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GeographyFull Time Faculty: David A. Lanegran (Chair), Holly Barcus, Helen Hazen, William G. Moseley, Birgit Muehlenhaus, Laura J. Smith, Daniel Trudeau Part Time Faculty: George Latimer The mission of the geography department is to advance the frontiers of geography through teaching, research and applications of geographic theories and insights in efforts to better understand global and regional situations and to resolve community issues. Our department curriculum contains courses that convey knowledge of the ways human activity in space is organized and the interactions between human activities and the physical environment. Geography possesses an integrated approach to human knowledge and has a global viewpoint. Through classroom and laboratory experience, field work, and community involvement, students are provided with the knowledge and skills required to carry out locational analysis, and appreciate the diversity of people and places, the integration of places on the surface of the earth, and the spatial processes that affect contemporary society. To achieve our goals the faculty and students engage in a variety of research projects, and we offer a range of courses for Macalester undergraduates, workshops and institutes for in-service teachers and informal learning activities for the community around us. The geography department plays an active role in Macalester’s civic engagement initiatives. Career Orientation The study of geography prepares students to enter a wide range of planning and analytical careers, as well as the field of education. Students go on to graduate programs in geography, architecture, business, urban and regional planning, community and international development, and environmental management. In recent years, several graduates have gone into careers in cartography, geographic information science, non-profit management and international affairs. General Distribution Requirement All geography courses count toward the general distribution requirement in social science except courses numbered 116, 614, 624, 634, and 644. Geography 116 counts toward the general distribution requirement in mathematics and natural science.
General Education Requirements Courses that meet the general education requirements in writing, quantitative thinking, internationalism and multiculturalism will be posted on the Registrar’s web page in advance of registration for each semester. Additional information about general distribution requirements and the general education requirements can be found in the graduation requirements section of this catalog. Major Requirements The geography major consists of nine required courses and supporting courses in other departments. The classes comprising the major will be selected in a manner that builds from the introductory classes to the advanced seminars and will include the following: a) one foundation course—Human Geography 111; b) two research methods courses—Intro to GIS 225, Statistical Research Methods in Geography 378; c) one area studies course (see the clarification below on this requirement); d) four intermediate courses—e.g., Urban Geography 241, People, Agriculture and the Environment 232; and e) one advanced seminar course numbered 488, e.g., Urban Geography Field Seminar. The area studies course requirement may be satisfied by taking one of the following: a regional geography course in the department (e.g., Regional Geography of the US & Canada 242, Regional Geography of Africa 243); an approved study abroad program; or the student may petition to count a comprehensive area studies course in another department for regions not covered by the geography department (e.g., Asia). If the student selects a non-geography course to fulfill this requirement, such a course does not count as one of the nine geography courses required for the major. The senior capstone requirement in geography will be satisfied by completing one 488 level geography seminar. Qualitative Methods 377 is strongly recommended for majors planning to attend graduate school. The department supports four types of emphases within the major: 1) urban and economic geography, 2) nature-society geography, 3) cultural and political geography, and 4) geographic information sciences (GIS). Majors should strive to develop depth in an area, while taking care to sample a breadth of courses across the discipline. Minor Requirements A minor in geography may be achieved by completing five courses selected in consultation with a department faculty member and approved by the department chair. One of these five courses must be Geography 111, Human Geography of Global Issues. A minor with an emphasis in GIS/Cartography may be achieved by completing five courses, including four of the following plus one additional geography course: Geography 225 (Intro to GIS), Geography 364 (GIS), and two of the following three courses: Geography 365 (Urban GIS), Geography 614 (Independent Study—specific GIS focus), or Geography 624 (Internship—specific GIS focus). Honors Program The geography department participates in the honors program. Eligibility requirements, application procedures and specific project expectations for the geography department are available from geography department advisors. Interdisciplinary Studies Geography is an integrating and synthesizing discipline. The study of the earth’s people and their physical surroundings requires combining the subject matter of many fields of study. The courses which best serve the student interested in interdisciplinary studies include: Geography 111 (Human), 225 (Intro to GIS), 232 (People, Agriculture and the Environment), 241 (Urban), 242 (US and Canada), 243 (Africa), 250 (Race, Place & Space), 252 (Water & Power), and 488 (Comparative Environment). Internships Over the past several years the department, in cooperation with the Career Development Center, has sponsored preprofessional internships in a variety of natural resource and planning agencies and consulting firms. In some internships, students are paid for their work. Further Preparation To meet requirements for graduate study, students with majors or minors in geography should select supplementary courses from the social sciences, the natural sciences, and the humanities and fine arts in consultation with their department advisors. It is also desirable that students preparing for graduate study take Geography 364 (Geographic Information Systems), Geography 377 (Qualitative Research Methods), and at least two 488-level research seminars in the department. For other opportunities in related areas of study, see the catalog description of urban studies, international studies, environmental studies, computer science, and various area studies programs. Honors The National Council for Geographic Education Award for Excellence of Scholarship is awarded to an outstanding senior majoring in geography. The Geography Department Merit Award is presented to a student or students in recognition of significant contributions to the life of the department. In addition, exceptional majors and minors in geography are eligible for membership in Epsilon Kappa, the Macalester chapter of Gamma Theta Upsilon, the national honor society in geography. The traditional Golden Shovel award is given to students who distinguish themselves verbally in seminars, class discussions, and on field trips. The Hildegard Binder Johnson Prize, named for the founder of the department, is awarded annually to outstanding students in geography. Topics Courses 194, 294, 394, 494 Examination of special topics of interest to faculty and students, such as a study of the processes by which the spatial environment is mentally organized by people, geographical problems in economic development, regions of the world, etc. To be announced at registration. (4 credits)
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