Undergraduate Programs
If you are interested in people, places, global diversity, sustainability, or current world political, economic, and environmental issues, then UMass Geography is the place for you!
It is an exciting time to be an undergrad geography student at UMass! We have seven different undergraduate degree options, we offer a vibrant set of courses on environmental issues, environmental policy, and sustainability, and the Geography Club has been very active with field trips and award-winning team competition in the collegiate World Geography Bowl. Students have great opportunities for international study and study at other universities within the U.S. during their undergraduate years, and many make the most of this.
Student Opportunities:
Our majors include coursework designed specifically to aid students in preparing for careers in a wide range of fields through an integration of fundamental knowledge, marketable job skills, and preparation for successful job and /or graduate school applications. Students studying towards Geography BA and BS degrees benefit from integrating courses from cognate fields into their degree programs, particularly those offered by Geography affiliate faculty in other departments and programs.
UMass Geography BA & BS alumNI say:
"I learned about urban development and issues on a global scale, as well as researched case studies on cities in most continents"
“In the spring of my freshman year, I was enrolled in Intro to Human Geography (GEOG 102) with Dr. Toby Applegate, and he confirmed my thoughts about being a Geography major because of all of the amazing stories he told as he lectured. Piper Gaubatz introduced me to all of the branches of geography and I settled on a concentration in Urban Geography. From that moment on, I learned about urban development and issues on a global scale, as well as researched case studies on cities in most continents. Choosing to study Geography for my undergraduate degree was the best choice I could have made, and I am able to use what I have learned about people around the world in my Graduate studies in the College of Education at UMass Amherst.” – Kelsie Butler (Class of 2020)
"Joining this department really changed my perspective on college and on my own interests and goals, and I am very grateful to be in a field that is not only important and versatile, but also enjoyable"
“I joined the Geography department fall of 2018 as a sophomore following a very difficult first semester at UMass, coming in as transfer student in engineering. After starting classes as a Geography major, I immediately recognized that I was in the right place when I saw how enthusiastic and welcoming the professors are, how involved and helpful the advising staff is, and how broad the field of geography is in its seemingly endless real-world applications. I had always been intrigued by maps, different cultures, the environment, and computer technology, and I found that these could all be linked together in a geographic career, one that I could tailor to my passions and skills. Joining this department really changed my perspective on college and on my own interests and goals, and I am very grateful to be in a field that is not only important and versatile, but also enjoyable.” – Isabel Mezzina (Class of 2020)
"I have learned to look at cities, capitalism, and my own environment in a different manner."
“Becoming a geographer is a life changing experience. It allows one to look at the world in which we live in a completely different way. I changed my major and my university to become a geography major at UMass, and the experience I have had has been amazing. I have learned to look at cities, capitalism, and my own environment in a different manner. I am able to recognize the underlying forces on a location and describe how the forces impacted it.” – Jessica Brooks (Class of 2010)
“In investigating the relationship between humans and their interaction with the environment, geography crosses nearly every academic discipline. This allowed me to think broadly about ideas and expand my research into other disciplines I may not have interacted with otherwise.” – Mike Judge (Class of 2009--and now Vice President for Strategic Initiatives at the Coalition for Community Solar Access, in Boston)