In high school, your Geography class probably focused on maps and locations. But, the field is so much broader than that. Geography bridges the physical and human world, using scientific methods to explain and predict people's impact on the planet and the planet's impact on people.
UWM's Geography students graduate with an exceptional ability to intellectually and technologically process spatial data about space, place, and people and how they relate to each other. They understand how to make sense of seemingly unrelated pieces of information by bringing together facts and diverse values. They also are adept at presenting information visually - for example, maps!
Some examples of research topics being tackled by today's geographers include climate change, population shifts, land use patterns, and animal migration. These are all examples of how geographers focus on human's relationship with man-made and natural environments.
Geographic Information Science (GIS) is a growing specialty within geography. GIS is a technology-based system for capturing, storing, and checking different types of data in relation to its position on Earth. It is a tool that enhances decision-making in both the private and public sector. For example, a rural town in the Rocky Mountains may use GIS data to determine where and when to place fire stations and personnel based on the patterns of forest fires and permanent and tourist populations. A corporation may use GIS to plan the location and layout of a new store based on shopping and traffic patterns.
At UWM, students can focus on GIS within the major, or choose another specialty track: urban geography with a focus on cities; environmental geography for those interested in natural resources; or physical systems with an emphasis on the natural features of earth such as climate, soil, and plants. Or, students can take the broad major and explore a little bit of each of these areas.
Related Programs
For the teaching major and minor, see the School of Education section of this catalog. A related special major is International Studies. Related certificate programs include Asian Studies, Latin American, Caribbean, and U.S. Latin@ Studies, and Middle Eastern and North African Studies.
Requirements
Course of Study – Bachelor of Arts Degree
Complete 120 credits including 90 credits in the College of Letters & Science and with 36 of the 90 credits in L&S upper-level (numbered above 300) courses. The College requires that students must complete in residence at UWM at least 15 credits in upper-division (numbered 300 or above) courses in their major. Students are also required to complete University-wide General Education Requirements and the specific L&S requirements listed below.
To complete a major, students must satisfy all the requirements of the major as stated in this catalog. Students who declare their majors within five years of entering the UW System as a degree candidate may satisfy the requirements outlined in any catalog issued since the time they entered. Credits used to satisfy the major also may be used to satisfy other degree requirements.
University General Education Requirements (GER)
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Oral and Written Communication | ||
| Part A | ||
| ENGLISH 102 | College Writing and Research (or equivalent) | |
| Part B | ||
| Course designated as OWC-B; may be completed through a major-specific course requirement | ||
| Quantitative Literacy | ||
| Part A | ||
| Select one of the following: | ||
| Contemporary Applications of Mathematics | ||
| Introduction to College Algebra | ||
| Algebraic Literacy II | ||
Or equivalent course | ||
| Part B | ||
| Course designated as QL-B; may be completed through a major-specific course requirement | ||
| Arts | ||
| Select 3 credits | 3 | |
| Humanities | ||
| Select 6 credits | 6 | |
| Social Sciences | ||
| Select 6 credits | 6 | |
| Natural Sciences | ||
| Select 6 credits (at least two courses including one lab) | 6 | |
| UWM Foreign Language Requirement | ||
| Complete Foreign Language Requirement through: | ||
Two years (high school) of a single foreign language | ||
Two semesters (college) of a single foreign language | ||
Or equivalent | ||
| UWM Cultural Diversity Requirement | ||
| One course from the Arts, Humanities, or Social Sciences must also satisfy UWM's Cultural Diversity requirement | ||
College of Letters & Science Requirements
I. English Writing Requirement
Students must satisfy the English Writing Requirement by completing ENGLISH 102 with a grade of C or higher or by placing beyond ENGLISH 102 on the English Placement Test (EPT).
Note: This requirement is the same as the University General Education Requirement for Oral and Written Communication Part A. The College of Letters & Science does not have a specific requirement for a writing course beyond English 102, but students must complete the university-wide requirement for Oral and Written Communication Part B listed above.
II. Mathematics and Formal Reasoning
To satisfy the Mathematics and Formal Reasoning Requirement, students must satisfy the following two requirements:
1. Achieve a Math Placement score of at least 30 or earn at least 3 credits with a grade of C or higher in one of the following courses or an equivalent course:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| MATH 102 | Mathematical Literacy for College Students II | 3 |
| MATH 103 | Contemporary Applications of Mathematics | 3 |
| MATH 105 | Introduction to College Algebra | 3 |
| MATH 108 | Algebraic Literacy II | 3 |
| MATH 175 | Mathematical Explorations for Elementary Teachers I | 3 |
Note: This requirement is the same as the University General Education Requirement for Quantitative Literacy Part A, listed above.
2. Complete one course (at least 3 credits) at the 200 level or above chosen from courses in Mathematics, PHILOS 211, or Letters and Science statistics courses:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Complete one of the following: | ||
3 or more credits in any 200-level or above Math course | ||
| Introduction to Statistics in African and African Diaspora Studies | ||
| Introduction to Anthropological Statistics | ||
| Statistical Methods in Atmospheric Sciences | ||
| Biostatistics | ||
| Economic Statistics | ||
| Quantitative Analysis in Geography | ||
| The Quantitative Analysis of Historical Data | ||
| Elementary Statistical Analysis | ||
| Elementary Logic | ||
| Political Data Analysis | ||
| Survey Research | ||
| Psychological Statistics | ||
| Introduction to Statistical Thinking in Sociology | ||
Note: This requirement is NOT the same as the University General Education Requirement for Quantitative Literacy Part B. To complete the BA, students must take one of the L&S approved courses. The courses listed here will satisfy the QL-B requirement.
III. Foreign Language Requirement
Placement testing may be used to satisfy all or part of this requirement. Language courses (including American Sign Language) other than English taken in high school may be used to satisfy all or part of this requirement. One year of high school language equates to one semester of college work.
Completion of the L&S Language Requirement also satisfies the university-wide Foreign Language GER, but not vice versa.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Completed in one of the following ways: 1 | 0-18 | |
Successful completion of the 4th semester of college work or equivalent in one language other than English (including American Sign Language) | ||
Successful completion of the 3rd semester of college work or equivalent in one language other than English (including American Sign Language) PLUS the 2nd semester of college work or equivalent in another language other than English (including American Sign Language) | ||
IV. International Requirement
See Approved Courses for the L&S International Requirement for course options.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Completed in one of the following ways: 1 | 9 | |
Complete 3 courses (min. 9 cr) in a single foreign language (not including literature-in-translation or American Sign Language) at the 3rd semester level and above | ||
Complete 3 non-language courses (min. 9 credits) with an international content chosen from at least 2 curricular areas. | ||
Complete 9 credits in combination of the two options above. | ||
V. Breadth Requirement
Along with completing the University General Education Requirements of 3 credits in the Arts (A); 6 credits in the Humanities (HU), Social Sciences (SS), and Natural Sciences (NS/NS+); and a course with the Cultural Diversity (CD/+) designation, L&S students must complete the Breadth requirement.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Arts | ||
| Select 3 credits | 3 | |
| Humanities | ||
| Complete 12 credits of L&S courses with Humanities Breadth designation; no more than 6 credits from a single subject area. * | 12 | |
| Social Sciences | ||
| Complete 12 credits of L&S Courses with Social Science Breadth designation; no more than 6 credits from a single curricular area. * | 12 | |
| Natural Sciences | ||
| Complete 12 credits of L&S Courses with Natural Sciences Breadth designation, including at least one laboratory or field course; no more than 6 credits from a single curricular area. * | 12 | |
| Cultural Diversity | ||
| Complete 3 credits in a course with Cultural Diversity (CD) designation. ** | 3 | |
| * | Students should check their course selections carefully with the list of approved L&S Breadth Courses. Students are advised to select at least 6 credits worth of courses in each of the Humanities, Social Science, and Natural Sciences areas that can satisfy both the campus-wide General Education Requirements and the L&S Breadth requirement. |
| ** | Students are advised to select a course that satisfies the Cultural Diversity requirement as well as a Humanities or Social Science breadth/GER requirement. |
VI. The Major
The College of Letters and Science requires that students attain at least a 2.5 GPA in all credits in the major attempted at UWM. In addition, students must attain a 2.5 GPA on all major credits attempted, including any transfer work. Individual departments or programs may require higher GPAs for graduation. Some departmental majors require courses from other departments. Contact your major department for information on whether those credits will count as part of the major GPA. The College requires that students must complete in residence at UWM at least 15 credits in upper-division (numbered 300 or above) courses in their major.
Research Requirement
Within their majors, students must complete a research experience approved by the L&S faculty. A list of courses satisfying the research requirement in each major can be found here.
Geography Major Requirements
Students must meet with the department's undergraduate advisor to declare geography as a major. All majors must complete the 24- or 25-credit core curriculum and the additional requirements as defined in one of the five tracks:
- Geographic Information
- Urban
- Environmental
- Physical Systems
- Globalization, Cultures, and Societies
Geography majors may earn either a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree. The physical systems track is recommended for Bachelor of Science students. In satisfying their major requirements, all students must complete at least 37 credits in geography, 18 of which must be at or above the 300 level, with at least 15 of those taken in residence at UWM. Courses taken outside geography that fulfill geography requirements will be included in the GPA. Majors must have a 2.500 GPA in all geography credits attempted at UWM. In addition, students must attain a 2.500 GPA in all major credits attempted, including any transfer work.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Core Curriculum | ||
| Select one of the following courses in human geography: | 3 | |
| Introduction to Human Geography | ||
| The World: Peoples and Regions | ||
| Geography of Race in the United States | ||
| Globalization and Economic Development | ||
| Our Urban Environment: Introduction to Urban Geography 1 | ||
| Select one of these courses in physical or environmental geography: | 3 | |
| Our Physical Environment 2 | ||
| Introduction to Environmental Geography | ||
| Select one of the following regional or world geography courses: | 3 | |
| Geography of Asia | ||
| Wisconsin | ||
| Geography of the United States and Canada | ||
| Muslim Geographies: Identities and Politics | ||
| Nationalities and Nations of the World | ||
| Europe: East and West | ||
| Population, Environment, Development | ||
| Gendered Geographies | ||
| Geography of Latin America | ||
| Geography of South Asia | ||
| Insurgent Cities - Global Geographies of Urban Social Movements | ||
| The following two courses are required for all tracks. | ||
| GEOG 215 | Introduction to Geographic Information Science | 3 |
| GEOG 247 | Quantitative Analysis in Geography | 3 |
| Select one of the following techniques courses: | 3-4 | |
| Remote Sensing: Environmental and Land Use Analysis | ||
| Cartography | ||
| Qualitative Methods in Geography | ||
| Geographic Information Science 3 | ||
| Spatial Analysis | ||
| The following course is required for all tracks. | ||
| GEOG 600 | Perspectives on Geography (satisfies L&S research requirement) | 3 |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Geography Field Work 4 | ||
| Tropical Field Course: | ||
| Internship in Geography, Upper Division 5 | ||
| Study Abroad: 5 | ||
| Major Tracks | ||
| Select a Major Track | 9-15 | |
| Total Credits | 33-40 | |
| 1 | Students in the Urban Track are required to take GEOG 140. |
| 2 | Students in the Physical Systems Track must take GEOG 120; those in the Environmental Track must take GEOG 125. |
| 3 | Students in the Geographic Information Track must take GEOG 525. |
| 4 | Fieldwork is only offered in the June summer session. Check with the department for further details. |
| 5 | Students must obtain PRIOR approval to select either of these two courses. With approval, students can fulfill this requirement by completing a minimum of 90 hours of field research in one of the following courses: GEOG 489 or GEOG 497. |
Major Tracks
Geographic Information Track
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| GEOG 625 | Intermediate Geographic Information Science | 4 |
| Select two upper-level techniques courses 1 | 7-8 | |
| GEOG 698 | GIS/Cartography Internship | 3 |
| Total Credits | 14-15 | |
| 1 | In addition to GEOG 525, listed in requirement of the core curriculum, (7-8 cr. beyond core) |
Urban Track
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select two of the following: | 6 | |
| Geography of Transportation | ||
| Geography of Cities and Metropolitan Areas | ||
| Cities of the World: Comparative Urban Geography | ||
| Globalization and the City | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Environmental Problems | ||
| Physical Geography of the City | ||
| Urban Environmental Change and Social Justice | ||
| Total Credits | 9 | |
Environmental Track
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select three of the following: | 9 | |
| Conservation of Natural Resources | ||
| Physical Geography of the City | ||
| Environmental Problems | ||
| Urban Environmental Change and Social Justice | ||
| Total Credits | 9 | |
Physical Systems Track
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required | ||
| Select three of the following: | 9 | |
| General Climatology | ||
| Biogeography | ||
| Hydrogeography | ||
| Methods and Principles in Land Form Geography | ||
| Karst Geomorphology | ||
| Geography of Soils | ||
| Electives | ||
| Select 6 credits 1 | 6 | |
| Total Credits | 15 | |
| 1 | Any two upper-division (numbered 300 or above) courses approved for natural science credit that have not been selected to fulfill the above requirements. A maximum of 3 credits from outside Geography may be applied to the major. |
Globalization, Cultures, and Societies Track
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| GEOG 115 | Globalization and Economic Development | 3 |
| GEOG 540 | Globalization and the City | 3 |
| Select one of the following in regional or world geography 1,2,3 | 3 | |
| Regional: | ||
| Geography of Asia | ||
| Europe: East and West | ||
| Geography of Latin America | ||
| Geography of South Asia | ||
| World: | ||
| Muslim Geographies: Identities and Politics | ||
| Nationalities and Nations of the World | ||
| Population, Environment, Development | ||
| Gendered Geographies | ||
| Urban: | ||
| Geography of Transportation | ||
| Geography of Cities and Metropolitan Areas | ||
| Cities of the World: Comparative Urban Geography | ||
| Physical Geography of the City | ||
| Globalization and the City | ||
| Urban Environmental Change and Social Justice | ||
| Total Credits | 9 | |
| 1 | In addition to the regional or world course taken to satisfy major core requirement above. |
| 2 | If the course taken to meet core requirement is a Regional course, then the course selected to complete track requirement should be a World course, or vice versa, for a total of one Regional course and one World course in the major. |
| 3 | If not selected for core requirement above. |
Cross-listed Courses
The following courses offered by the Department of Geosciences may be used to fulfill the requirements of the undergraduate major or minor in geography.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| GEO SCI 401 | General Soil Science | 3 |
| GEO SCI 409 | Process Geomorphology | 3 |
Letters & Science Advising
The College of Letters and Science provides general academic advising for all students with a major in the College, particularly as it relates to campus' general education requirements and the College's degree requirements. We also provide specialized advising for pre-professional students (pre-med, pre-dental, pre-pharmacy, etc.) regardless if their major is in Letters and Science or not. Prospective students, including high school students and students seeking to transfer to a program in Letters and Science may also receive advising from our admissions counselors.
Upon admission, students are assigned an advisor in the College advising office. Academic advising is available Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. by appointment. Appointments outside of these times may be available and phone appointments are available for online students. The advising office is located on the first floor of Holton Hall. Current students should call (414) 229-4654 to schedule an appointment or use the Student Success Collaborative website to make an appointment with your assigned advisor; online scheduling is only available if you already have a Letters & Science advisor assigned to you. Prospective students should call (414) 229-7711 or email let-sci@uwm.edu.
When students declare a major, they will receive an additional faculty advisor located within the major department who will assist with requirements for that major. Students should read the "Declaration of Major" information on the website of the major that they are interested in. In some cases, the student will need to choose a faculty advisor as part of the declaration process.
All students are cautioned to consult their Letters & Science academic advisor AND their major advisor prior to each registration period to ensure they understand all requirements. Do not rely on pre-printed sample plans, as they are intended to be samples only and may not be right for your particular situation.
Honors in the College of Letters and Science
Dean's Honor List
GPA of 3.750 or above, earned on a full-time student's GPA on 12 or more graded credits in a given semester.
Honors Degree and Honors Degree with Thesis
Granted to graduating seniors who complete Honors College requirements, as listed in the Honors College section of this site.
Commencement Honors
Students with a cumulative GPA of 3.500 or above, based on a minimum of 40 graded UWM credits earned prior to the final semester, will receive all-university commencement honors and be awarded the traditional gold cord at the December or May Honors Convocation. In schools and colleges in which fewer than 15% of the traditional students have a 3.500 GPA, all-university honors will be awarded to approximately the top 15% of graduating students. A criterion GPA (not lower than 3.200) for this 15% will be calculated based on statistics from the previous comparable semester. Please note that for honors calculation, the GPA is not rounded and is truncated at the third decimal (e.g., 3.499).
Final Honors
Earned on a minimum of 60 graded UWM credits: Cum Laude - 3.500 or above; Magna Cum Laude - 3.650 or above; Summa Cum Laude - 3.800 or above.