Modern geography is a legacy of the age of exploration.
While geographers no longer discover new continents and seas, they still search for knowledge about places and landscapes on the earth and about the similarities and differences in the physical, economic, political, and social conditions of different places. While maintaining a global vision, geographers are also practical. Geographers study such topics as natural hazards, adverse environmental impacts of human activity, climate change, retail location, urban landscapes, and international geopolitics and economic development. Given the breadth of the geographer's interests and concerns, it is not surprising that only the Department of Geography offers courses that meet college and university requirements in the social sciences, the natural sciences, and world cultures. In addition to the major, the department also offers a minor in geography.