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What is Geography?

Geography is a discipline whose content is broad; all aspects of the Earth's systems (human and physical) are within its scope.  Geography is the study of  people, places, and environments and seeks to integrate the human and the physical components of a system or place using a spatial approach.  It means understanding space and location and interpreting how people live in particular places, the relationships between places, the complexities of environments, and the human use of environments.  Geographers study some of the most serious problems facing human kind: environmental degradation, unequal distribution of resources, global warming, and international conflicts.  At UMCP, all undergraduates receive training in the three main fields of geography: human geography, physical geography and technical geography, such as computer cartography, remote sensing, geographic information systems (GIS), field methods and quantitative techniques.  Do you think Geography might be the right major for you?  Take a look at the Geography questionnaire to see how well your interests match up with the study of Geography.  Then, take a few minutes to explore the degree information and opportunities available to Geography or Geographic Information Systems and Computer Cartography majors using the navigation bar on the left. You can also see what other students have said about the program by looking at the results of a recent senior survey.

Geography at Maryland

The University of Maryland Department of Geography is at the forefront of Earth Systems Science and disciplines concerned with understanding the physical, biological, and human dimensions of the Earth's systems.  UMD Geography is also internationally known for developing and applying the newest geographic technology, such as Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and remote sensing.  In addition to having a strong academic program, the Department has ties to organizations such as NASA, NOAA, the Chesapeake Bay Program, and the Maryland-National Capital Parks and Planning Commission.  There are currently over 150 undergraduate majors studying Geography and more than 80 graduate students in the program.  As a discipline, Geography requires that students use and integrate information from the physical and natural sciences, the social and behavioral sciences, and the humanities.  These areas are reflected by the courses offered at Maryland.  Some advanced geography courses, such as geomorphology and climatology, are oriented to the physical sciences; economic geography, urban systems, and population geography focus on the social sciences; human dimensions of global change and cultural ecology combine the two.