USC
University of Southern California
black horizontal bar for print styles

Undergraduate Degrees

Bachelor of Arts in Geography

The geography major requires a minimum of 36 units, including six required courses and three courses from one of the following tracks.

The urban environments track emphasizes the role of social theory in understanding urban and regional development; race and ethnicity, immigration, social problems and policies; and nature-society relations in cities. The natural environments track examines the key processes, dynamics, and interactions underlying the geographical distribution of land, air and water resources and the identification of problems and solutions affecting them. The geographic information science track examines the special character of geographic information, the three core geographic information technologies (GIS, GPS, Remote Sensing), and how they can be used to help answer geographical questions.

One course from Units
GEOG 100Los Angeles and the American Dream4
GEOG 120Geopolitics4

One course from Units
GEOG 160LThe Earth's Surface4
GEOG 165LThe Atmospheric Environment4
GEOG 265LThe Water Planet4

Required courses Units
GEOG 391Geographical Foundations4
GEOG 392Geographical Analysis4
GEOG 393Field Techniques4
GEOG 494The Professional Geographer4

three courses (12 units) from one of the tracks Units
Urban Environments
GEOG 205Introduction to Human Geography4
GEOG 306Asia and the Global Economy4
GEOG 325Culture and Place4
GEOG 340Latino L.A.4
GEOG 397Applied Geography Internship2-4, max 4
GEOG 410Urban Geography4

Natural Environments
GEOG 260LNatural Hazards4
GEOG 365LFundamentals of Weather and Climate4
GEOG 370Marine and Coastal Zone Geography4
GEOG 397Applied Geography Internship2-4, max 4
GEOG 477Water Resources4

Geographic Information Science
GEOG 281LEnvironmental Geographic Information Systems4
GEOG 481Map Design and Analysis4
GEOG 482LPrinciples of Geographic Information Science4
GEOG 483abApplied Geographic Information Science Internship2-2
GEOG 485abDirected Geographic Information Science Research2-2

Minor in Geography

GEOG 160L or GEOG 205 and four upper division courses in geography with at least one course in each track described above are required.

Coastal Ocean and Watershed Science Interdisciplinary Minor

This minor examines the status of the world's coastal resources and the connections between the atmosphere, watersheds and oceans. this minor is aimed primarily at students majoring in biology, civil engineering, earth sciences, environmental studies, and geography. A total of 22-24 (40 including prerequisites) units is required.

One course from Units
CE 309Fluid Mechanics3
GEOG 265LThe Water Planet4
GEOL 107LOceanography4

required course Units
GEOG 370Marine and Coastal Zone Geography4

four courses chosen from (no more than two from a single department) Units
BISC 469LMarine Biology4
CE 451Water Resources Engineering4
CE 466Design of Free-Surface Hydraulic Systems3
GEOG 365LFundamentals of Weather and Climate4
GEOG 477Water Resources4
GEOL 412Oceans, Climate and the Environment4
GEOL 460LGeochemistry and Hydrogeology4
GEOL 470Environmental Hydrogeology4

Geographic Information Science Interdisciplinary Minor

This minor for all students, except geography majors enrolled in the geographic information science track, explores the core geographic information technologies and the ways in which they can be used to help advance knowledge in the environmental and social sciences. The minor requires 21-22 units.

Two courses from Units
CSCI 101LFundamentals of Computer Programming3
CSCI 102LData Structures4
GEOG 281LEnvironmental Geographic Information Systems4

Required Courses Units
GEOG 392Geographical Analysis4
GEOG 482L Principles of Geographic Information Science4

six units From Units
CE 409abL Computer Aided Design3-3
CSCI 201L Principles of Software Development4
CSCI 485 File and Database Management3
GEOG 481 Map Design and Analysis4
GEOG 483ab Applied Geographic Information Science Internship2-2
GEOG 485ab Directed Geographic Information Science Research2-2
ITP 204x Fundamentals of Web Development4

Pacific Rim Development Interdisciplinary Minor

This minor examines Pacific Rim histories, cultures, economies and transnational connections, especially between Asian and North American world-city regions. The minor requires 24 units.

One course from Units
EASC 150East Asian Societies4
MDA 170La Frontera: The U.S.-Mexico Borderlands4

required courses Units
GEOG 205Introduction to Human Geography4
GEOG 306Asia and the Global Economy4
IR 361The Asia-Pacific in International Affairs4
IR 365Politics and Democracy in Latin America4

One course from Units
COMM 431Global Strategy for the Communications Industry4
IR 358The Asia Pacific in World Affairs4
IR 465Contemporary Issues in United States-Latin America Relations4
MOR 470Global Leadership4
POSC 350Politics of Latin America4
POSC 355Politics of East Asia4
POSC 356Politics in the People's Republic of China4
POSC 430Political Economy of Mexico4
POSC 453Political Change in Asia4

Interdisciplinary Minor in Southern California

This minor program of study examines the unique human and cultural character of Southern California and the emergence of Los Angeles as one of the world's most vibrant and diverse city-regions during the second half of the 20th century. A total of 22-24 units is required.

One course from Units
GEOG 100Los Angeles and the American Dream4
PPD 100Los Angeles, The Enduring Pueblo4

Required Courses Units
AMST 301America, the Frontier, and the New West4
GEOG 340Latino L.A.4
GEOG 431Geography of California4

Two Courses From Units
GEOG 325Culture and Place4
GEOG 410Urban Geography4
PPD 302Urban Sleuths: Exploring People and Places in Cities4
PPD 352aLos Angeles Mini Semester4
PPD 354Los Angeles: The City, The Novel, The Movie2

Honors Program

The department offers an honors program involving a year of study culminating in the preparation of an honors thesis. Qualified students take GEOG 495ab in consecutive fall and spring semesters. Contact the departmental undergraduate advisor for further information. To graduate with departmental honors, a student must receive at least a B or better in GEOG 495ab and have an overall 3.5 GPA in the major (including 495ab).

Advisement

All geography majors must meet at least once every semester with the departmental undergraduate advisor.