Degrees offered by the OU Department of Geography and Environmental Sustainability (DGES) provide a solid base for a variety of careers. By combining the study of (a) environmental issues and research methods, (b) social, economic, energy and policy considerations, and (c) digital technologies and their applications, our degrees prepare graduates to better comprehend and contribute to addressing real-world social and environmental issues. Our degrees are in three major areas:
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Environmental Sustainability addresses how societies can meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. The degree offers three different areas of concentration: culture and society, planning and management, and science and natural resources.
Environmental sustainability studies how human societies can meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. Achieving this goal requires balancing short- and long-term needs related to jobs and economic growth, societal well-being, and environmental health.
Climate change, habitat destruction, pollution and the overuse of natural resources have contributed to a human environment that may no longer be sustainable Only by using modern scientific methods and by integrating scientific research with an understanding of the global economy and governmental institutions can we expect to understand and manage a natural environment that will be sustainable, supporting and enhancing the quality of life for generations to come. Skilled professionals educated in the principles of environmental sustainability are essential to the effective management of the natural environment. These professionals will be qualified for numerous sustainability-related positions in government, the private sector, the non-profit sector, and education. Because many managers in these sectors have only a vague understanding of sustainability, persons with degrees in environmental sustainability are positioned very well to achieve important leadership positions, setting agendas for long-run sustainability at the local, regional, national, and global levels.
Students may pursue either a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree with a concentration in any of the following options:
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Government
Business
Nonprofit
Careers in ES:
http://www.ecoemploy.com/jobs/
http://jobs.environmentalscience.org/
http://www.sustainabilitydegrees.com/careers/
Why Green is Your Color: A Woman's Guide to a Sustainable Career
Professional Societies:
International Society of Sustainability Professionals
The Association of the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education
ISCN: International Sustainable Campus Network
Geographic Information Science is one of the most rapidly expanding areas of study and employment in the U.S. addresses how geographic information systems and remote sensing (aerial photography and satellite imagery) are used for gathering, analyzing and visualizing all forms of geographically referenced information.
Students pursuing degrees in geographic information science (GIS) use data to map, model, and analyze various problems related to geography and meteorology. Integrating advanced computer technologies, people, and detailed information about location, geographic information science reveals spatial relationships, patterns and trends in maps that lead to better decision making in dozens of professional fields, including agriculture, defense and intelligence, environmental sustainability, forestry, law enforcement, and health and human services.
Location-based data are central to 80 to 90 percent of all governmental information and to a wide range of business endeavors. Students who major in geographic information science study the science and technology of gathering, analyzing, interpreting, distributing and using geographic information. The U.S. Department of Labor declared geospatial technology as one of the twelve targeted industries that are high growth, high demand, and economically vital for the nation. Lending itself to both physical and social sciences, geospatial technology is applied across a broad range of sectors. Career opportunities span academia, government, industry and non-governmental organizations and include careers in agriculture, forestry, urban planning, land use, soil mapping, energy & utilities, redistricting, identifying and monitoring surface and ground water, flood damage assessment and relief measures, and consumer industries like in-car navigation systems.
Geography is an integrative field that studies people and the world in which they live and the discipline consists of two primary fields: human geography and physical geography. Both of these disciplines use GIS technologies and other analytical tools such as statistics, modeling and qualitative approaches.
More geographers than ever before are being hired in dozens of different fields. All levels of government hire geographers, who work for local and state economic development or planning offices, conduct research in recreation and park use, or map land use from satellite images. Many geographers at the federal level work for the Environmental Protection Agency, the Central Intelligence Agency, the U.S. Geological Survey, and the Department of State. Geographers also conduct marketing studies, plan transportation routes, understand international markets, advise businesses on the best location for new stores, work in real estate and urban planning, and determine environmental risks associated with site locations. From electric companies to wind-power farms, from forestry to telecommunications, real-time mobile interactive geographic technologies and databases are emerging as the backbone of large-scale management systems for industries with distributed assets and mobile workforces.
Geographers integrate knowledge of culture, society and the economy with understanding of the earth’s physical system and biosphere in order to provide a holistic perspective on human-environment relationships. This integrative perspective is vital to understanding and addressing the world’s complex problems, including renewable energy, environmental change, and indigenous cultures in a globalizing world.
Geography faculty bring a rich history of expertise to the study of cultural, historical, political, economic, environmental, and applied physical geography. This focus on the human-environment interface complements and enhances the mission of the College by bridging the social and atmospheric sciences. Climatology, resource management, and wind energy are just a few of the many career opportunities available with a degree in geography.
Careers in Geography:
http://www.aag.org/careers
http://www.geographyjobs.com/
https://www.indeed.com/q-Geography-jobs.html
Professional Societies:
http://www.aag.org/
http://americangeo.org/
A minor in Envrionmental Sustainability (pdf) equips you with critical concepts and practical skills about how societies can meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. This minor focuses on how individuals, organizations and societies can achieve the critical balance between economic, environmental and socio-political forces related to resource management.
This minor provides you with practical skills about how Geographic Information Science (pdf) is used to gather, analyze and visualize all forms of geographically referenced information for use in everyday applicatrions such as emergency management, location analysis, real estate rout planning, etc. The minor focuses on different aspects including the use of maps as a communication tool, visualization of different types of spatial data, the study of satellite observations and aerial photgraphs and geospatial analysis of complex societal problems.
A minor in Geography (pdf) provides a broad overview of the human-environment relationship over time and space. You will learn how physical geography influences the nature, types, patterns and distribtion of human activities as well as how human/cultural geography influences how people perceive and use the envrionment and resources around them. Additional topics include the factors motivating patterns of interrelationships and interactions among the global population.
A minor in Physical Geography (pdf) gives you a broad knowledge of the Earth's physical features, including climate, landforms, ecosystems and natural hazards. This minor focuses on different aspects including biogeography- the distribution of species and ecosystems in geographic space and through time, Geomorphology- the origins and evolution of the Earth's landforms and Climatology- the study of the climate and how it impacts the envrionment, people, and society.
The Hydrologic Science Minor is designed for students who are interested in expanding their understanding of the role of water in our environment. The minor requires a minimum of 15 semester credit hours, to include at least one course each from Meteorology, Geography, and Civil or Environmental Engineering. No more than (9) hours may come from any one discipline.
The Climate Adaptation Minor is for students who want to focus on climate adaptation.
The department now offers accelarated Master's programs with any of our undergraduate degrees and a Masters in Regional and City Planning.
Department of Geography and Environmental Sustainability
Academic Advisor
(405) 325-9035
bjohnson@ou.edu
