Geography offers students a way to gain global insight and environmental awareness by studying the physical (e.g. landforms, climate, vegetation), human (culture, economics, politics), environmental interactions, and regional geography (big picture). Geography & the Environment at CSUF stands out in Orange County for having one of the most comprehensive BA geography programs—small- to moderate-sized classes, faculty dedicated to student learning, and strong ties with local government, businesses, and schools. The department also supports nontraditional students with flexible scheduling and credit from community colleges (up to 18 units).
Why Geography?
The study of geography provides a key to global understanding and environmental awareness. In a world of shrinking distances and expanded contacts, it offers a deep appreciation for the diversity of the world's peoples and environments. It also leads to exciting careers in a variety of fields dealing with the kinds of issues where an understanding of "place" and "location" really matter.
Geography is the field for you if you enjoy working with maps and like to take a broad approach to understanding the world around you. In physical geography, you will study the climates, landforms, and vegetation of the world, while in human geography you will look at culture, economic activity, cities politics, and societies. In environmental geography, you will focus on the interactions between people and the earth, while in regional geography you will consider the big picture by integrating information about the physical and human environments of areas like Latin America, Asia, Africa, and North America. Many of our undergraduate majors are attracted to the study of advanced geospatial technologies like Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and remote sensing.
Why CSUF?
CSUF's geography course offerings are among the most extensive of any university or college in Orange County. In fact, among Orange County's colleges and universities, only CSUF offers a comprehensive BA degree in Geography. The program offers an up-to-date curriculum, professional and dedicated faculty members and a strong commitment to student-focused education. Classes are generally small-to-moderate in size, providing ample opportunity for student and faculty interaction. Partly as a result of this unique situation, we are able to maintain close ties to government agencies, businesses, and schools in Orange County through our network of well-placed alumni.
Another advantage of studying geography at CSUF is our flexible scheduling and wide range of courses. We recognize that many of our students are working full- or part-time, and we try to offer a full complement of courses at convenient times. We also accept up to 18 units of work in geography taken at community colleges and have a flexible policy regarding geography taken at other institutions.
The Department of Geography & the Environment's student body prides itself in creating a community in an institution that is recognized as a commuter school. Students in the Department of Geography & the Environment come from all walks of life and an array of cultural backgrounds. Diversity within our student body allows for different ideas, beliefs and concerns to be voiced, simultaneously allowing others to become tolerant and mindful of neighbors on this planet.
Working as a Geographer
Geographers are trained to understand the complexity of interrelationships between people and the environment. They bring a vital geographic perspective to a surprising number of societal issues and problems, including, for example, urban planning, transportation, land use, water management, coastal erosion, market research, floodplain management, etc. Moreover, geographers continue to be trained in the making of maps, leading the way in the development of geographic information systems (GIS) that store, display, analyze, and map information using computer hardware and software systems. The advantage that geography enjoys over the other social sciences is this coupling of technical skills and a traditional liberal arts perspective. Several different emphases, each with associated employment opportunities, exist within the field.
Regional geographers emphasize the study of major regions of the world such as Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Some regional geographers become area specialists who can find work with the State Department or the Central Intelligence Agency. Others may become a representative of a firm specializing in international business. Regional geographers are important in the travel industry. Recent studies indicate that travel and tourism is the second largest sector in the U. S. economy, second only to wholesale and retail trade.
Physical geographers are concerned with landforms, climate, and vegetation and the linkages between them. Environmental problems, including air and water pollution, result from human interaction with these natural systems. Environmental agencies and firms have employed CSUF geographers who carry job titles such as environmental consultant, flood zone determination specialist, waste management coordinator, and drought specialist.
Urban geographers study the social, economic, and environmental aspects of cities and have long found employment as urban and regional planners. They work to make cities pleasant and attractive places in which to live and work, taking into consideration traffic patterns, building density, recreational facilities, and the management of water supplies. Presently, CSUF geographers are working as planners in the cities of Los Angeles, Lancaster, Fullerton, Placentia and elsewhere. Private firms and local governments and agencies (such as CalTrans and the County of Orange) have also hired CSUF geographers to work as planners.
Technical geographers concentrate on the technical skills of geography including cartography and GIS as well as quantitative methods. Demand is currently especially high for individuals with strong GIS skills. At a recent annual meeting of the Association of American Geographers, nearly 80% of the non-academic job openings listed were in the technical areas. A promising area is the development of applications and location-based services that utilize the Global Positioning System (GPS). CSUF geographers are presently employed as cartographers and GIS analysts for private firms and public agencies throughout Southern California.
Traditionally, many geographers have become teachers at the elementary, secondary, and collegiate level. The recent establishment of Geography Alliances composed of teachers dedicated to improving the teaching of geography and the development of the National Geography Standards are positive developments for the teaching of geography. A number of CSUF geographers hold teaching positions at the junior high and high school levels in Fullerton, Walnut, and La Puente, for example. At the university level, CSUF alumni are professors at Indiana University, Texas A & M University, Brigham Young University, Northwestern Missouri State University and elsewhere.
Visit our Department
We encourage prospective students to visit the department. Please email Dr. Zia Salim at zsalim@fullerton.edu to schedule a tour.
Prospective students are also welcome to attend All Points of the Compass, our annual geography symposium, which is typically held in the Spring semester.
For a virtual campus tour visit, check out the Department of Outreach, Recruitment, and Orientation website!