Geography: Physical & Social Sciences, B.A.
View ChecksheetMinimum 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.
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Geography Core | ||
| GEOG 1113 | The Language of Maps | 3 |
| or GIS 2023 | Introduction to Spatial Thinking and Computer Mapping | |
| GEOG 3213 | Principles of Human Geography | 3 |
| GEOG 3773 | Geography of the United States | 3 |
| GIS 4133 | Fundamentals of Remote Sensing | 3 |
| or GIS 4013 | Fundamentals of Geographic Information Systems | |
| GEOG 4893 | Research and Professional Development | 3 |
| GEOG 4953 | Capstone | 3 |
| Physical & Social Sciences Concentration | ||
| GEOG 3023 | Principles of Physical Geography | 3 |
| GEOG 3243 | Principles of Economic Geography | 3 |
| GEOG 3924 | 4 | |
| Choose one of the following: | 3 | |
GEOG 3223 | ||
GEOG 4243 | ||
GEOG 4853 | ||
| Choose two Geography electives | 6 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 37 | |
Major Support Requirements
- Courses required for major support may not also fulfill University-Wide General Education Requirements.
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Choose 21 hours of advisor-approved coursework relevant to the student’s field(s) of study | 21 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 21 | |
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.html. Courses 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.
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Core Area I: Symbolic and Oral Communication | ||
| English Composition (6 hours) | ||
| ENGL 1113 | Principles of English Composition | 3 |
| ENGL 1213 | Principles of English Composition | 3 |
| 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 Course | 0-5 | |
| Beginning Course, continued | 0-5 | |
| Mathematics (3 hours) | ||
| Choose one course from the General Education Mathematics list | 3 | |
| Core Area II: Natural Science (7 hours, 2 courses) | ||
| Choose two courses including one laboratory component | 7 | |
| Core Area III: Social Science (6 hours) | ||
| P SC 1113 | American Federal Government | 3 |
| Choose one course from the General Education Social Science list | 3 | |
| Core Area IV: Arts and Humanities | ||
| Artistic Forms (3 hours) | ||
| Choose one course from the General Education Artistic Forms list | 3 | |
| Western Culture (3 hours) | ||
| HIST 1483 | United States to 1865 | 3 |
| 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 list | 3 | |
| Core Area V: First Year Experience (3 hours) | ||
| Choose one course | 3 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 37-47 | |
ADDITIONAL COLLEGE B.A. REQUIREMENTS
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Humanities and Social Science Electives (3 hours must be Upper-Division) | ||
| Choose one course from Arts & Humanities Gen Ed lists | 3 | |
| Choose one course from the Social Science Gen Ed list | 3 | |
| Natural Science Elective | ||
| Choose one Gen Ed-approved course with or without a laboratory component | 3-4 | |
| Language | ||
| Choose one course at the intermediate level 2 | 3 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 12-13 | |
- 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.
| Freshman | ||
|---|---|---|
| First Semester | Credit 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 Hours | 14 | |
| Second Semester | ||
| ENGL 1213 or EXPO 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 Hours | 14 | |
| Sophomore | ||
| First Semester | ||
| GEOG 1113 or GIS 2023 | The Language of Maps or Introduction to Spatial Thinking and Computer Mapping | 3 |
| HIST 1483 or HIST 1493 | 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 Hours | 15 | |
| 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 Hours | 16 | |
| Junior | ||
| First Semester | ||
| GEOG 3213 | Principles of Human Geography | 3 |
| GEOG 3924 | 4 | |
| GIS 4013 or GIS 4133 | 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 Hours | 18 | |
| 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 Hours | 15 | |
| Senior | ||
| First Semester | ||
| GEOG 4893 | Research and Professional Development | 3 |
| GEOG Regional Geography Course | 3 | |
| GEOG Elective | 3 | |
| College Elective 2 | 3 | |
| College Elective 2 | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Second Semester | ||
| GEOG 4953 | Capstone | 3 |
| College Elective 2 | 3 | |
| College Elective 2 | 3 | |
| College Elective 2 | 3 | |
| Free Elective | 1 | |
| Credit Hours | 13 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 120 | |
- 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.