oral presentation to the Kamiali community in Papua New Guinea of preliminary results of her dissertation research, translated to Pidgin.

CSU Geography Centers

  • Center for Archaeology and Remote Sensing

CSU Geography Labs

Student Testimonials

The geography program at CSU provides students with opportunities to learn through experience and mentorship. As a result, our graduates have followed paths to successful careers in non-academic and academic fields.

 

 

“All of the classes that I took from geographers John Lindenbaum and Jason Sibold were fantastic. Both of them love what they do so much. It is so refreshing and awesome.”
– Nicole Luchetta ‘16, Regional Placement Manager at EF Education First, geography minor

 

 

“My advice to current students is to learn work/life balance so you can both enjoy the college experience and be successful in your education. Take full advantage of internships and get to know your professors. If you show interest and keep them in the loop on matters in your life, they will always be ready and willing to help as well as be understanding if something comes up. Enjoy CSU because it is a fantastic school with solid professors.” – David Bowden ‘16, Disability Claims Specialist, Social Security Administration, geography minor