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Undergraduate Course Sequence (sample)

Sample Geography BS/BA Four Year Course Plan 

Year 1

Fall Semester

Credits

Spring Semester

Credits

 

 Engl 103
Gen Ed (Science)
Gen Ed
(Social Science)
Gen Ed (Humanities)
Math 110 or 
Foreign Language (BA)
Total hours
3
3
3

3
3

15 hrs
 Engl 104
Gen Ed (Science)
Gen Ed
(Social Science)
GEOG 101, 102
Elective or 
Foreign Language (BA)
Total hours
3
3
3

4
3

16 hrs

Year 2

Fall Semester

Credits

Spring Semester

Credits
  Gen Ed (Humanities)
Gen Ed (Social
Science or Arts)
GEOG 105, 106
GEOG 204 or 202
Lab Science (BS) or 
Foreign Language (BA)
Total hours
3
3

4
3
4

17 hrs
 Math 211
Coms 100
GEOG 256
GEOG 300
Lab Science (BS) or 
Foreign Language (BA)

Total hours
3
3
3
1
4


14 hrs

Year 3

Fall Semester

Credits

Spring Semester

Credits
  Stat 301
GEOG 359
GEOG elective
GEOG elective
Elective or minor

Total hours
4
3
3
3
3

16 hrs
 GEOG 361
GEOG elective
GEOG 202 or 204
Gen Ed (Interdisciplinary)
GEOG elective or 
   elective or minor
Total hours
3
3
3
3

3
15 hrs

Year 4

Fall Semester

Credits

Spring Semester

Credits
  GEOG elective
GEOG elective
GEOG elective or
   elective or minor
Elective or minor
Elective or minor
Total hours
3
3
3

3
3
15 hrs
GEOG elective
GEOG elective
GEOG 391 or 491 or
   elective
Elective or minor
Elective or minor
Total hours
3
3
3

3
3
15 hrs

 

Undergraduate Coordinator Andrew Krmenec
MET Undergraduate Coordinator Mace Bentley

Geography bridges the social and physical sciences, examining both physical processes and human activities. Geographers focus on questions of location - where activities are located, why they are located where they are, and how the characteristics of a location affect both human activities and environmental processes.

A student at NIU considering geography as a major has the opportunity to choose from five areas of specialization, each building on a common foundation of knowledge, methods, and skills. The five emphases are: Area Studies, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Natural Environmental Systems (NES), Urban/Economic Systems, and General Geography. In addition to the B.S. and B.A. degrees in geography, the department also offers a Certificate of Undergraduate Study in GIS.