Majors and Minors Home
About the Major
Geography is the intersection between humans and their environment. By studying topics ranging from climate change to globalization 鈥� including gender and cultural issues 鈥� geographers engage a wide range of tools that prepare students for the modern global job market.
Jobs in Geography
- Geospatial analyst
- Cultural resources administrator
- Environmental enforcement officer
- Urban planner
- Geographic information system manager
Related Programs
Geography Degree Leads to Undersea Mapping Career with Navy
A prestigious two-year scholarship that Brandi Stewart earned while studying geography at the University of South Alabama obligated her to two years鈥� work for the U.S. Department of Defense after graduation.
Stewart became a physical scientist with the Naval Oceanographic Office. That two-year term has extended to five, and counting. 鈥淚 love my job,鈥� she said.
She periodically goes to sea aboard one of the Navy鈥檚 six T-AGS oceanographic survey ships. She uses sonar and other technologies to gather bathymetric data 鈥� information about the bottom of the sea. Then, back at her office, 鈥渕y job is taking this data and making it useful to the fleet.鈥� She uses the data to compile navigational charts: maps showing the depths and contours of the bottom and anything resting on it.
Stewart鈥檚 family moved a lot when she was young. She noticed how profoundly the differences in location affected their lives 鈥� changing the stores where they shopped, for example.
鈥淭hey say a picture鈥檚 worth a thousand words. In my opinion, a map is worth at least a million.鈥�
鈥淕eography is the study of place,鈥� she said. 鈥淎nd there鈥檚 place in everything.鈥� Consider how often you call up a map on your smartphone, or search for something 鈥渘ear me.鈥� 鈥淭hey say a picture鈥檚 worth a thousand words,鈥� Stewart said. 鈥淚n my opinion, a map is worth at least a million.鈥�
At South, she participated in a NASA-developed internship and attended academic conferences as an undergraduate. The earth sciences department and her faculty adviser worked with her in crafting a secondary minor to 鈥渕ake myself more marketable.鈥� She ended up minoring in geographic information systems and information systems/information technology.
She regularly returns to campus to speak to introductory students about the surprising variety of geography-related careers. 鈥淚t鈥檚 about how place affects people,鈥� she said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 a joke among geographers that we鈥檙e just anthropologists who make maps.鈥�
Did You Know?
- Modern geography is an exciting science producing research of great value to governments, planning agencies and private businesses, especially through geographic information science (GIS) and other new technologies.
- In addition to the core geography courses that majors take, the department offers such electives as geography of tourism, climatology, urban geography, national parks conservation and geography of Alabama.
- Majors have opportunities for internships and study abroad as well as field experience and attendance at national conferences.
Contact:
Dr. Carol Sawyer
Geography Program Coordinator
Department of Earth Sciences
(251) 460-6169
Curriculum and Degree Requirements