Geography
What Can I Do With A Major In Geography?
Geography is considered the "mother of all sciences" as its core of study regarding people and places has led to the development of other scientific fields such as biology, anthropology, geology, mathematics, astronomy, and chemistry, to name a few. 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. Geographers study the physical earth by examining the interlocking systems of the natural environment, including climate, landforms, soils, and biota. Humans are studied by examining those diverse historical, cultural, social, economic, and political structures and processes that affect the location and spatial organization of population groups and their activities. Regions and places, whether described as nations, cities, ecological units, or landscapes, are studied by integrating and interpreting their physical and human relations in an effort to better understand them and the problems that they face.
The CCSU Geography Department is concerned with the science of location. Geography students will learn how to use maps, air photos, computers, and information about places to understand how people use the land they live on and what makes that land different from other areas. Geography students are offered courses in which they learn specific technical skills in computerized information retrieval, spatial data analysis, cartographic representation, remote sensing, and geographic information systems that are suitable for direct entry level positions. Geography majors receive a broad-based education that is an appropriate foundation for further specialized training in academic disciplines which address environmental and international issues or in related professional fields such as planning and public policy, law, and environmental management.
Career opportunities include: travel and tourism; environmental protection; urban, regional & transportation planning; site selection; map making; air photo interpretation; computer cartography; and geographic information systems (GIS). Geographers are also often found working in business, industry, government, and education.
Visit CCSU's Geography Department webpage here.
Explore Internships for your major- https://www.biginternships.com/
Explore Industries in your major- https://www.buzzfile.com/
Explore this site to discover a number of resources, career options, and school recommendations for your major!
Sample of Related Occupations
Economic Development Specialist
Geographic Information Specialist
Government Agency Administrator
For additional information on each occupation or any others you may be considering, please visit the Occupational Outlook Handbook, a nationally recognized source of career information, put together by the U.S. Department of Labor.
Professional Associations & Additional Career Information
American Association for the Advancement of Science
American Association of Geographers
The American Geographical Society
American Meteorological Society
The Guide to Geographic Information Systems
The Imaging & Geospatial Information Society
National Council for Geographic Education
Natural Environment Research Council
North American Cartographic Information Society
U.S Department of the Interior: Bureau of Land Management
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Internships, Co-ops and Employment Opportunities
Geography majors may find experiential opportunities or employment in a number of areas depending on your skills, abilities and experience. Career-related internships and co-op placements are a great avenue to establishing yourself as a qualified candidate for full-time, professional-level career opportunities after graduation.
The following list of employers and job titles shows opportunities where the employer was specifically looking for geography majors. This list is meant to be a resource for further career-related investigation and DOES NOT REFLECT current openings. To look for current openings, please visit College Central Network, CCSU's online job, internship, and co-op database, on the Career Success Center website here.
American Medical Response - GIS Administrator
Central Area Health Education Center - A.H.E.C. Summer Institute Instructor
Clean Water Action - Global Warming and Clean Energy Internship
Enterprise Holdings - Management Trainee Internship
State of Connecticut Office of Policy & Management - Legislative Internship, Energy Internship, Policy & Planning Internship