Is Geography Your Passion?
Geography degrees can take you many places in the world of environmental science, engineering, education and more. To succeed in a geography degree program, you must have a diverse skill set that includes an analytical mind, an interest in science, and a passion for the world around you.
There are many program offerings that fall under the umbrella of geography. You can choose a general program that covers the broad field and build on it with specialized training, or choose a specialized program right from the start, depending on your interests.
Course Work in Geography Degree Programs
Geography degrees are often offered in two different streams — Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Arts. The difference tends to be in the area of focus, with B.A. geography programs focusing on human geography, or the relationship people have with the environment and the world around them. B.Sc. programs are considered to focus more on physical geography, such as soil composition, geology, geographical land masses, cartography and more.
There will be plenty of overlap between the two types of programs, so be sure to study program details carefully. Regardless of which stream you choose, you may wish to continue your education with specialized degrees, such as a graduate economic geography master's degree, a medical geography college major or another graduate geography course.
One common specialization in geography is geographical information systems. This discipline involves combining cartography, statistics and database technology to analyze geographical data and establish trends.
Geography programs are commonly offered at both brick-and-mortar institutions and online. Many people choose to do their undergraduate work at an educational institution and then follow up with a specific online graduate degree in geography.
Geography Jobs
There are many jobs available for geography majors, across many industries. Careers in parks and recreation, climatology, demography and environmental management are common, but a geography degree can also be applied to the research field, teaching, marketing and even real estate.
Salaries for geography grads will vary by position and industry, so it is difficult to gauge an actual range. A ballpark salary for entry level positions is in the high $40,000s to low $50,000s.
