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Geography & Environmental Science

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Broaden your horizons in the Geography and Environmental Science department through extensive hands-on experience both in and out of the classroom.

The Department of Geography and Environmental Science develops skills to address pressing environmental and societal issues including land-use change, natural resource management, climate change, natural hazards and disaster management, population growth and migration, and globalization.

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Interested in one of our majors, minors or certificates? Fill out the declaration form to declare a major or minor.

Undergraduate programs

Geography

Undergrad major Undergrad minor Undergrad certificate

Geography is the science of place and space. Geographers ask where things are located on the surface of the Earth, why they are located there, how places differ from one another, and how people interact with the environment. Geographers have skills in cartography and Geographic Information Systems (GIS). There are four main branches of geography: human geography, physical geography, environmental geography, and geographic information science (GIS).

Areas of study

Environmental Science Concentration

Environmental science applies knowledge from the natural sciences to understand issues in the environment with the goal of protecting the Earth and human health.

Undergrad major View a sample plan for Environmental Science Catalogfor Environmental Science

Geographic Information Science Concentration

Undergrad major Undergrad minor Undergrad certificate View a sample plan for Geographic Information Science Catalogfor Geographic Information Science

Humans & the Environment Emphasis

Undergrad major Undergrad minor View a sample plan for Humans & the Environment Catalogfor Humans & the Environment
Quick glancefor Geography

Environmental Science

Undergrad major

Rooted in geography, biology, chemistry and microbiology, and environmental studies, environmental science applies knowledge from the natural and social sciences to understand issues in the environment with the goal of protecting the Earth and human health.

Areas of study

Quick glancefor Environmental Science

Earth Science

Undergrad minor

Earth science aims to understand the structures and processes of the world. This includes how these phenomena shape the land and air around us, and how we, in turn, impact Earth's environmental systems. It encompasses fields such as geography, geology, environmental science, meteorology and climatology.

Quick glancefor Earth Science

Geoarchaeology

Undergrad minor

Geoarchaeology is a field that uses skills and knowledge from physical geography to answer archaeological questions. With a minor in geoarchaeology, you will begin to understand clues in the natural landscape that can lead to new discoveries about the environment people lived in long ago. A geoarchaeologist not only has a good foundation in archaeology, but also an understanding of how to apply methods of landscape evolution and an understanding of environmental change. 

Quick glancefor Geoarchaeology

Related programs from other departments

Biology
Chemistry
Microbiology
Archaeological Studies
Sustainability & Environmental Studies

Graduate program

Fundamentals of Geographic Information Science

Graduate certificate This certificate prepares graduate students with the technological and theoretical skills needed to apply geospatial tools.
Quick glancefor Fundamentals of Geographic Information Science
Students and a professor working outside at a computer
Students aboard Research Vessel Prairie Springs on the Mississippi River
Video of students and professor mapping a glaciers in Nepal
Students with a professor using sonar on a boat on the Mississippi River.
Students clearing invasive vegetation in Hixon Forest
Student working with a professor in the GIS lab
Student working on sediment core sample in the lab
Students using surveying equipment in the field
Student and professor working with a drone in the field
Students mapping a stream during a geography course
Students looking through microscopes in the laboratory
Students using surveying equipment in the field
Students hiking the bluffs overlooking campus
Tundra swan migration fieldtrip on the Mississippi River
Students and professor mapping trails in Hixon Forest near campus

View the map full screen

The accessibility map is created and maintained by Geography & Environmental Science students.

Portrait of Annie McIntyre

Hear from an alum

Annie McIntyre

I love my career. I work for a large-scale wind and solar developer. The UWL geography program helped me prepare by showing me the numerous ways GIS is used in careers. The faculty holds vast knowledge from multiple geography fields.

Portrait of Taylor Prill

Hear from an alum

Taylor Prill

UWL has provided me with the strong foundation in research, planning and knowledge needed to be where I am today.

Portrait of Courtney Osmek

Hear from an alum

Courtney Osmek

I am so grateful for my time with the UWL Geography Department. The knowledge and experience I have gained, along with the support from my professors, have really helped prepare me for my future in this field.

Portrait of Jackson Radenz

Hear from an alum

Jackson Radenz

I’ve gained confidence in myself and my ability to solve problems on my own and overcome shortfalls too, which I’ll need in the job market. I’m so grateful for the undergraduate research experiences I’ve had with my faculty mentor, Dr. Niti Mishra.

Portrait of Jenna DeShaney

Hear from an alum

Jenna DeShaney

I work at a national consulting firm as an Environmental Scientist. I apply many of the disciplines I've learned at UWL to my career, including field work techniques and GIS.