Climate Change Geographies

The undergraduate certificate in Climate Change Geographies trains students for careers that address the varied challenges of climate change from local to global scales. Through the program’s curriculum, students will advance their understanding of the social and natural processes of climate change and develop the knowledge and skills needed to tackle issues at the intersection of the physical and human dimensions of climate change. This program is rooted in expertise on climate change research and instruction within UGA’s Department of Geography and expands broadly to provide connections with scientific, economic, and political fields of study across the UGA’s campus. In completing the certificate, students will be prepared to apply an array of geographical and critical thinking skills to solve real-world problems aimed at contributing to a more just and sustainable future in a changing climate. The certificate requirements include two core courses on the physical and human geographies of climate change, one Geography elective selected from an array of topics to be tailored to the student’s needs, and one elective from a list of those available across campus to broaden the student’s perspective (12 total credit hours). Students will also participate in an annual knowledge and cohort building event with the certificate coordinator from the year they declare the certificate until the year of graduation that includes a written assessment examining the program’s learning outcomes and integration of the student’s knowledge across courses.

Program of Study

This is a 12-hour curriculum, designed to efficiently and effectively expose students to the social and physical aspects of climate change, centering a geographic perspective. Through two electives, students can tailor their focus with the help of the certificate coordinator.

1) Students must take one physical science course (3 hours):

GEOG 3110 Climatology OR

GEOG/ATSC 3180 Global Climate Change: Causes and Consequence 2) Students must take one social / policy course (3 hours):

GEOG 3185 Climate Change Solutions OR

GEOG 3670 Geographies of Climate Justice

3) Students must take one GEOG/ATSC elective (3 hours):

ATSC (GEOG) 4140 ATSC (GEOG) 4150 ATSC (GEOG) 4155 ATSC (GEOG) 4160 ATSC (GEOG) 4161 GEOG 3110

GEOG 3180

GEOG 3185 GEOG 3670 GEOG 4040 GEOG 4180

Satellite Climatology/Meteorology
Physical Climatology
Hydrometeorology
Applied Climatology in the Urban Environment Microclimatology

Climatology *If not chosen for #1 above
Global Climate Change: Causes and Consequences *If not chosen

for #1 above
Climate Change Solutions *If not chosen for #2 above Geographies of Climate Justice *If not chosen for #2 above Global Environmental Change
Special Topics in Atmospheric Sciences

4) Students must take a second elective (3 hours, does not have to be GEOG, but can be) All courses listed above not already taken in 1), 2), or 3) if not already taken, plus:

AAEC 3050
ANTH 3090
ANTH 4305
CLAS 4190
ECOL 4120H
EHSC 4200
GEOL 4940L
HIST 4442
MARS/MATH 4730 Mathematics and Climate
WMST 4770 Women, Gender, and Climate Justice

Climate Change Economics and Policy
Past Peoples, Present Climates
Introduction to Dendrochronology
Climate and Catastrophes in Antiquity Ecology of Global Climate Change (Honors) Global Climate Change and Public Health Volcanology

History of Oil

5) Students must participate in an annual knowledge and cohort building event:

The coordinator of the certificate will be responsible for organizing a presentation, colloquium, workshop, and/or brown bag event every year to create a cohort feel. Students will submit a written assignment associated with the event and the program’s learning objectives to receive credit for attendance.