Geographers are explorers, whether they travel across the world or across the street. Geographers study our earth’s physical and human features, analyzing the location of these features and the relationships between them. To do this, they integrate concepts from the physical sciences, biological sciences, social sciences, and the humanities.
Click here for information about Geography from the American Association of Geographers and ESRI
Visit the CSUF Department of Geography & the Environment's information page for prospective students
Double majoring or minoring in geography complements many other programs in the university, including Business, Geology, History, Political Science, Sociology, Psychology, Public Health, Criminal Justice, and more! Similarly, adding a techniques-based certificate is an excellent way to enhance your academic degree.
Geographers understand places and peoples in terms of spatial relationships and human-environment interaction. An education in geography provides excellent training for students interested in solving environmental challenges and societal problems.
Geography provides students with the knowledge and skills needed to explain the spatial organization of society including: why some places are more or less developed than others, and ways in which development and planning can take place.
The demand for geographic information systems skills is increasing in all areas of the economy, from business to public health. According to the US Department of Labor, the field of geospatial technologies is one of the top three areas of job growth in the next decade.
The Geography minor allows students to deepen and/or broaden their major program of study with a distinctive and flexible program of courses encompassing the relationship between environment and society.
The minor allows students to develop a coherent strategy for understanding and explaining the manner in which people and the Earth interact. Students can explore a wide range of physical, cultural, economic, political, and social processes.
As the 2022-2023 CSUF catalog indicates, The Geography minor consists of only 6 courses. Geography courses taken to fulfill General Education requirements can be double-counted towards the minor, which means that students can easily earn units towards a minor in Geography while completing their main program of study.
The Geographic Information Systems (GIS) certificate and the Geospatial Technologies certificate are excellent ways to add in-demand technical skills to your degree. These certificates complement a wide variety of majors and are a great way to demonstrate your abilities to prospective employers. To add one of these certificates to your degree, you'll need to complete the CSUF form to add a certificate.
Click here for information about the certificate in Geographic Information Systems (GIS).
Click here for information about the certificate in Geospatial Technologies.
In addition to great curriculum and outstanding faculty, we offer many opportunities for the academic, professional, and personal development of our students:
The major and minor prepare students for a variety of career areas, including sustainability, environmental assessment and monitoring, urban planning, and international relations.
The department offers several annual awards & scholarships.
Departmental facilities include state-of-the art teaching and research labs.
The Geography Club, our student organization, allows actively involved students to create a sense of community by engaging in fun extra-curricular activities.
For students considering post-baccalaureate studies, the department also offers a graduate degree in geography. There is no requirement to take the GRE, and the program consists of only 30 units of study. Contact Dr. Jonathan Taylor (jstaylor@fullerton.edu) for more information.
...about the Department of Geography & the Environment, careers and internships in Geography, or to clarify any of the information listed above, please contact Dr. Zia Salim (zsalim@fullerton.edu).
"My degree provided me with a place to grow and the educational means needed to successfully navigate the modern job market." - Adam Aaron
“A few introductory courses in Geography allowed me to see the interconnectedness of all of the world’s systems through key geographical principles. Coursework that examined these global systems, and the collaborative spirit of my fellow students made me fall in love with the discipline.” - Tamara Wallace