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Department of Geography, Geology, and the Environment
Student on a mapping class.

Why Study Geography

  • Illinois State University’s geography program will help you STATE Your Destination, wherever it may be. Your learning will stretch far beyond our classrooms, with required off-campus professional experiences that prepare you for your career. Geography is the study of the physical earth and humans’ activity that impacts and affects our global world, including resources, land use, industries, and populations. And we hope you come take your geography career trip with us.

    Learn more about how you can STATE Your Destination.

Majors

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    Geography

    Students may earn B.A. or B.S. degrees in Geography. Students develop and exercise critical thinking, writing, and quantitative skills.

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    Geography Social Science Teacher Education

    Students may earn a B.S. in Geography Social Science Teacher Education.

Minors

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    Geography

    A minor in Geography provides a strong preparation for a diverse range of careers.

  • The global warming effect on glacial ice.

    Environmental Studies

    A multidisciplinary and multi-departmental sponsored program that is available to students in any undergraduate major.

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    Urban Studies

    Learn about urban places primarily from a social science perspective.

Undergraduate Certificate

Resources For You

  • Financial Support

    Learn how we can help support your academic experience through scholarships and awards.

  • Advising

    You have career and academic goals to accomplish. We can help.

  • Honors Program

    Enrich your learning experience through academic, cultural, professional, and community-building opportunities.

  • Schedule a Visit

    Schedule a visit with The Department of Geography, Geology, and the Environment and see what our many programs have to offer!

Points of Pride

  • Illinois State was one of only two schools recognized in 2016 by the American Association of Geographers in its inaugural Award for Program Excellence.

  • The close-knit geography program boasts a 1-to-10 faculty-student ratio and average upper-level class sizes of less than 20. This gives students opportunities to participate in faculty-led research.

  • The Illinois Geographic Alliance (IGA), administered through the National Geographic Society, has been headquartered at Illinois State since its founding in 1987.

Careers in Geography

Geography is the science of place and space. Geographers ask where things are located on the surface of the earth, why they are located where they are, how places differ from one another, and how people interact with the environment. Geography is unique in linking the social sciences and natural sciences together. See what our geography graduates are up to now and explore what careers await you with our Career Snapshots!

Our graduates become:

  • geo-icons-surveyor

    Natural Resource Managers

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    Mapping Technicians and Cartographers

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    Geographic Information Analysts

  • geo-icons-urbanplanning

    Urban and Regional Planners

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    Environmental Analysts and Consultants

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    Humanitarian Aid Officer

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    "I am convinced to this day that the geography capstone internship program was the single most important event in my undergraduate career."

    — Rob Kowalski ’91, city planning agency executive

  • Kristopher Kuzera

    “The education and support I received from Illinois State as a student and the years following have put me on a successful career path in geography that I would not have been able to achieve otherwise.”

    — Kristopher Kuzera ’98, now a geography professor in Colorado

Where do our graduates work

  • Esri, world-renowned GIS software firm
  • Illinois State Geological Survey
  • State Farm Insurance
  • National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA)
  • Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
  • Dow AgroSciences
  • Archer Daniels Midland (ADM)
  • Integrys Energy Services
  • GIS Solutions
  • Roadview Inc.
  • PAQ Interactive
  • Cloudpoint Geographics
Learn more about Careers in Geography

The World is Your Classroom