Geography Major

Additional Components

Four Core Courses

Core courses emphasize fundamental geographic concepts over four distinct areas of study.  Courses in the core are designed to build frameworks for understanding the earth, space, and place in a physical and human context. We strongly encourage students to take the core courses early in the program, not only because it will provide a more thorough understanding of the different areas of study in Geography, but also because core courses are often prerequisites for 200-level courses. Majors must select at least one course from each of the following four core areas. In special cases, a 200-level course may be used to fulfill a core course requirement, subject to the approval of the student’s adviser and either the chair of the undergraduate studies committee or the director of the school.

One Skills Course

Students must take one skills course. Skills courses give students the opportunity to acquire and apply research, literacy, numeracy, and mapping skills for generating and interpreting knowledge. Our goal is for students to become critical thinkers and to have an understanding of how knowledge is created. Skills courses must be either offered by the Geography Department or offered by other departments with a Geography attribute.

Four Elective Courses

The Geography major requires four elective Geography courses. The four electives must consist of one course at the 100 level or above and three courses at the 200 level or above.

Research Methods

GEOG 141   is required for all students majoring in Geography. It is advised that students complete this course before taking 200-level courses in Geography, preferably during the sophomore year. Research Methods is offered at least once per year, typically in the spring semester.

Comparable courses in other departments may be substituted for the Geography Research Methods course with the approval of the major advisor and the Chair of the Undergraduate Studies Committee. However, this does not reduce the total number of Geography courses required for the major. Thus, majors for whom a substitution has been granted will need to take an additional Geography course to ensure that a total of 11 Geography courses are taken.

Capstone Requirement in Geography

One Capstone credit is required for the Geography major. At the university level, a capstone is defined as an experience - a course in the major or an independent project - through which students apply integrative learning. A capstone requires a complex individual or group project that is substantially defined and carried forward by the student and demonstrates accomplishment of Clark’s Liberal Education goals, especially a capacity to practice within an academic or professional field effectively.

To meet the Capstone requirement in the Geography major, the student must earn a 200 or 300 level credit. Geography students may choose four ways to earn the capstone credit. The student’s capstone advisor will help determine how any particular credit satisfies the capstone criteria. The advisor will make this determination based on the purpose of the capstone, which is for the student to integrate content and skills in Geography, as applied to a particular topic.

Capstone Types

1. A 200 or 300-level Geography course that qualifies according to the course’s professor and major’s advisor.

A 200 or 300 level Geography course can count as a capstone course. The professor of the course determines capstone eligibility as evidenced by whether the professor signs the capstone form a the beginning and end of the course. Such a course usually involves a project that synthesizes skills and knowledge in Geography.

2. Research experience (GEOG 299)

Students may enroll in directed study for a research experience. They may do so via two main avenues:

• A research project conducted under the supervision of a faculty member. Students typically enroll in GEOG 299.
• Work done in collaboration with a research group or team, for instance, in which students may contribute as a research assistant. Examples of such projects and research teams include, but are not limited to: Human Environment Regional Observatory (HERO) program; Forest Ecology Research Lab (FERL); Biogeosciences Research Group; Extractive Industries Research Group; and the Polar Science Research Laboratory. Most such research opportunities have a separate, competitive application process. Students accepted into these research groups will be advised on how to register for academic and capstone credit.

3. Internship (GEOG 298)

An internship credit can count as a capstone course. The student must identify a faculty sponsor and apply to the Career Connections Center for academic credit the semester before the internship commences. The internship must directly contribute to the student’s experiential learning relevant to Geography. Once the internship is completed, the student submits a synopsis of the internship experience or other materials as agreed on with the faculty sponsor and the Career Connections Center.

4. Honors thesis (GEOG 297)

A credit of Honors thesis qualifies as a capstone course.

Capstone Form and process: Each student proposing a capstone must obtain the signature of a faculty advisor for the capstone. Before registration for the 200-level credit and beginning the qualifying activity, the student must complete and submit the Capstone Form. The student, the major advisor, and the capstone advisor sign the Capstone form and submit the form to the Administrator of Degree Programs. Upon completion of the capstone work, the form is then updated, signed by all parties and then resubmitted. It is the student’s responsibility to coordinate all processes necessary outside of the departmental requirements i.e. internship registration, any other Clark forms needed, etc. All students completing capstones are strongly encouraged to present their work during ClarkFest or Fall Fest.