BA in Geography

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Study the structure and composition of our planet and learn how to best steward our natural resources with a fulfilling career in geography.

Locations

  • Statesboro Campus (In Person)

Why Get a BA in Geography?

  • Study in a geologically and topographically rich area boasting ancient geological features, dense pine and oak forests, rivers, aquifers and the Atlantic Ocean.
  • Access 18 research laboratory facilities, both on-campus and at the Applied Coastal Research Laboratory situated in the University of Georgia’s Skidaway Institute of Oceanography.
  • Enjoy a well-rounded program comprised of classroom learning, research and service to the region as you study the physical aspects of our planet.
  • Discover a rewarding field of study as you unlock the earth’s vast mysteries and how to best steward our natural resources.

The BA in Geography at Georgia Southern is designed for students who are passionate about the beauty, utility and complexity of our planet. As a geographer, you will learn how to study and understand the physical aspects of the earth and how best to protect and harness our resources.

From teaching to environmental planning to performing research, geography as a career offers numerous fascinating opportunities. And, given the Statesboro campus’s prime location on the geographically rich coast of Southern Georgia, there are few better places to study our natural world.

Ready to Apply?

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What Can You Do With a BA in Geography?

A geography degree prepares you to work in a variety of fields, all of which entail studying the physical aspects of the earth to aid in the development of natural resources, environmental protection and environmental planning and stewardship.

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The median salary for geographers in 2023

The number of jobs for geographers nationwide in 2023

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The expected job growth for geographers over the next decade

Where our graduates work:

  • Terracon
  • United Consulting (Civil Engineering)
  • Fulton County Schools
  • Georgia Environmental Protection Division
  • State of Georgia
  • U.S. Army
  • ADP
  • Arcadis
  • Booz Allen Hamilton
  • Davey Resource Group, Inc.
  • ECS Limited
  • ESRI

What our graduates do:

  • Geologist
  • Geographic Information Systems Analyst
  • Project Manager
  • Geographic Information Systems Specialist
  • Geographic Information Systems Coordinator
  • Geographic Information Systems Technician
  • Geospatial Analyst
  • Business Development Manager
  • Engineer And Geologist
  • Data Analyst

What You’ll Learn

As a BA in Geography major you will delve into a broad spectrum of coursework encompassing economic and structural geology and allowing you to specialize in various areas. Particular fields of study include

  • Igneous and metamorphic petrology
  • Mineralogy
  • Paleoecology
  • Vertebrate paleontology
  • Taphonomy
  • Ichnology
  • Stratigraphy
  • Sedimentology
  • Hydrogeology
  • Geochemistry
  • Coastal geology
  • Neotectonics
  • Geophysics
  • Environmental geology
  • The natural history of the Coastal Plain
See the Curriculum

Build Your Experience

Our Facilities

The School of Earth, Environment and Sustainability has access to 18 research laboratory facilities which include paleontology/paleobotany labs, mineralogy and x-ray labs, and geospatial information systems (GIS) labs.

Start Planning Your Career

The Office of Career and Professional Development exists to prepare students and alumni for professional success. We help students develop the skills, experiences and connections they need to pursue meaningful, lifelong careers.

Join a Residential Learning Community

Shape your living experience by participating in one of our Residential Learning Communities (RLCs)— a unique way for students to live with others who share majors, programs and interests.

Take Action

Follow these steps to complete the Georgia Southern application: 

  • Create an application account.
  • Complete our online application using the PIN you received after creating your application account.
  • Pay the $30 application fee or upload a valid fee waiver once complete. (Previous Georgia Southern applicants and dual-enrollment students do not need to pay the fee.)

Check your application status at My.GeorgiaSouthern.edu/admissions three days after completing your application. This page contains live information about your admission status, including a checklist of missing documents we need to make a decision.

Apply as a First-Year Student Transfer to Georgia Southern

Georgia Southern University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).

The Office of Research is offering a limited number of competitive travel grants, up to $750 per student, to support undergraduate students presenting original research at regional and national conferences.

The Field Camp Fund was established by the faculty of the Department of Geology and Geography at Georgia Southern University to provide stipends for selected geology majors who are participating in a field camp.  Criteria for selection include:

  • Student must have a minimum geology GPA of 3.0
  • Student must be accepted for a field camp in the upcoming summer
  • Student must have completed Structural Geology (GEOL 5440)

Please submit application forms to Dr. Vance (rkvance@georgiasouthern.edu). The application deadline is April 15, 2024.

This fund was established by Department alumni Amy Semratedu and Mehmet Samiratedu in honor of Ahmet Semratedu, the late husband of Amy and the brother of Mehmet. The fund was established to support research activities conducted by undergraduate geoscience majors. Applications of the fund include field support, purchase of equipment or supplies used in research conducted in the field or lab, travel to and from a field site, and presentation of research at conferences.

Funds provided are generally between $100 and $500 depending on fund availability and the number of requests.

Apply at  https://georgiasouthern.academicworks.com/opportunities. Search for keyword  “Semratedu.” Applications should be approved by the research advisor before submitting. Applications are accepted year-round.

The scholarship was established in 1997 by Dr. Daniel Good, a professor of geography at Georgia Southern University who began his distinguished teaching career at the institution in 1969. Dr. Good received a BA from Emory and Henry College, and he received an MS and a PhD from the University of Tennessee.

  • The Daniel B. Good Geography Scholarship is awarded to a full time geography major at the time of application and must maintain full time enrollment throughout the award period.
  • Student must have a genuine interest in geography and have completed at least 50 hours of academic credits with at least 30 of those hours coming from Georgia Southern.
  • The student must have completed at least 10 semester hours of credit in geography and have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 in both total hours and geography hours.
  • Recipient will be announced in May. Recipient must attend Georgia Southern the Fall and Spring semesters following the award announcement in May to be eligible for the scholarship.
  • Good Scholarship Requirements

Apply at https://georgiasouthern.academicworks.com/opportunities. Search for keyword “Dan Good.” The application deadline is February 1, 2024.

The Jim and Susan Darrell Environmental Sciences Scholarship was established by the Department of Geology and Geography at Georgia Southern University. It honors the career and services of geology professor James Darrell and his beloved wife Susan. The purpose of the scholarship is to provide a means by which outstanding undergraduate students majoring in geosciences or a related environmental sciences field and who have demonstrated interest in environmental sustainability can be recruited, recognized and assisted.  Criteria for selection include:

  • Strength of interest in the discipline of environmental sciences
  • Full-time enrollment as a geology major or related environmental sciences field
  • Completion of at least 24 semester hours of academic credit (15 hours at Georgia Southern) with a minimum of unadjusted GPA of 3.0
  • Completion of at least 8 semester hours of credit in geology with a minimum geology GPA of 3.0 including completion of GEOL 1340 with an A or B grade.
  • Personal character
  • Involvement in student activities will be considered, although this is optional

The Recipient will be announced in May. Recipient must attend Georgia Southern the Fall and Spring semesters following the award announcement in May to be eligible for the scholarship.
Apply at https://georgiasouthern.academicworks.com/opportunities. Search for keyword “Darrell.” The application deadline is February 1, 2024.

The Geology Program at Georgia Southern prepares students to be scholars, leaders and sustainability-minded individuals by providing them with an understanding of the variety and complexity of the Earth’s geologic and environmental systems as well as humans’ interactions with these systems. 

The BA degree is designed to train students who desire a career in science education, natural resource management, public policy and professional consulting by pairing a foundational geology curriculum with a liberal arts course of study customized to each learner’s unique goals. These curricula train students in the geoscience skills that have been identified by the American Geosciences Institute as critical and cover content knowledge that is consistent with the National Association of State Boards of Geology (ASBOG) licensure exam.

  • SLO 1: apply fundamental principles of natural sciences and mathematics to identify common Earth materials and interpret their composition, origin, and use.
  • SLO 2: evaluate the earth’s surface and subsurface processes, the role humans play in those processes and the role those processes play in shaping the earth’s landscape using a variety of spatial and geologic data sets.
  • SLO 3: apply knowledge of the physical and biological history of the planet, as well the evidence for that history, to solve geologic problems—particularly those with implications for the southeastern United States.
  • SLO 4: critically analyze geologic information and communicate analyses clearly using discipline-specific language, style and formatting.
  • SLO 5 (BA only): critically analyze geologic information and communicate analyses clearly to a general audience.

Take the Next Step

Dive into a fascinating and fulfilling career studying our natural world and its abundant resources.

Contact Us

School of Earth, Environment and Sustainability
P.O. Box 8149
Statesboro, GA  30460
Phone: 912-478-5361
Email: sees@georgiasouthern.edu