Geography: Physical & Social Sciences, B.A.

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Minimum Total Credit Hours: 120

Minimum Upper-Division Hours: 40


Overall GPA - Combined and OU: 2.25

Major GPA - Combined and OU: 2.25

Program Code: B460 P506

Major Requirements

  • Courses required for the major may also fulfill University-Wide General Education Requirements.
Geography Core
GEOG 1113The Language of Maps3
or GIS 2023 Introduction to Spatial Thinking and Computer Mapping
GEOG 3213Principles of Human Geography3
GEOG 3773Geography of the United States3
GIS 4133Fundamentals of Remote Sensing3
or GIS 4013 Fundamentals of Geographic Information Systems
GEOG 4893Research Methods and Professional Development3
GEOG 4953Capstone3
Physical & Social Sciences Concentration
GEOG 3023Principles of Physical Geography3
GEOG 3243Principles of Economic Geography3
GEOG 3924Quantitative Methods4
Choose one of the following:3
GEOG 3223
Geography of Asia
The Geography of Africa
Choose two Geography electives6
Total Credit Hours37

Major Support Requirements

  • Courses required for major support may not also fulfill University-Wide General Education Requirements.
Choose 21 hours of advisor-approved coursework relevant to the student’s field(s) of study21
Total Credit Hours21

General Education and College Requirements

Courses for fulfillment of General Education and college requirements must be from the approved General Education course lists at http://www.ou.edu/content/gened/courses.htmlCourses graded P/NP will not apply. 

UNIVERSITY-WIDE GENERAL EDUCATION (MINIMUM 40 HOURS) AND COLLEGE REQUIREMENTS

At least three hours of Upper-Division General Education coursework must be completed outside the major.

Core Area I: Symbolic and Oral Communication
English Composition (6 hours)
ENGL 1113Principles of English Composition3
ENGL 1213Principles of English Composition3
or EXPO 1213 Expository Writing
Language (0-10 hours)
(0-10 hours) Students who have not completed two years of the same language in high school are required to take two college courses in the same language
Beginning Course0-5
Beginning Course, continued0-5
Mathematics (3 hours)
Choose one course from the General Education Mathematics list3
Core Area II: Natural Science (7 hours, 2 courses)
Choose two courses including one laboratory component7
Core Area III: Social Science (6 hours)
P SC 1113American Federal Government3
Choose one course from the General Education Social Science list3
Core Area IV: Arts and Humanities
Artistic Forms (3 hours)
Choose one course from the General Education Artistic Forms list3
Western Culture (3 hours)
HIST 1483United States to 18653
or HIST 1493 United States, 1865 to the Present
Choose one course from the General Education Western Culture list (excluding HIST 1483 & 1493)3
World Culture (3 hours)
Choose one course from the General Education World Culture list3
Core Area V: First Year Experience (3 hours)
Choose one course3
Total Credit Hours37-47

ADDITIONAL COLLEGE B.A. REQUIREMENTS

Humanities and Social Science Electives (3 hours must be Upper-Division)
Choose one course from Arts & Humanities Gen Ed lists3
Choose one course from the Social Science Gen Ed list3
Natural Science Elective
Choose one Gen Ed-approved course with or without a laboratory component3-4
Language
Choose one course at the intermediate level 23
Total Credit Hours12-13
1

If the student successfully places beyond the second intermediate course, the 13 hours of required language will become free electives. 

Free Electives

Electives to bring total applicable hours to the minimum total required for the degree.

Information Concerning General Rules, Regulations and Minimum Requirements for Undergraduate Degrees

Total Hours: A minimum of 120 semester hours acceptable toward graduation must be completed.
Upper-Division Hours: A minimum of 40 upper- division semester hours acceptable toward graduation must be completed. OU courses numbered 3000 or above are upper- division. Transfer work is counted as lower-division or upper-division credit depending on the level at which it was offered at the institution where it was earned. Two-year college work is accepted only as lower-division credit.
Senior Institution Hours: A minimum of 60 semester hours applied toward graduation must be earned at senior (4-year) institutions.
Residency:

  • A minimum of two semesters must be spent in residence in the College of Atmospheric and Geographic Sciences.
  • At least 36 of the last 48 hours must be completed in residence at OU.

Individual Studies: No more than six hours of independent study or directed readings may be applied toward degree requirements.
Grade Point Averages: Students must earn a minimum overall 2.25 for each of the following: Combined Retention GPA (all college grades), OU Retention GPA, GPA for all major courses, and GPA for all major courses taken at OU.

Suggested Semester Plan of Study

This plan shows one possible grouping of courses that would allow students to graduate in four years. Please refer to the front of the degree checksheet for official requirements. Students must consult with College of Atmospheric and Geographic Sciences and/or Department of Geography and Environmental Sustainability academic advisors to verify that courses selected each semester fulfill the recommended plan and satisfy university, College of Atmospheric & Geographic Sciences, and Geography major requirements.

Plan of Study Grid
Freshman
First SemesterCredit Hours
ENGL 1113 Principles of English Composition (Core I) 3
General Education Social Science (Core III) 1 3
General Education Math (Core I) 1 3
Beginning Language (Core I) 5
 Credit Hours14
Second Semester
ENGL 1213
Principles of English Composition (Core I)
or Expository Writing
3
P SC 1113 American Federal Government (Core III) 3
First Year Experience (Core V) 3
Beginning Language continued (Core I) 5
 Credit Hours14
Sophomore
First Semester
GEOG 1113
The Language of Maps
or Introduction to Spatial Thinking and Computer Mapping
3
HIST 1483
United States to 1865 (Core IV)
or United States, 1865 to the Present
3
College Elective - Intermediate Language 2 3
General Education Artistic Forms (Core IV) 1 3
General Education Arts & Humanities elective 1 3
 Credit Hours15
Second Semester
GEOG 3023 Principles of Physical Geography 3
General Education Western Culture (Core IV) 1 3
General Education World Culture (Core IV) 1 3
General Education Social Science elective 1 3
General Education Natural Science with lab (Core II) 1 4-5
 Credit Hours16
Junior
First Semester
GEOG 3213 Principles of Human Geography 3
GEOG 3924 Quantitative Methods 4
GIS 4013
Fundamentals of Geographic Information Systems
or Fundamentals of Remote Sensing
3
Natural Science Elective 1 4
General Education Natural Science Elective (Core II) 1 3-4
 Credit Hours18
Second Semester
GEOG 3243 Principles of Economic Geography 3
GEOG 3773 Geography of the United States 3
GEOG Elective 3
College Elective 2 3
College Elective 2 3
 Credit Hours15
Senior
First Semester
GEOG 4893 Research Methods and Professional Development 3
GEOG Regional Geography Course 3
GEOG Elective 3
College Elective 2 3
College Elective 2 3
 Credit Hours15
Second Semester
GEOG 4953 Capstone 3
College Elective 2 3
College Elective 2 3
College Elective 2 3
Free Elective 1
 Credit Hours13
 Total Credit Hours120
1

To be chosen from the University-Wide General Education Approved Course List. Three hours of general education must be upper-division outside the major. At least one General Education approved math course must be completed. 

2

Twenty-seven hours of advisor-approved coursework relevant to the student’s field(s) of study. These 27 hours are to be outside the student's major School or Department, and must include an intermediate-level foreign language course, or the student must demonstrate competency at the intermediate level.

Note: No more than 52 hours of Geography coursework may be taken to fulfill the 120 minimum total credit hours required.