Undergraduate programs

The Geography Department at Portland State University links environmental studies and cultural studies in a program centered on environmental issues, social and cultural landscapes, sustainability in urban and natural areas, and Geographic Information Science. Coursework emphasizes systematic and regional approaches to understanding the physical environment and human-environment interactions. Techniques classes (in GIS, remote sensing, cartography, and spatial analysis) provide the tools to analyze complex local, regional, and global phenomena. Access to the Pacific Coast and the Cascade Mountains provides ample opportunity for fieldwork-based classes and opportunities for research. The PSU Department of Geography is an excellent choice for undergraduate and graduate students with interests in the linkages between human and natural systems.

Faculty engage in local, regional, and international research projects in hydrology, water resources, biogeography, geomorphology, sustainable development, land use analysis, climate change, cultural and political ecology, cultural landscapes, the urban environment, geographic education, and geographic information science. Ongoing faculty research sites in international areas include Patagonia, the Amazon Basin, Sub-saharan Africa, and the Pacific Rim.

Geography participates in the Earth, Environment and Society (EES) Ph.D. Program. Over 120 undergraduate majors and 30 graduate students participate in two departmental groups, the Friends of Geography and the Student Chapter of the American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing/Columbia River Region. Several research groups and outreach programs in the department provide additional job and internship opportunities for interested students in public agencies and businesses in such fields as planning, environmental management, GIS, and cartography. 

The geography program gives students an appreciation and understanding of the human environment on global, regional, and local scales. It provides background and requisite training for careers in resource, planning, environmental, or education fields. Geography majors find work in urban and natural resource management, spatial/GIS analysis, urban planning, map design and production, and statistical analysis. Geography is the lead department on campus for training in GIS, remote sensing, cartography, and spatial analysis.

Degree Maps and Learning Outcomes

Admission requirements

Geography B.A./B.S.

Geography Minor

Water Resources Minor

Geographic Information Systems Minor

Climate Change Science and Adaptation Minor

Geography Secondary Education Program

Geography B.A./B.S.

In addition to meeting the general University degree requirements, the major in geography must complete at least 52 credits in geography courses, including 12 credits in each of the following areas: geographic techniques, physical geography, and human geography—as detailed below. Of the courses presented for the major, 12 credits are in required courses (Geog 210, Geog 230, and Geog 380), and at least 36 Geography credit hours must be at the upper division, to include 16 hours at the 400-level. Geog 496, or Stat 243 and Stat 244, or equivalent is required for the B.S. degree.

Requirements

Physical Geography: (12 credits)

Geog 210Physical Geography

4

Geog 310U/Sci 333UClimate and Water Resources

4

Geog 311UClimatology

4

Geog 312U/Sci 334UClimate Variability and Change

4

Geog 313UBiogeography

4

Geog 314USevere Weather

4

Geog 320/G 374Geomorphic Processes

4

Geog 322UAlpine Environments

4

Geog 333U/Ph 333UWeather

4

Geog 340UGlobal Water Issues and Sustainability

4

Geog 407Seminar in Physical Geography

4

Geog 412Global Climate Change Science and Socio-environmental Impact Assessment

4

Geog 413Disturbance Biogeography of Pacific Northwest

4

Geog 414Hydrology

4

Geog 415Soils and Land Use

4

Geog 418/ESM 418Landscape Ecology

4

Geog 440/ESM 440The Ecology & Management of Wildfire

4

Geog 210: required

Human Geography: (12 credits)

Geog 230Environment and Society: Global Perspectives

4

Geog 321Mt. Hood

4

Geog 331UGeography of Globalization

4

Geog 332UUrban Geography

4

Geog 345UResource Management

4

Geog 346UWorld Population and Food Supply

4

Geog 347UEnvironmental Issues and Action

4

Geog 348UCultural and Political Ecology

4

Geog 349UMountain Geography

4

Geog 350UGeography of World Affairs

4

Geog 351UPacific Northwest

4

Geog 352UThe Himalaya and Tibet

4

Geog 353UPacific Rim

4

Geog 354UEurope

4

Geog 360ULatin America

4

Geog 363UGeography of sub-Saharan Africa

4

Geog 364UThe Middle East

4

Geog 366UHistorical Geography of North America

4

Geog 368UUnited States and Canada

4

Geog 375UMaps, Culture and Society

4

Geog 407Seminar in Human Geography

4

Geog 430Cultural Geography

4

Geog 432Urban Landscapes

4

Geog 442Sustainable Cities

4

Geog 445Resource Management Topics

4

Geog 446Water Resource Management

4

Geog 447Urban Streams

4

Geog 448The Urban Forest

4

Geog 462Sense of Place

4

Geog 465Tuscany: Sustainability in City and Country

4

Geog 467Community Resilience in Coupled Socio-Ecological Systems

4

Geog 472Critical GIS

2

Geog 230: required

Geographic Techniques: (12 credits)

Geog 380UMaps and Geographic Information

4

Geog 407Seminar in Research Skills

4

Geog 420Field Methods in Physical Geography

4

Geog 425Field Methods in Human Geography

4

Geog 472Critical GIS

2

Geog 475Digital Compilation and Database Design

4

Geog 4763D Terrain Analysis & Visualization

2

Geog 477Photogrammetry and LiDAR

2

Geog 480Remote Sensing and Image Analysis

4

Geog 481Digital Image Analysis I: Introduction

4

Geog 482Digital Image Analysis II: Advanced Remote Sensing

4

Geog 484Cartographic Applications of GIS

4

Geog 485Map Design and Production

4

Geog 488/USP 591Geographic Information Systems I: Introduction

4

Geog 489Building a GIS Database with GPS

4

Geog 490GIS Programming

4

Geog 492/USP 592Geographic Information Systems II: Advanced GIS

4

Geog 494GIS for Water Resources

4

Geog 495Maps, Models, and GIS

4

Geog 496Introduction to Spatial Quantitative Analysis

4

Geog 497Advanced Spatial Quantitative Analysis

4

Geog 380U: required

Geography Electives (16)

Total Credit Hours: 52

Course taken under the undifferentiated grading option (pass/no pass) will not be accepted toward fulfilling department major requirements.

All courses used to satisfy the departmental major requirements must be graded C- or above.