Skip to Content

Geography, B.S.

College of Arts and Sciences

Explore human interactions with the environment through our geography program, with a special focus on physical and environmental processes as well as geospatial technologies.

Geography is an ideal major for students who embrace interdisciplinary learning and want to explore environmental science, social science and technology skills without being limited to just one area.

Program Highlights

  • Downtown columbia skyline icon.

    Internship Program

    Gain valuable work experience by becoming an intern with a local business, nonprofit or government agency.

  • Speech bubbles icon.

    Classes and Faculty

    Receive mentorship from our award-winning, approachable faculty in smaller classes.

  • Connected items icon.

    Course Variety

    Enroll in a variety of courses covering physical science, social science, technology and more.

  • Laptop computer icon.

    Research Opportunities

    Conduct research in several labs across campus, such as the Center for GI Science and Geospatial Big Data.

What You’ll Study

Some of the most popular courses for this degree include Environment and Society, Hurricanes and Tropical Climatology, Air Pollution Climatology, Cartography and Coastal Zone Management. In addition, all geography majors complete their studies with a capstone seminar that involves project-based learning in the community.

Building Skills

Gain the professional and personal intelligence it takes to have a successful career.

  • Multicultural Awareness

    Understanding cultural variation and adapting behaviors and communication styles accordingly

    Data Analysis

    Examining and interpreting information to uncover insights and inform decision making

    Critical Thinking

    Analyzing and evaluating information to make informed decisions or judgments

  • Organizational Skills

    Planning, prioritizing and managing tasks and resources to achieve specific objectives

    Writing

    Creating professional written content for inclusion in scholarly journal articles, books and reports

    Presentation Skills

    Preparing and delivering effective and engaging presentations to inform, persuade or inspire

Using your degree

Make your college experience the foundation for a successful future.

Potential Careers

  • Natural Resource Manager
  • Emergency Manager
  • Geospatial Intelligence Agent
  • GIS Analyst

Workplace Settings

  • Government
  • Nonprofits and NGOs
  • National Park Service
  • Research

Advanced Degrees

Advance your career or options with post-graduate education.

Every single geography class I've had has been captivating, and every teacher has inspired me to learn. The professors are fabulous. The subject material is so interesting, and you can adapt the major to what you want to learn about. I would not trade my experience here for anything.

Claire Jarrell
Portrait of Claire Jarrell

Is USC Right For You?

There are many reasons we could be your ideal university. There's the award-winning academics, the globally modeled student life, and abundance of study abroad and experiential learning options. Take a closer look at what USC could mean for you.

Degree content is provided for informational purposes only. The Academic Bulletin is the source of record for all degree information.
©