The Environmental Geography and Sustainability Concentration
Environmental Geography and Sustainability centers on understanding environmental issues, environmental justice and sustainability within the contexts of politics, economy, society and culture.
Careers:
Students majoring in geography with a concentration in Environmental Geography and Sustainability gain analytical and geographical skills and perspectives appropriate for careers in fields such as environmental advocacy, conservation, energy management, urban and regional planning, local, state and national government, and education.
For detailed requirements, please see Geography BA Concentration Tables
Sustainability/Environmental Courses
The study of sustainability, sustainable development, and environmental issues long has been integral to geographic research and teaching. Geographers are engaged with diverse aspects of sustainability studies.
Currently UMass geographers are particularly engaged with water management, energy use and transitions, biodiversity conservation including protected areas, urban ecology and development, and green cities.
All Sustainability Classes (see topic-specific lists below)
Geography 100 Global Environmental Change (Gen Ed PS)
Geography 102 The Human Landscape (Gen Ed G, SB)
Geography 150 The Earth Transformed: World Environmental Issues (Gen Ed SB)
Geography 250 Natural Disasters (Gen Ed SI)
Geography 354 Climatology
Geography 362 Conservation Geography
Geography 370 Urban Geography
Geography 372 Urban Issues
Geography 397WG Water Geographies: Conflict & Sustainability
Geography 420 Political Ecology
Geography 426 Remote Sensing and Image Interpretation
Geography 440 Political Geography
Geography 450 Indigenous Peoples and Conservation
Geography 458 Climate Change
Geography 468 GIS and Spatial Analysis
Geography 492CC Chinese City: Geography, History, Environment
Geography 492NP National Parks and Protected Areas
Geography 497E Geography, Policy and the Environment
Geography 497PA Protected Areas and Indigenous Peoples
Geography 658 Paleoclimatology
Geography 670 Urban Environmental History
Geography 692PA Indigenous Peoples and Protected Areas
Geography 694C New Paradigm Conservation
Geography 694P Political Geography
Geography 694T Political Ecologies of Conservation
Geography 697G Geography, Policy and the Environment
Climate Change
Geography 100 Global Environmental Change (Gen Ed PS)
Geography 150 The Earth Transformed: World Environmental Issues (Gen Ed SB)
Geography 250 Natural Disasters (Gen Ed SI)
Geography 354 Climatology
Geography 458 Climate Change
Geography 658 Paleoclimatology
Conservation and Ecology
Geography 100 Global Environmental Change (Gen Ed PS)
Geography 150 The Earth Transformed: World Environmental Issues (Gen Ed SB)
Geography 354 Climatology
Geography 362 Conservation Geography
Geography 397WG Water Geographies: Conflict & Sustainability
Geography 420 Political Ecology
Geography 440 Political Geography
Geography 450 Indigenous Peoples and Conservation
Geography 458 Climate Change
Geography 492NP National Parks and Protected Areas
Geography 497E Geography, Policy and the Environment
Geography 497PA Protected Areas and Indigenous Peoples
Geography 692PA Indigenous Peoples and Protected Areas
Geography 694C New Paradigm Conservation
Geography 694P Political Geography
Geography 694T Political Ecologies of Conservation
Geography 697G Geography, Policy and the Environment
Urban/Built Environment
Geography 370 Urban Geography
Geography 372 Urban Issues
Geography 470 Chinese City: Geography, History, Environment
Geography 670 Urban Environmental History
Gen-Ed Credit
Geography 100 Global Environmental Change (Gen Ed PS)
Geography 102 The Human Landscape (Gen Ed G, SB)
Geography 150 The Earth Transformed: World Environmental Issues (Gen Ed SB)
Geography 250 Natural Disasters (Gen Ed SI)
Geography 370 Urban Geography (Gen Ed SB)
Environmental Geography and Sustainability Concentration Requirements
| Geography BA – Environmental Geography and Sustainability Concentration | Credits |
|---|---|
| Introductory Courses ( 2 Courses) | 8 |
| GEOGRAPH 102 Diversity, Globalization, and Sustainability: Introduction to Human Geography | |
Take ONE introductory physical geography course from the following: | |
| GEOGRAPH 100 Earth: Introduction to Physical Geography –OR- | |
| Skills & Techniques (4 Courses) | 12 |
| GEOGRAPH 314 Writing in Geography (required; fulfills Junior Year Writing) | |
Take ONE Statistics course from the following: GEOGRAPH 340 Quantitative Methods -OR- | |
Take ONE spatial methods class from the following: GEOGRAPH 352 Computer Mapping -OR- | |
| Environmental Geography and Sustainability Core Course (1 course) | 3 |
| GEOGRAPH 492S Sustainability: Critical Perspectives and Pathways | |
| Environmental Geography and Sustainability Elective Courses (choose 3) | 9 |
| GEOGRAPH 360 Economic Geography | |
| Upper-Division Elective Courses (3 Courses) | 9 |
| Students take 9 credits in Geography/cognate courses numbered 200 and above. These courses are chosen in consultation with the chief undergraduate adviser. Up to two courses may be approved cognate courses. Students may choose electives from the methods and skills courses (see list above) which they have not used to fulfill those requirements, may use any other GEOGRAPH courses, and may also take cognate elective courses outside of the Geography Program with the approval of the undergraduate advisor. Up to 3 credits may be independent study and an additional 3 credits may be senior thesis credits. |