Geographers examine the spatial relationships between people, places, environments and economies using innovative conceptual and technological approaches. Exciting technological changes, from computer mapping software like Google Earth, to satellite image processing, and global positioning systems (GPS), make geography a fascinating discipline to study. DePaul's geographers share a commitment to 'hands on' teaching and research that makes a world of difference for the people, places, environments and processes that we study. Geographers apply methods such as observation, visualization, analysis, and modeling to explain the spatial organization of human and physical environments. Geographical perspectives foster skills that have broad applications in public policy, research and the private sector. The Department of Geography teaches students to reason spatially by applying geographic techniques and information technologies, including new technologies such as Geographic Information Systems (GIS). This helps students produce sophisticated understandings of the world, its people, environments, economic structures and cultures.
Geospatial analysis and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) continues to be a rapidly-growing, technologically diverse, multi-billion dollar industry. Geotechnology is consistently identified by the U.S. Bureau of Labor as a “hot” area for job growth and it is estimated that over the next ten years, demand for geospatial analysts will exceed supply. Geography holds a comparative advantage as a discipline that straddles fields in the social, natural, and computer sciences and, as a result, Geography has courses in every DePaul learning domain. This breadth of courses makes Geography the ideal double major at DePaul and the range of classes offered means that geography is an exceptional foundation for a variety of careers that explore questions of spatial organization and require regional knowledge. The study of geography builds a unique spatial perspective that sits at the intersection of "natural" and "social" science, and it addresses both "human" and "physical" domains of knowledge, examining the interactions between them through space.
| Program Requirements | Quarter Hours |
|---|---|
| Liberal Studies Requirements | 84 |
| Major (Core + Concentration) Requirements | 56 |
| Open Electives | 52 |
| Total hours required | 192 |
Learning Outcomes
Students will be able to:
- Use key concepts, theories, and vocabulary to interpret how socio-cultural, political, economic, and/or environmental phenomena may construct a "space," a "place," a "landscape," a "location," or a "region" as a complex material or symbolic structure.
- Use qualitative and/or quantitative methodologies to analyze spatial phenomena, and collect, identify, and apply spatial data from either primary or secondary sources to interpret the spatial character of a physical, socio-cultural, or environment-society problem.
- Interpret spatial patterns of economic inequalities and social injustices and their relation to urban, built, and natural environments.
- Demonstrate competence in one or more of several geospatial technologies (i.e. remote sensing, geographical information systems, global navigation satellite systems, etc.) and articulate effectively the results of that use in speech, text, image, or map.
- Describe and differentiate processes of globalization and their effects on cities, regions, physical systems, cultures, and political divisions.
College Core Requirements
Study in the Major Field
The student’s course of study in the College consists of three parts: Liberal Studies, the major field, and electives. Together these three parts contribute to the liberal education of the student which is the common purpose of all study in the College. By “liberal education” the College understands not only a deep and thorough knowledge of a particular area of study but a knowledge of the diverse areas of study represented by criticism, history, the arts, the behavioral and social sciences, philosophy, religious studies, the natural science, and mathematics.
The major field program generally is built upon a set of core courses and a specialized “concentration.” The number of courses required for a major varies by department. Most students go beyond the minimum requirements, electing additional courses which both broaden and deepen their understanding of their chosen discipline.
Because no academic major program is built in isolation, students are required to pursue a number of electives of the student’s choice. The inherent flexibility of this curriculum demands that the student consult an academic advisor at each stage in the total program and at least once prior to each registration.
Students will be prompted to visit the College Office for their official graduation check early in their senior year.
Declaration of Major, Minor and Concentration
All students in the College are required to declare a major field prior to beginning their junior year. The student will then be assigned a faculty advisor in the major field department or program and should make an appointment to see that advisor at his or her earliest convenience.
Students must declare or change majors, minors, and concentrations, via Campus Connection. However, for the purpose of exploring the possibility of changing a major field, the student should consult an academic advisor in the Office for Academic Advising Support.
The Modern Language Requirement (MLR)
All students will be required to demonstrate competence in a modern language (i.e., a language other than English) equivalent to the proficiency attained from one year of college-level language study. This Modern Language Requirement (MLR) may be demonstrated by:
- placing into 104 or above on the DePaul language placement exam
- completing the last course or earning AP/IB credit for the last course in the first-year college sequence of any language (e.g. 103 for DePaul language classes)
- completing a college course or earning AP/IB credit for a college course beyond the first-year level in any language (e.g. 104 or above for DePaul language classes)
- completing the final course of a four-year sequence of the same modern language in high school*
- completing a proctored exam by BYU and passing the exam (see the Department of Modern Languages website for registration details)
- completing a proctored Written Proficiency Test (WPT) by Language Testing International (LTI) and achieving a score of Beginner High or above (see the Department of Modern Languages website for registration details)
*Students are strongly encouraged to take the DePaul language placement exam even if they have met the MLR via study of a language in high school. This will ensure continuation of language study at the proper level.
Please note: Modern Languages courses with an E-designation are taught in English and may not be applied to the Modern Language Requirement.
Students who complete an Inter-College Transfer (ICT) to the College will abide by the MLR in place on the effective date of the ICT, regardless of when they first matriculated at DePaul.
Students who have met the MLR and wish to pursue further work in the language may elect the “Modern Language Option” (see below).
The Modern Language Option (MLO)
The Modern Language Option is available to all BA students who wish to study a modern language beyond the level required by their College, and to all other undergraduate students without a modern language requirement who wish to study a language at any level.
Students selecting the MLO may substitute a sequence of three courses in the same language for three domain courses.
The three MLO substitutions must be made in three different domains, and any substitutions must be consistent with the principle that students complete at least one course in each learning domain.
MLO substitutions may not be used to replace requirements in the Math & Computing, and Scientific Inquiry, domains.
Students majoring in one modern language may use the Modern Language Option for study of a second language at the Intermediate level or above.
Modern Languages courses with an E-designation are taught in English and may not be applied to the Modern Language Option.
NOTE: Please contact your college/school regarding additional information and restrictions about the Modern Language Option.
External Credit and Residency
A student who has been admitted to the College begins residency within the college as of the first day of classes of the term in which the student is registered. Students in residence, whether attending on a full-time or part-time basis, may not take courses away from DePaul University without the written permission of the college. Permission must be obtained in advance of registration to avoid loss of credit or residency in the college; see the LAS website for more information.
Liberal Studies Requirements
Honors program requirements can be found in the individual Colleges & Schools section of the University Catalog. Select the appropriate college or school, followed by Undergraduate Academics and scroll down.
| First Year Program | Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago Quarter | ||
| LSP 110 or LSP 111 | DISCOVER CHICAGO or EXPLORE CHICAGO | 4 |
| Focal Point | ||
| LSP 112 | FOCAL POINT SEMINAR | 4 |
| Writing | ||
| WRD 103 | COMPOSITION AND RHETORIC I 1 | 4 |
| WRD 104 | COMPOSITION AND RHETORIC II 1 | 4 |
| Quantitative Reasoning | ||
| MAT 120 | QUANTITATIVE REASONING 2 | 4 |
| Sophomore Year | ||
| Race, Power, and Resistance | ||
| LSP 200 | SEMINAR ON RACE, POWER, AND RESISTANCE | 4 |
| Junior Year | ||
| Experiential Learning | ||
| Required | 4 | |
| Senior Year | ||
| Capstone | ||
| GEO 300 | GEOGRAPHICAL INQUIRY 1,3 | 4 |
- 1
Students must earn a C- or better in this course.
- 2
Readiness for MAT 120 is determined by the math placement test taken online after admission. Students may need to take developmental coursework prior to MAT 120. Students who complete MAT 120 and both a Computational Reasoning course and a Statistical Reasoning course in the Math and Computing Learning Domain take one less Learning Domain course. Students may not apply the course reduction to any Domain where only one course is required, and cannot be applied to the Scientific Inquiry Learning Domain. The MAT 120 requirement may be waived by passing a dedicated proficiency exam or it may be fulfilled by credit for advanced math coursework earned in-residence at DePaul (MAT 135, MAT 136, MAT 147, MAT 148, MAT 149, MAT 150, MAT 151, MAT 152 MAT 155, MAT 156, MAT 160, MAT 161, MAT 162 MAT 170, MAT 171, MAT 172, or equivalent) or earned externally either as transfer credit from another college/university or as test credit through AP, CLEP, IB, or International A and A/S Level exams. Calculus course(s) may be used to fulfill any of the three QR/MCD requirements.
- 3
A student whose only major is in Geography is required to complete the Capstone offered by the Department of Geography. A student who is double majoring (or pursuing dual degrees) with Geography as the primary major (or primary degree) may substitute the Capstone of the secondary major or degree. A Geography major in the University Honors Program shall take only the University Honors Capstone, not both the Honors Capstone and the Geography Capstone.
Learning Domains
Arts and Literature (AL)
- 3 Courses Required
Historical Inquiry (HI)
- 2 Courses Required
Math and Computing (MC)
- 1 Course Required
[1 SR Course]
Philosophical Inquiry (PI)
- 2 Courses Required
Religious Dimensions (RD)
- 2 Courses Required
Scientific Inquiry (SI)
- 2 Courses Required
[1 Lab Course and 1 SWK Course]
Social, Cultural, and Behavioral Inquiry (SCBI)
- 1 Course Required
Notes
Courses offered in the student's primary major cannot be taken to fulfill LSP Domain requirements. If students double major, LSP Domain courses may double count for both LSP credit and the second major. Students who choose to take an experiential learning course offered by the major may count it either as a general elective or the JYEL requirement.
In meeting learning domain requirements, no more than one course that is outside the student’s major and is cross-listed with a course within the student’s major, can be applied to count for LSP domain credit. This policy does not apply to those who are pursuing a double major or earning BFA or BM degrees.
Major Requirements
Core Requirements
| Course | Title | Quarter Hours |
|---|---|---|
| GEO 101 | ENVIRONMENTAL GEOGRAPHY | 4 |
| GEO 103 | URBANIZATION | 4 |
| GEO 241 | GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS I: DIGITAL MAPPING | 4 |
| GEO 299 | KNOWLEDGE, PLACE AND POWER | 4 |
| As part of the Core students must engage in FOUR credit hours of internship (GEO 398) or other practical professional experience, including DePaul CLD courses (https://catalog.depaul.edu/course-descriptions/cld/), or equivalent. | 4 | |
| Total Hours | 20 | |
Concentration Requirements
Students must complete the requirements from one of the following concentrations: Standard; Urban Development and Planning; GIS and Geotechnology; or Environment and Society.