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The following programs of study in Geography, Meteorology, and GIS lead to a Bachelor of Science degree. Please consult with a faculty advisor as soon as possible as there are many different options available for students in the Department of Geography and Geology. We want to help you find the right mix of courses and the right minor or second major to complement your studies in Geography. You can complete your undergraduate degree in Geography in four years (8 semesters) or less (particularly if you take summer courses) if you plan carefully your program of study.
1. Completion of 32-33 core hours in an area of concentration within Geography, 30 hours in Meteorology, or 28 hours in GIS
2. Geography concentrations require completion of 3-4 elective hours in consultation with a geography program advisor, in addition to the 32-33 hour core. 3. In the Geography major (#674), students are required to complete either (a) a Senior Research Project, (b) an Internship, or (c) a Study Abroad or Field camp program as part of the major. The Research Project is completed through one of the Department's Research Centers under the supervision of a Research Professor and offers students training and career preparation in applied research methodologies. Research Project experience is crucial in many careers. The Professional GIS major (#576) requires 6 hours of Internship or supervised research. 4. The Geography major (#674) requires completion of a minor (21 hours minimum) or second major (33 hours). Click on Geology to view the Geology Program Major. The Professional Meteorology major and the GIS major do not need a minor program.
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Department of Geography and Geology Geography Major | ||||||||
Freshman Year | Gen Ed/Major | Hours | Sophomore Year | Gen Ed/Major | Hours | |||
Fall Semester | Fall Semester | |||||||
GEOG 175 | 2 | GEOG 217 |
Major |
4 | ||||
GEOG 100 (or GEOL 102) | (D-I)(Major-core) | 3 | ENG 200 |
(B-1) |
3 | |||
ENG 100 |
(A-I) |
3 | Minor Lower Div | Minor | 3 | |||
HIST 119/120 | (C) | 3 | Elective | WKU Elective | 3 | |||
MATH 116 | (D-Math) | 3 | Humanities | B-II | 3 | |||
Development | (F) | 1 | Development |
(F) |
1 |
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Spring Semester | Spring Semester |
|||||||
GEOG 101 or 110 |
(C)or(E)(Major) |
3 | Language |
A-II |
3 | |||
Science Lab | (D-Lab) | 4 | GEOG 300 | Major-Core | 3 | |||
Humanities |
(B-II) |
3 | Social Science Elective | (C) | 3 | |||
SCOM 145/161 | (A-III) | 3 |
Computer Course |
WKU Elective |
3 |
|||
Minor Lower Div | Minor | 3 |
English 300 |
(A-1) |
3 |
|||
Total Hours | 31 | Total Hours | 32 | |||||
Junior Year | Hours | Senior Year | Hours | |||||
Fall Semester | Fall Semester | |||||||
GEOG 391 | 3 | Geography - U/D Course | 3 | |||||
Minor - L/D Course | 3 | Minor - U/D Course | 3 | |||||
Elective Course | 3 | Elective Course | 3 | |||||
Minor - U/D Course | Minor | 3 | Geography - U/D Course | Elective | 3 | |||
Geography U/D Course | Major-Core | 3 | Elective Course | Elective | 3 | |||
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Elective Course |
Elective |
3 |
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Spring Semester |
Spring Semester |
|||||||
GEOG UD Course | 3 | Geography U/D Course | Major | 3 | ||||
Minor U/D Course | 3 | Elective Course | Elective | 3 | ||||
Geography U/D Major | 3 | Geography U/D Major | Major | 3 | ||||
Elective Course | 3 | Minor U/D Course |
3 |
|||||
Elective Course | Geography U/D Elective | 3 | Elective Course | 3 | ||||
Elective Course | Geography Elective | 3 | ||||||
Total Hours | 33 | Total Hours | 33 | |||||
| Following this basic outline, students complete 44 hours of general education courses (35 hours plus 6-9 hours that are applied
to the Geography Major), 36 hours in the Geography Major (6-9 hours of which count for general education credit), 21 hours in a Minor, and 39
hours of electives, for a total of 128 hours. If a second major is chosen, then only 27 hours of electives are needed. ** Note: The sequence of courses required for the Geography major will depend on the Concentration chosen. Several Concentrations also have additional requirements beyond the major requirements, so please check with your advisor or review the appropriate web page. These additional requirements can be substituted for electives in this suggested program of study. | ||||||||
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ON TRACK TO GRADUATE: THE 4-YEAR DEGREE PLAN; HOW TO GRADUATE IN 4 YEARS Graduating within four years
is possible in most baccalaureate programs at Western.
1. Check with the program concentration you are majoring in to verify that it can be completed within four years. All programs that can be completed within four years have detailed plans of study showing exactly what courses you need to take in order to complete the program in that time frame. You can find these detailed four-year plans of study in the departmental office, or you may check the catalog for that program where you will find either a four-year plan of study or directions to the departmental website where the four-year plans are posted. You can also find departmental websites through the Western website: http://www.wku.edu/ 2. Declare your Geography, Geology, or Geoscience major and /or Minor early in your college career and be sure that you are assigned an advisor. Generally, if you change your major, you may have to earn additional hours, which will delay your graduation. 3. Get to know your academic advisor in your major and make it clear to your advisor that you want to graduate within four years or as soon as possible. It will be important that you work out a detailed tentative plan of study that will enable you to graduate on your timetable. Your advisor will help you with the selection of your General Education courses and also with your selection of a Minor, which is needed for the Geography and Geology programs. 4. In order to ensure that you are able to enroll in the classes that you need, it is important that you take advantage of priority registration. This means that you will need to meet with your advisor before the priority registration period for which you qualify (i.e., senior, junior, sophomore, returning freshmen) and be ready to register at the earliest possible time. If for some reason you are unable to register for a class that you need, you should immediately confer with your advisor about your options. 5. In order to graduate as soon as possible, you will have to be flexible about when you take classes. That is, if your first priority is progressing rapidly through your program, you may have to take classes at times you might prefer to avoid or that are less convenient with your work or social schedule. 6. It is especially important that you file your degree program with the Office of the Registrar during the first semester of the junior year. This is a crucial check point for you and the university to determine if you are on track to graduate. 7. Needless to say, in order to graduate within four years, you will need to observe all university requirements. See the section of the WKU catalog that deals with the "Academic Requirements and Regulations." Work closely with your advisor to ensure that you are in compliance and are making good progress toward your degree. If your major is listed in the catalog as one that can be completed in four years, following the above guidelines will enable you to be on track to graduate in that time frame. |
