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Without geography, you’re nowhere.

Why are things located where they are? What makes societies and biophysical environments different from place to place? How does distance affect access to the things all species need to survive and flourish?

As a geography major at Clark University, you will use the concepts of place and space to better understand the physical and social processes that shape our planet and to address societal and environmental challenges. In pursuing a bachelor of arts degree in geography, you will explore why places are different; the economic, political, and cultural systems that connect us locally, regionally, and globally; and how we shape — and in turn are shaped by — our environment.

Learn more about the curriculum for geography majors 

Why Study Geography at Clark?

  • Clark is an internationally recognized leader in geography. Over the years our professors have included Fellows from the National Academy of Sciences, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
  • For more than 90 years, our faculty and alumni have pioneered, and continue to advance, the diverse fields of human-environment geography, risk-hazards, critical geography, animal geographies, and feminist geography. Our program is the only one to have developed its own geographic information science (GIS) software, IDRISI-TerrSet, which is now used worldwide.
  • Learn from scholar-teachers whose research informs international debates on topics such as socio-economic development, landscape transformation, climate change, and urbanization. Our faculty partner with organizations including NASA, the National Science Foundation, Oxfam America, and the Wildlife Conservation Society.
  • Qualifying students can join our accelerated B.A./M.S. program in GIScience — with the fifth year tuition-free.
  • Our majors move on to top-ranked graduate programs and meaningful careers.

The Geography Path

As a geography major, you will take one course in each of four concentrations: earth system science; human-environment/nature-society; globalization, cities, and development; and geographic information science. You also will take a course in both research methods and skills, as well as four courses in an area you want to explore in depth, and a capstone experience. Additional information about the geography major and minor is available in the Program Guide for Undergraduate Geography Students (PDF).

If you qualify, you can apply to join Gamma Theta Upsilon, the international geography honor society. Each year, the Graduate School of Geography recognizes three seniors and one junior with paid awards: the Ellen Churchill Semple Award, the IDRISI GIS Excellence Award, the NCGE Excellence in Scholarship Award, and the Strabo Award.

Building your foundation

The Clark Experience

The Clark Core allows students to take courses across diverse disciplines, helping them develop critical thinking skills and respect for other cultures and perspectives. You’ll connect classroom learning with action through world and workplace experiences.

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