344 Kleinpell Fine Arts Building
(715) 425-3264
www.uwrf.edu/geography/
Charles Rader–Chair, John Heppen, Donald Petzold
Geography is a wide-ranging discipline which asks two questions: “Where are things located?”, but even more important, “Why are they located where they are?” While the answer to the former is largely descriptive, the answer to the latter is based on analysis of data. The modern geographer uses data from many sources to assess the constantly changing physical and human landscapes of the earth’s surface from local to global scales. Mapping and analyzing these physical and cultural patterns with the aid of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) involve geographers in many types of decision making. The geography major allows students to relate their studies in the humanities and social sciences to their work in the natural sciences. The geography curriculum can be tailored to those who have broad interdisciplinary interests and to those who have a focused interest in one of the geography subfields: human geography, physical geography or Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and cartography. In addition to the geography major and minor, the department offers a GIS/Cartography minor. Coursework prepares students for careers in GIS applications and digital map production. The department offers various courses in cartographic theory, GIS, and map design. All GIS and cartography courses are computer based.
BA and BS Liberal Arts majors as listed on pages 22-23.
BS Education majors as listed on pages 31-32.
Geography Major - Liberal Arts: 36 Total Credits
(without a Cartography Minor)
Required Courses: 18 cr. hrs.
GEOG 110 Physical Environment: Patterns and Systems 3 cr.
GEOG 111 Lab for Physical Environment: Patterns and Systems 1 cr.
GEOG 120 Human Geography 3 cr.
GEOG 240 United States 3 cr.
GEOG 250 Introduction to Cartography and GIS 3 cr.
GEOG 365 Quantitative Techniques for Geographers and Cartographers 3 cr.
GEOG 401 Senior Colloquium in Geography 2 cr.
Directed Electives 6 cr. hrs.
Choose 3 credits from the following:
GEOG 241 Wisconsin 3 cr.
GEOG 242 Canada 3 cr.
GEOG 340 Europe 3 cr.
GEOG 342 Latin America 3 cr.
GEOG 343 Africa 3 cr.
GEOG 344 Asia and Oceania 3 cr.
Choose 3 credits from the following:
GEOG 212 Weather and Climate 3 cr.
GEOG 213 Landforms of North America 3 cr.
GEOG 214 World Patterns of Plants and Animals 3 cr.
GEOG 220 Economic Geography 3 cr.
GEOG 237 Poverty in the United States 3 cr.
GEOG 255 Thematic Map Design 3 cr.
GEOG 316 The Physical Environment of Urban Areas 3 cr.
GEOG 322 Urban Geography 3 cr.
GEOG 324 Historical Geography of the United States 3 cr.
GEOG 360 Geographic Information Systems: Theory and Methods 3 cr.
GEOG 368 Geoprocessing Techniques 3 cr.
GEOG 378 Semester Abroad 3-6 cr.
GEOG 379 Geography Internship 3-12 cr.
GEOG 385 Interdisciplinary Seminar on the American Frontier 3 cr.
GEOG 389 Topics in Geography .5-3 cr.
GEOG 412 Advanced Climatology 3 cr.
GEOG 428 Political Geography 3 cr.
GEOG 450 Advanced Map Design and Production 3 cr.
GEOG 460 Advanced Geographic Information Systems 3 cr.
GEOG 490 Readings in Geography 1-3 cr.
GEOG 499 Independent Study 1-2 cr.
Electives: 12 cr. hrs.
Must be numbered 200 and above with at least one numbered 400 or above, see courses listed
in Directed Electives.
Geography Major - Liberal Arts with Cartography Minor
Major Requirements 36 Total Credits
Required Courses: 15 cr. hrs.
GEOG 110 Physical Environment: Patterns and Systems 3 cr.
GEOG 111 Lab for Physical Environment: Patterns and Systems 1 c.
GEOG 120 Human Geography 3 cr.
GEOG 240 United States 3 cr.
GEOG 365 Quantitative Techniques for Geographers and Cartographers 3 cr.
GEOG 401 Senior Colloquium in Geography 2 cr.
Directed Electives: 6 cr. hrs.
(See Geography Major without a Cartography Minor)
Electives: 15 cr. hrs.
(See Geography Major without a Cartography Minor)
Geography Minor - Liberal Arts: 22 Total Credits
Required Courses: 13 cr. hrs.
GEOG 110 Physical Environment: Patterns and Systems 3 cr.
GEOG 111 Lab for Physical Environment: Patterns and Systems 1 cr.
GEOG 120 Human Geography 3 cr.
GEOG 240 United States 3 cr.
GEOG 250 Introduction to Cartography and GIS 3 cr.
Electives: 9 cr. hrs.
(Courses numbered 200 and above)
Geography Minor - Elementary and Secondary Education: 22 Total Credits
Required Courses: 16 cr. hrs.
GEOG 110 Physical Environment: Patterns and Systems 3 cr.
GEOG 111 Lab for Physical Environment: Patterns and Systems 1 cr.
GEOG 120 Human Geography 3 cr.
GEOG 240 United States 3 cr.
GEOG 241 Wisconsin 3 cr.
GEOG 250 Introduction to Cartography and GIS 3 cr.
General Electives: 6 cr. hrs.
(Courses numbered 200 and above)
GIS/Cartography Minor: 21 Total Credits
(with a Geography Major)
Required Courses: 12 cr. hrs.
GEOG 250 Introduction to Cartography and GIS 3 cr.
GEOG 255 Thematic Map Design 3 cr.
GEOG 360 GIS: Theory and Methods 3 cr.
GEOG 368 Geoprocessing Techniques 3 cr.
Directed Electives: 9 cr. hrs.
GROUP A: Choose 6 or 9 credits from the following:
GEOG 450 Advanced Map Design and Production 3 cr.
GEOG 460 Advanced GIS 3 cr.
GEOG 379 Geography Internship 3-12 cr.
GROUP B: If 6 credits were chosen from Group A, then choose 3 credits from
the following:
GENG 235 Surveying 3 cr.
ESM 333 Remote Sensing of Natural Resources 3 cr.
ESM 363 GIS Applications in Resource Management 3 cr.
ART 225 Advertising Design I 3 cr.
CSIS 151 Introduction to Programming 3 cr.
CSIS 161 Programming I 3 cr.
CSIS 225 Web Development I 3 cr.
GIS/Cartography Minor 21 Total Credits
(without a Geography Major)
Required Courses: 12 cr. hrs.
(See Cartography Minor with a Geography Major)
Directed Electives: 9 cr. hrs.
GROUP A: (See Cartography Minor with a Geography Major Group A)
GROUP B: If 6 credits were chosen from Group A, then choose 3 credits from
the following:
GEOG 365 Quantitative Techniques for Geographers 3 cr.
GENG 235 Surveying 3 cr.
ESM 333 Remote Sensing of Natural Resources 3 cr.
ESM 363 GIS Applications in Resource Management 3 cr.
ART 225 Advertising Design I 3 cr.
CSIS 151 Introduction to Programming 3 cr.
CSIS 161 Programming I 3 cr.
CSIS 225 Web Development I 3 cr.
