Program: Geosciences, Physical Geography Concentration (Geospatial Analysis), B.S. - Middle Tennessee State University

Apr 13, 2025

2021-22 Undergraduate Catalog

Geosciences
616-898-2726
Jeremy Aber, program coordinator
Jeremy.Aber@mtsu.edu

This program is designed for students who plan to become professional geographers or who wish to pursue graduate study in physical geography and/or related fields.

Academic Map

Following is a printable, suggested four-year schedule of courses:

Geoscience, Physical Geography (Geospatial Analysis), B.S. Academic Map

Degree Requirements

General Education	41 hours
Major Requirements	41 hours*
Cognate	18 hours*
Supporting Courses	6 hours*
Electives	14-24 hours
TOTAL	120 hours

*This program requires courses that can also fulfill requirements of the General Education curriculum. If program requirements are also used to fulfill General Education requirements, the number of elective hours will increase.

General Education (41 hours)

General Education requirements (shown in curricular listings below) include courses in Communication, History, Humanities and/or Fine Arts, Mathematics, Natural Sciences, and Social/Behavioral Sciences.

The following courses required by the program meet General Education requirements:

MATH 1530 (Math) and MATH 1710 (Math)
GEOL 1030 /GEOL 1031 or GEOL 1040 /GEOL 1041 (Nat Sci)
GEOG 2000 (Soc/Beh Sci)

Major Requirements (41 hours)

A minimum GPA of 2.00 is required in the major.

GEOL 1030 - Introduction to Earth Science 3 credit hours AND
GEOL 1031 - Introduction to Earth Science Lab 1 credit hour
OR
GEOL 1040 - Physical Geology 4 credit hours AND
GEOL 1041 - Physical Geology Lab 0 credit hours
(may be counted in General Education)
PGEO 1030 - Physical Geography 4 credit hours
PGEO 3401 - Field Studies in Physical Geography 4 credit hours
PGEO 4000 - Climatology and Climate Change 3 credit hours
PGEO 4380 - Cartography 3 credit hours
PGEO 4490 - Remote Sensing 4 credit hours
PGEO 4511 - Advanced Remote Sensing 3 credit hours
PGEO 4530 - Geographic Information Systems 3 credit hours
PGEO 4560 - Intermediate Geographic Information Systems 3 credit hours
PGEO 4570 - Advanced Geographic Information Systems 3 credit hours
GEOL 4020 - Geomorphology 4 credit hours
PGEO or GEOL electives 3-5 credit hours

Cognate (18 hours)

MATH 1530 - Applied Statistics 3 credit hours
MATH 1710 - College Algebra 3 credit hours (may be counted in General Education)
Mentor-approved College of Basic and Sciences electives 12 credit hours

Supporting Courses (6 hours)

GEOG 2000 - Introduction to Regional Geography 3 credit hours (may be counted in General Education)
GEOG 4360 - Cultural Geography 3 credit hours

Electives (14-24 hours)

Geosciences mentor-approved electives

Curriculum: Geoscience, Physical Geography (Geospatial Analysis)

Curricular listings include General Education requirements in Communication, History, Humanities and/or Fine Arts, Mathematics, Natural Sciences, and Social/Behavioral Sciences categories.

Following is a suggested pattern of study for the first two years; however, consultation with the assigned advisor is necessary before registration.

Freshman

ENGL 1010 - Expository Writing 3 credit hours (Comm)
ENGL 1020 - Research and Argumentative Writing 3 credit hours (Comm)
COMM 2200 - Fundamentals of Communication 3 credit hours (Comm)
GEOG 2000 - Introduction to Regional Geography 3 credit hours (Soc/Beh Sci)
MATH 1710 - College Algebra 3 credit hours (Math)
PGEO 1030 - Physical Geography 4 credit hours
Humanities and/or Fine Arts 3 credit hours
Natural Sciences 4 credit hours
GEOL 1030 - Introduction to Earth Science 3 credit hours (Nat Sci) AND
GEOL 1031 - Introduction to Earth Science Lab 1 credit hour
OR
GEOL 1040 - Physical Geology 4 credit hours (Nat Sci) AND
GEOL 1041 - Physical Geology Lab 0 credit hours

Subtotal: 30 Hours

Sophomore

ENGL 2020 - Themes in Literature and Culture 3 credit hours (Hum/FA) OR
ENGL 2030 - The Experience of Literature 3 credit hours (Hum/FA) OR
HUM 2610 - World Literatures 3 credit hours (Hum/FA)
MATH 1530 - Applied Statistics 3 credit hours
PGEO 4000 - Climatology and Climate Change 3 credit hours
PGEO 4380 - Cartography 3 credit hours
PGEO 4490 - Remote Sensing 4 credit hours
PGEO 4530 - Geographic Information Systems 3 credit hours
Humanities and/or Fine Arts 3 credit hours
Cognate elective 3 credit hours
Choose 6 hours from:
HIST 2010 - Survey of United States History I 3 credit hours
HIST 2020 - Survey of United States History II 3 credit hours
HIST 2030 - Tennessee History 3 credit hours
HIST 2040 - Survey African American History I 3 credit hours
HIST 2050 - Survey African American History II 3 credit hours

Subtotal: 31 Hours

Junior

GEOG 4360 - Cultural Geography 3 credit hours
PGEO 4511 - Advanced Remote Sensing 3 credit hours
PGEO 4560 - Intermediate Geographic Information Systems 3 credit hours
Elective 3 credit hours
Social/Behavioral Sciences 3 credit hours
Cognate electives 6 credit hours
General electives 6 credit hours

Subtotal: 27 Hours

NOTE:

PGEO 3401 (4-hour field course) is required and offered only during summer.

Senior

GEOL 4020 - Geomorphology 4 credit hours
PGEO 4570 - Advanced Geographic Information Systems 3 credit hours
PGEO or GEOL elective 3-5 credit hours
Cognate elective 3 credit hours
General electives 13-15 credit hours

Geosciences, Physical Geography Concentration (Geospatial Analysis), B.S.