Mar 29, 2024  
2014-2015 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
2014-2015 Undergraduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Geography Major, B.S.


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College of Arts and Sciences


Department of Geosciences


Geography Program Information


Department of Geosciences
Ross Hall, Room 322 (main office)
East Tennessee State University
P.O. Box 70357
Johnson City, TN 37614-1709
Phone 423-439-7516
Fax 423-439-7520
 

The Bachelor of Science (B.S.) program offers a major in geography. Geography is a multi-faceted discipline that embraces physical science, social science, and technology. Geographic inquiry is concerned with the spatial aspects and interrelationships within the earth’s human and physical environments. A B.S. in Geography will provide the student not only with a solid background in modern geographic concepts along with human and physical aspects of our world but with the number of geospatial classes to be taken, a graduate will have the basic knowledge of a technician to enter the technology field of geographic information system (geospatial analysis).
The B.S. in Geography has a 120 credit hour requirement. A minor is required and its credit hour requirement ranges from 18 to 22. The department strongly suggests that Geography majors utilize a Geology minor–but this is not required. A minimum of a 2.0 GPA in the major is required. Double counting of credits for the major and minor are at the discretion of the major advisor. The department will accept 30 transferred credit hours. Contact information: Undergraduate Advisor: Dr. Catherine (Ke) Chen, Chenk@etsu.edu, Ross Hall 311; Department main office: 423-439-7516, Ross Hall 322; Department Chair: Jim I. Mead, mead@etsu.edu, Ross Hall 306; how to contact your advisor: www.etsu.edu/advisement/continuingstudents/default.aspx#Find

General Program Information


To earn a degree from ETSU, there are specific course requirements put forth by ETSU, by the Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR), by each college, and by each department. All students must meet the degree requirements at each of these levels. Please follow the format below:

University-level Degree and Graduation Requirements


Total Credit Hours for Degree: 120


College of Arts and Sciences B.S. Degree Requirements


Students majoring in the College of Arts and Sciences must meet the following requirements for the Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree. Some requirements must be taken in addition to the General Education Core, whereas others specify which courses from the General Education Core must be taken.

Mathematics Specified General Education Core: MATH 1530  or MATH 1910  as specified by major.
   
Natural Sciences Eight (8) credit hours in a SINGLE laboratory science from the following:
  1. ASTR 1010  and ASTR 1020 
  2. BIOL 1010  /BIOL 1011  and BIOL 1020  /BIOL 1021 
  3. BIOL 1110  /BIOL 1111  and BIOL 1120  /BIOL 1121  or BIOL 1130  /BIOL 1131 
  4. CHEM 1110  /CHEM 1111  and CHEM 1120  /CHEM 1121 
  5. GEOL 1040 /GEOL 1041  and GEOL 1050 /GEOL 1051 
  6. GEOG 1110  and GEOG 1120  (labs included)
  7. PHYS 2010  /PHYS 2011  and PHYS 2020  /PHYS 2021  or PHYS 2110  and PHYS 2120 
  * Higher-level laboratory courses in these departments also meet this requirement.
   
Social and Behavioral Sciences General Education Core departmental requirements: 6 credit hours
   
Philosophy of Science PHIL 2640 
   
Reasoning PHIL 2030  or SPCH 2320 

 

TBR General Education Requirements: 41 Credit Hours


Below you will see the categories and courses specified under TBR General Education Requirements. Note that certain courses are required for this degree, specific to this major. Thus, these courses will satisfy both a TBR General Education requirement AND a requirement of this major. (Other majors may require different General Education courses.) Where specific courses are required for this major, we only list those courses under the category. If there are no specific major requirements for a category, all course options appear.

Communication


9 credits, consisting of 6 credits of written composition and 3 credits of oral communication.

Written Composition


Complete both of the following: 

Oral Communication


Complete one of the following:

Humanities and Fine Arts


9 credits, consisting of 3 credits of literature, 3 credits of fine arts, and 3 credits of humanities electives.

Humanities


Complete the following:

History


6 credits, consisting of both of the following:

Natural Sciences


Eight (8) credit hours in a SINGLE laboratory science from the following*:

Mathematics


Students will enroll in the appropriate general education math course during their first calendar year of enrollment at ETSU. Students required to complete learning support in mathematics must enroll in a learning support-designated section (L01-L99) of MATH 1530  during their first 15 hours at ETSU (not including summer) unless they are also required to complete learning support in reading or writing. Students needing learning support in reading or writing in addition to learning support in math should enroll in MATH 1530-Lxx immediately upon completing their other learning support requirements. Additional information may be found on the University Advisement Center website www.etsu.edu/uac/learningsupport/

Geography Major


A student majoring in geography must complete a minimum of 30 credit hours in geography.

Geography Major Requirements: 30 Credit Hours


Minor: 18-27 Credit Hours


Electives: 22-31 Credit Hours


Additional Information


Click here to view the Suggested Course Sequence  for Geography Majors.

Teaching Program Information


Teacher Education - Students interested in pursuing a teacher education program for certification as a geography teacher in grades 7-12 are asked to see a department advisor or the  professional advisor in the Office of Student Services, 321 Warf-Pickel, College of Education. Students should be aware that admission to the university does not mean that one is admitted to teacher education. Students would be advised to read the requirements for admission to teacher education in the College of Education  section of the undergraduate catalog, and to seek further information from that college’s advisor about when one should apply for admission.

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