Geography is the science of place and space. Geographers ask where things are located on the surface of the earth, why they are located where they are, how places differ from one another, and how people interact with the environment. It is a broad field that particularly welcomes those interested in thinking in an interdisciplinary way about the physical and social processes that shape life on our planet. If you're interested in doing work that changes the world, geography is literally the place to start. Our graduates move on to work on a range of environmental issues, including climate change, desertification, deforestation, loss of biodiversity, groundwater pollution, and flooding. They contribute to plans for more equitable and sustainable communities and work for solutions to entrenched social inequality. They do this while working across the globe with an understanding of the social, economic, and physical ties that bind us all together. For information on the undergraduate program at UGA Geography, watch this presentation by our Undergraduate Coordinator, Dr. Jerry Shannon: Like any subject area, geography is made up of several subfields: Human geography is concerned with the spatial aspects of human existence - how people and their activity are distributed in space, how they use and perceive space, and how they create and sustain the places that make up the earth's surface. Human geographers work in the fields of urban and regional planning, transportation, public health, law, and business. Physical geographers study patterns of climates, land forms, vegetation, soils, and water. They forecast the weather, manage land and water resources, and analyze and plan for forests, rangelands, and wetlands. UGA Geography has a particularly strong program in Atmospheric Sciences, which includes everything from weather forecasting to long-range climate projections. Geographers working in GIScience and geospatial analysis use cutting-edge computational techniques to analyze a range of data sources ranging from social media data to nearly real-time satellite and aerial imagery. Their work provides insight into emerging trends and inform public policy and is relevant to a range of private and governmental organizations. Wondering which area is right for you? You can take this interactive quiz to see where you fit. Or try out one of our introductory courses: Geog1101: Introduction to Human Geography Geog1111/1111L: Introduction to Physical Geography Geog1112/1112L: Introduction to Weather and Climate Geog1113/1113L: Exploring Earth's Surface: Landforms and Environments Geog1125: Resources, Society, and the Environment Geog1130: Introduction to World Geography Geog2011/2011L: Introduction to GIScience View Degrees and Certificates Need More Direction? Dr. Jerry ShannonEmail: jshannon@uga.eduPhone: 706-542-1656Appointment calendar: http://calendly.com/jshannon75
