2018-2019 Undergraduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]
Geography
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 Return to: College of Arts and Sciences
Faculty
Professor Keith A. Ratner, Chairperson
Professors: William L. Hamilton, Lorri K. Krebs, Marcos J. Luna, Steven E. Silvern, Stephen S. Young
Associate Professors: John T. Hayes, Noel P. Healy
Assistant Professor: Ana Emlinger
Faculty Emeriti
Professors: Laurence E. Goss, Jr., Steven Matchak, Theodore S. Pikora
Programs Offered
Combined Bachelor of Science Cartography and Geographic Information Systems, MS in Geo-Information Science
Concentrations
Environmental Sustainability
Sustainable Tourism
Minors
Cartography
Environmental Sustainability
Geographic Information Science
Geography
Meteorology
Travel and Tourism
Sustainable Tourism
Department of Geography
The Department of Geography is committed to having students understand and engage the world from a spatial perspective through teaching, research and service. Geography is a problem-solving discipline whose programs and Digital Geography Lab provide students with both technical skills and a liberal arts perspective to prepare them for life-long careers.
The Digital Geography Lab (DGL) is known as one of the best geography university-level computer labs in the Northeast U.S.. This unique facility is dedicated to undergraduate and graduate geo-spatial computing, education, and research. The DGL supports the department’s extensive and diverse curriculum with specialized software and hardware. The DGL facilitates collaboration within the department, and is a local focal point for faculty, undergraduate and graduate research.
The Department of Geography’s offerings combine a strong background in the academic tradition of Geography with applied fields such as travel and tourism, sustainability, remote sensing and geographic information systems.
Experiencing geography out of the classroom is also an important goal of the department. Many classes have field trips as part of their curriculums. In addition, the department organizes annual study-travel courses to Europe and to regions of the United States. Over the past few years, the department has visited many countries in Western Europe such as France, Italy, Germany, Spain, and the United Kingdom. Trips have also included destinations in Central and Eastern Europe. With the History Department, geographers have promoted thematic study/travel seminars on World Wars I and II, the First World War, and topics such as the Central European salt trade and Anglo-Irish relations. There have also been study/travel and research related trips to Canada. Domestically, the department has supported trips to Disney World Florida and the National Parks of Southwest United States.
The department supports a strong internship program which provides opportunities for career counseling and professional experience for academic credits. Department internship contacts with many businesses and agencies are valuable resources for student employment upon graduation. Geography students also participate in community service projects that touch on a wide variety of important concerns ranging from the environment to social inequalities.
Most undergraduate and master’s students join the Massachusetts work force upon graduation. Our programs provide a quality education with marketable skills. The majority of our alumni work in eastern Massachusetts, but some venture farther to other parts of the US such as Washington, DC, Texas and California as well as overseas in such places as Sweden, China, Japan and Saudi Arabia. In addition, a number of students continue their education in graduate schools in a number of universities across the nation.
Degree Descriptions
Bachelor of Arts - Geography
This is a general geography concentration which provides geography majors as well as dual geography/education majors a broad understanding of field of geography and the ability to craft their degree in many different ways. It is also designed to provide a broad liberal arts curriculum with an emphasis on problem-solving techniques and a spatial perspective for majors who desire a liberal arts education.
Bachelor of Science - Geography
A bachelor of science in geography teaches students to understand and engage in the world around them. Geography is a problem-solving discipline whose programs and resources provide students with both technical skills and a liberal arts perspective to prepare them for life-long careers. Many elementary education students pair their major with geography believing that understanding the world is the most important thing an elementary school teacher can know.
Bachelor of Science - Cartography and Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
The Bachelor of Science in cartography and geographic information systems (GIS) is a technology-focused program designed to provide students with the theoretical, practical and technical skills that are essential for the visualization and analysis of spatial data in a wide variety of applications. Students with a range of interests will benefit from this program by becoming proficient in the use and application of GIS technologies through a flexible set of courses and hands-on experiences. The program offers the training and experience necessary to prepare for the rapidly expanding professional opportunities available in the diverse set of fields that depend on geographic information. GIS and related geospatial technologies, such as remote sensing from satellites and aircraft, are integral to mapping and surveying, environmental analysis and natural resource management, transportation and urban planning, business planning, crime analysis, and disaster management, to name only a few areas.
Combined Bachelor of Science Cartography and Geographic Information Systems, MS in Geo-Information Science
This is a new program for the Geography Department that allows students who have completed three years in the BS Cartography and GIS program at the top of their class to enter a program that will allow them complete both a BS and MS in five years. Starting in the senior year, the students begin taking graduate courses, so that after five years they will have completed all of the requirements for both programs.
Concentration Desciptions
Environmental Sustainability
The Environmental Sustainability concentration provides a foundation for understanding and creating solutions for local to global environmental problems in a manner which does not compromise future generations. The inter-disciplinary curriculum integrates perspectives from geography, biology, geology, political science as well as philosophy and economics. The curriculum focuses on not only learning about environmental issues, but provides problem-solving skills and technical geographic computer skills as well. Course work is supplemented by experiential learning for those who wish to explore internships, directed studies and study-abroad opportunities during their studies. Students completing this concentration will be prepared for graduate school or employment with environmental non-profits, corporations, and varies levels of government.
Sustainable Tourism
This program will open students’ eyes to new ideas and open the employment door to new career path opportunities. Students will examine current trends in travel and tourism, and will delve into exploring the social, cultural and environmental issues surrounding tourism. Courses will cover topical areas such as: Sustainability; Using tourism for economic development; Marketing tourism; International perspectives on tourism; Impacts of travel; Understanding local tourism initiatives; Special events; Ecotourism; and Recreation. This minor pairs well with a whole host of majors across campus such as: hospitality, communications, recreation, business, entrepreneurship, foreign languages, history, theatre, art, education and many more. Tourism is one of the largest industries in the world and employment opportunities are endless. For example, students who want to work in education, but not in a classroom, might use this to obtain work in a museum or historic site providing education and programming; for those in the performing or visual arts, understanding tourism and recreation choices of consumers is paramount to their success; urban planners, economic developers, and entrepreneurs would all benefit from an understanding of how the tourism industry contributes significant dollars and supports substantial numbers of jobs.
Minors
Secondary Education
Geography students may minor in Secondary Education or Educational Studies. Please consult the listings in the Education Department for requirements.
Cartography
This minor is excellent for those who want a technical minor to complement their major. This minor provides students with the basics of Cartography and Geographic Information Systems (GIS). This minor will provide students with technical skills in mapping and other geospatial technologies, providing employable skills to the major. This minor compliments a wide range of majors from computer science and criminal justice to geology, biology, political science and business. For additional information, go to Cartography Minor .
Geography
This is a broad minor for those who want to design a set of geography courses to complement their major course of study. It is an excellent minor for those who want a geographic perspective to deepen their major course of study such as International Business students learning more deeply about Africa, Asia and Europe, or History majors learning about maps and our physical environment. For additional information, go to Geography Minor .
Meteorology
Meteorology is the study of the atmosphere. Meteorologists focus on short-term and long-term conditions to make forecasts, analyze interactions between humans and the atmosphere, and understand the causes of weather and climate at many scales. Meteorologists can be employed as forecasters, researchers, and consultants. For additional information go to Meteorology Minor.
Travel and Tourism
Travel and tourism is an important part of New England’s economy and culture. The Geography Department has offered Salem State students a concentration in the field that has led to careers for many graduates. This Minor offers a core of tourism courses as a minor to students who can gain tourism expertise that can complement their major. These courses provide a firm conceptual background while offering flexibility. For additional information go to Travel and Tourism Minor .
Environmental Sustainability
This program will open students’ eyes to new ideas and open the employment door to new career path opportunities. Students will examine current trends in travel and tourism, and will delve into exploring the social, cultural and environmental issues surrounding tourism. Courses will cover topical areas such as: Sustainability; Using tourism for economic development; Marketing tourism; International perspectives on tourism; Impacts of travel; Understanding local tourism initiatives; Special events; Ecotourism; and Recreation. This minor pairs well with a whole host of majors across campus such as: hospitality, communications, recreation, business, entrepreneurship, foreign languages, history, theatre, art, education and many more. Tourism is one of the largest industries in the world and employment opportunities are endless. For example, students who want to work in education, but not in a classroom, might use this to obtain work in a museum or historic site providing education and programming; for those in the performing or visual arts, understanding tourism and recreation choices of consumers is paramount to their success; urban planners, economic developers, and entrepreneurs would all benefit from an understanding of how the tourism industry contributes significant dollars and supports substantial numbers of jobs.
Geo-Information Science
This minor is a hands-on minor using state-of-the-art geospatial technologies to gain an understanding of geographic information science as a field of study and to get experience with a wide range of GeoScience software and applications. Experiential learning utilizes real-world projects and case studies from environmental and planning issues to a wide range of applications. The minor requires a total of 15 credits, of which 9 credits come from required courses and 6 credits come from a choice of courses.
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