Equally important to geographers is the study of the processes and spatial patterns of various components of the physical environment such as landforms, aquatic systems, the atmosphere, plants, and animals. Tools utilized by geographers for gathering and analyzing data include cartography, geographic information systems, aerial photography, satellite imagery, statistics, and mathematical models. Graduates with a B.A. or B.S. degree from the Geography Department may find positions with state or federal agencies, private business, or with proper certification, in teaching. The Geography Department also administers an undergraduate program in urban planning. In addition to excellent classroom facilities, the department has a well-equipped cartography, GIS, and remote sensing laboratory, environmental research laboratories, and multivariate analysis facilities.
Emphasis is placed on field and laboratory techniques and quantitative methods.
At the ECO, biological, chemical, and physical signatures of past environmental conditions are used to study global environmental change. The department maintains a growing library of computer mapping, GIS, image processing, and statistical programs. Undergraduate Program Degrees. B.A., B.S. in geography. For information about the Urban Planning major, see the end of this section.