To help guide students in selecting courses and thinking about career pathways, GES offers the following optional streams. If you are a GES major and interested in taking one of these streams, please consult with your advisor who can help you choose courses that fit your goals and ensure that you complete all prerequisites for upper-level courses. Courses offered infrequently are designated with an asterisk (*).
B.A. Streams
Geography & Environmental Studies
Both B.A. or B.S. streams
Bridging the two degrees
B.S. streams
Environmental Science & Geography
Conservation and Environmental Management stream
How can humans live sustainably in the world? How can habitats be protected for future generations? How do we choose which species and habitats to protect and what are the choices that need to be made? The Conservation and Environmental Management stream helps prepare students for careers in fields such as conservation science, sustainability, environmental management, wildlife biology, and urban planning.
Students pursuing this stream must take GES 120 Environmental Science and Conservation and GES 110 Physical Geography, and may take GES 102 Introduction to Human Geography as a prerequisite for upper-level courses. They must also complete an introductory Biology class in order to take GES 308 Ecology.
Some Special Topics courses (GES 302 or 400) may count for this stream. Please consult with your advisor for further details.
Courses for Conservation and Environmental Management stream
Foundational Courses
- GES 308 – Ecology
- GES 337 – Natural Resource Management
- GES 302 – Conservation for the 21st Century
or
- GES 307 – Conservation Biology
Depth Courses: Electives
Human Geography/Environmental Studies courses. B.A. majors should take at least three; B.S. majors should take at least two.
- GES 326 – Conservation Thought
- GES 328 – Environmental Policy
- GES 338 – Chesapeake Bay: Changing Management and Policy*
- GES 428 – Scientific Practice and Environmental Policy*
- GES 433 – Sustainability, Land Use, and Natural Resources
- GES 436 – Global Environmental Change
- GES 437 – Conservation & Development in the Tropics*
- GES 462 – Applications of GIS in Human-Environment Systems
Environmental Science/Physical Geography courses. B.A. majors should take at least two; B.S. majors should take at least three.
- GES 302 – Urban Ecosystems
- GES 305 – Landscape Ecology
- GES 318 – Natural Environment of the Chesapeake Bay*
- GES 319 – Watershed Science and Management
- GES 400 – Wildlife Field Techniques
- GES 400 – Public Science
- GES 404 – Forest Ecology
- GES 405 – Applied Landscape Ecology
- GES 406 – Aquatic Ecology
- GES 411 – Fluvial Geomorphology
- GES 413 – Seminar in Biogeography
- GES 419 – Watershed Analysis and Modeling
Students completing this stream are encouraged to take additional non-major elective courses in these departments:
- ECON 437 – Economics of Natural Resources
- ECON 439 – Environmental Economics
- POLI 449 – The Politics of Environmental Policy
Urban Systems stream
How do social and environmental systems shape one another in cities? How do we support urban policies and infrastructure that are environmentally sustainable and socially equitable? This stream is designed to help students bridge the social and natural sciences to develop skills and knowledge for addressing environmental and social challenges in urban settings. The Urban Systems stream helps prepare students for careers in fields such as city planning, urban sustainability, urban environmental management, and urban environmental science.
Not all courses required for the majors are listed; please see major checklists and consult with an advisor for full list of requirements.
Students pursuing this stream must take GES 110 Physical Geography and may take either GES 102 Introduction to Human Geography or GES 120 Environmental Science and Conservation as a prerequisite for upper-level courses.
The GES 286-386 sequence is required of all students in the GES major, but for this stream, it is highly recommended that students complete this sequence by the end of the second year. Transfer students should begin this sequence immediately upon joining the major.
Some Special Topics courses (GES 302 or 400) may count for this stream. Please consult with your advisor for further details and for approval to include these courses in this stream.
Courses for Urban Systems stream
Foundational Courses
- GES 302 – Urban Ecosystems
- GES 341 – Urban Geography
Depth Courses: Electives
Human Geography/Environmental Studies courses. B.A. majors should take at least three; B.S. majors should take at least two.
- GES 330 – Economic Geography
- GES 337 – Natural Resource Management
- GES 400 – Food in the Racialized City
- GES 400 – Geographies of Migration
- GES 400 – Qualitative Methods
- GES 400 – Black Geographies
- GES 424 – Environmental Justice
- GES 428 – Scientific Practice and Environmental Policy
- GES 429 – Seminar in Geography of Disease and Health
- GES 433 – Sustainable Development of Landscapes
- GES 440 – Global Poverty and Development
- GES 443 – Urbanization and Development in a Global Context
- GES 462 – GIS and Human-Environmental Systems
Environmental Science/Physical Geography courses. B.A. majors should take at least two; B.S. majors should take at least three.
- GES 305 – Landscape Ecology
- GES 308 – Ecology
- GES 310 – Geomorphology
- GES 312 – Natural Hazards
- GES 319 – Watershed Science and Management
- GES 400 – Watershed Biogeochemistry
- GES 400 – Public Science
- GES 416 – Hydrology
- GES 417 – Wildlife Field Techniques
Global Sustainability stream
How do societies and nature connect at a global scale? How does globalization shape human and non-human life, livelihoods, and landscapes? This stream is designed to help students bridge the social and natural sciences to develop skills and knowledge for addressing international environmental and social challenges. The Global Sustainability stream helps prepare students for careers in fields such as international environmental policy and management, environmental diplomacy, international social and conservation advocacy, sustainability science, disaster preparedness, and relief.
Not all courses required for the majors are listed; please see major checklists and consult with an advisor for full list of requirements.
Students pursuing this stream must take GES 110 Physical Geography and may take either GES 102 Introduction to Human Geography or GES 120 Environmental Science and Conservation as a prerequisite for upper-level courses.
Some Special Topics courses (GES 302 or 400) may count for this stream. Please consult with your advisor for further details and for approval to include these courses in this stream.
Courses for Global Sustainability stream
Foundational Courses
- GES 302 – Conservation for the 21st Century
- GES 312 – Natural Hazards
- GES 337 – Natural Resource Management
Depth Courses: Electives
Human Geography/Environmental Studies courses. B.A. majors should take at least three; B.S. majors should take at least two.
- GES 328 – Environmental Policy
- GES 329 – Geographies of Health and Disease
- GES 330 – Economic Geography
- GES 400 – Geographies of Migration
- GES 400 – Black Geographies
- GES 400 – Qualitative Methods
- GES 428 – Scientific practice and environmental policy
- GES 433 – Sustainability, Land use, and Natural Resources
- GES 436 – Global Environmental Change
- GES 437 – Conservation & Development in the Tropics
- GES 440 – Global poverty and inequality
- GES 443 – Urbanization and Development in a Global Context
- GES 462 – Applications of GIS in Human-Environment Systems
Environmental Science/Physical Geography courses. B.A. majors should take at least two; B.S. majors should take at least three.
- GES 302 – Urban Ecosystems
- GES 305 – Landscape Ecology
- GES 307 – Conservation Biology
- GES 311 – Weather and Climate
- GES 319 – Watershed Science and Management
- GES 400 – Severe Storms
- GES 405 – Applied Landscape Ecology
- GES 413 – Seminar in Biogeography
- GES 415 – Climate Change
- GES 416 – Hydrology
Students completing this stream are encouraged to take additional non-major elective courses in these departments:
- EHS 320 – Disaster Management
- POLI 387 – Political Economy: A Primer
- GLBL 386 – The Politics of Development
- GWST 340 – Women, Gender, and Globalization
- ANTH 382 – The Anthropology of Globalization
Cities, Economies, and Development stream
How do cities and economic systems develop? How do diverse people, communities, and institutions exercise power through urban space, economies, and processes of social change? What makes a just city and a just economy? This stream helps prepare students for career paths in fields such as: urban and regional planning; community and international development; social justice advocacy; research and data analysis; marketing.
Not all courses required for the majors are listed; please see major checklists and consult with an advisor for full list of requirements.
Some Special Topics courses (GES 302 or 400) may count for this stream. Please consult with your advisor for further details.
Students should take GES 102 Introduction to Human Geography as a prerequisite for upper-level courses.
Courses for Cities, Economies, and Development stream
Foundational Courses
- GES 330 – Economic Geography
- GES 341 – Urban Geography
Depth Courses: Electives
- GES 302 – Conservation for the 21st Century
- GES 302 – Urban Ecosystems (counts as environmental science)
- GES 312 – Natural Hazards (counts as environmental science)
- GES 329 – Geography of Health and Disease
- GES 400 – Geographies of Migration
- GES 400 – Food in the Racialized City
- GES 400 – Black Geographies
- GES 400 – Qualitative Methods
- GES 400 – Public Science (counts as environmental science)
- GES 424 – Environmental Justice
- GES 429 – Seminar in Geography of Health and Disease
- GES 437 – Conservation and Development in the Tropics
- GES 440 – Global Poverty and Inequality
- GES 443 – Urbanization and Development in a Global Context
- GES 462 – GIS and Human-Environment System
Students completing this stream are encouraged to take additional non-major elective courses in these programs: Global studies, Modern Languages, Linguistics, and Intercultural Communication, Sociology, Anthropology, and Health Administration and Policy.
Environment, Society, and Health stream
How do people, society, and nature shape one another, from the scale of the body to the scale of the globe? How can societies develop environmental policies and relationships that are just and sustain well-being for all life on the planet? This stream prepares students for career paths in fields such as: environmental policy and planning; environmental education; environmental advocacy; conservation and environmental management; environmental or public health; disaster preparedness and relief.
Not all courses required for the majors are listed; please see major checklists and consult with an advisor for full list of requirements.
Some Special Topics courses (GES 302 or 400) may count for this stream. Please consult with your advisor for further details.
Students may take either GES 102 Introduction to Human Geography or GES 120 Environmental Science and Conservation as a prerequisite for upper-level courses.
Courses for Environment, Society, and Health stream
Foundational Courses
- GES 328 Environmental policy
- GES 329 Geography of health and disease
- GES 337 Natural resource management
Depth Courses: Electives
- GES 302 Urban Ecosystems (counts as environmental science)
- GES 302 Conservation for the 21st Century
- GES 305 Landscape Ecology (counts as environmental science)
- GES 312 Natural hazards (counts as environmental science)
- GES 326 American conservation thought
- GES 330 Economic Geography
- GES 341 Urban Geography
- GES 400 Public Science (counts as environmental science)
- GES 400 Food in the Racialized City
- GES 400 Geographies of Migration
- GES 400 Black Geographies
- GES 400 Qualitative Methods
- GES 424 Environmental justice
- GES 428 Scientific practice and environmental policy
- GES 429 Seminar in geography of health and disease
- GES 433 Sustainability, land use, and natural resources
- GES 436 Global Environmental Change
- GES 437 Conservation and development in the tropics
- GES 440 Global poverty and development
- GES 443 Urbanization and Development in a Global Context
- GES 462 GIS and human-environmental systems
Students completing this stream are encouraged to take additional non-major elective courses in these departments: Political Science, American Studies, Emergency Health Services, Sociology, Anthropology, and Health Administration and Policy
Watershed Science stream
What is a watershed? How does the movement of water shape the environment? Watershed science is the study of human activities and how they affect freshwater/estuarine ecosystems. This stream is designed to help students develop skills and knowledge in understanding how the movement of water and what it may carry shapes the environment. The Watershed Science stream helps prepare students for careers in fields such as environmental or resource management, hydrology, environmental restoration, or fluvial geomorphology.
The GES 286-386 sequence is required of all students in the GES major, but for this stream it is highly recommended that students complete this sequence by the end of the second year. Transfer students should begin this sequence immediately upon joining the major.
Some Special Topics courses (GES 302 or 400) may count for this stream. Please consult with your advisor for further details.
Students pursuing this stream must take must take GES 110 Physical Geography and GES 120 Environmental Science and Conservation, and may take GES 102 Introduction to Human Geography as a prerequisite for upper-level courses.
Courses for Watershed Science stream
Foundational Courses
- GES 319 Watershed Science & Management
- GES 310 Geomorphology
Depth Courses: Electives
- GES 302 Urban Ecosystems
- GES 305 Landscape Ecology
- GES 311 Weather & Climate
- GES 317 Water Quality*
- GES 333 Water Resources*
- GES 337 Natural Resource Management
- GES 400 Watershed Biogeochemistry
- GES 406 Aquatic Ecology
- GES 411 Fluvial Geomorphology
- GES 414 Severe Storms
- GES 416 Hydrology
- GES 419 Watershed Analysis & Modeling
- GES 428 Scientific Practice and Environmental Policy
Students completing this stream are encouraged to take additional non major electives in these departments
- CBEE Groundwater Modeling
- CBEE Water Quality
- CHEM Aquatic Chemistry
*These courses are offered infrequently
Ecology and Conservation stream
What is ecology? How do we know which species or communities to focus on for conservation and what is the best way to ensure species success? This stream is designed to help students develop skills and knowledge in population ecology, community ecology and conservation biology. The Ecology and Conservation stream helps prepare students for careers in fields such as ecological consulting, conservation, natural resource management and wildlife management.
Students pursuing this stream must take must take GES 110 Physical Geography and GES 120 Environmental Science and Conservation, and may take GES 102 Introduction to Human Geography as a prerequisite for upper-level courses.
Some Special Topics courses (GES 302 or 400) may count for this stream. Please consult with your advisor for further details and for approval to include these courses in this stream.
Courses for Ecology and Conservation stream
Foundational Courses
- GES 302 Conservation for the 21st Century
- GES 307 Conservation Biology or GES 337 Natural Resource Management
Depth courses: Electives
- GES 302 Urban Ecosystems
- GES 305 Landscape Ecology
- GES 318 Natural Environment of the Chesapeake Bay*
- GES 319 Watershed Science and Management
- GES 337 Natural Resource Management
- GES 328 Environmental Policy
- GES 338 Chesapeake Bay: Changing Management and Policy*
- GES 326 American Conservation Thought
- GES 400 Watershed Biogeochemistry
- GES 400 Wildlife Field Techniques
- GES 404 Forest Ecology
- GES 405 Applied Landscape Ecology
- GES 406 Aquatic Ecology
- GES 411 Fluvial Geomorphology
- GES 413 Seminar in Biogeography
- GES 419 Watershed Analysis and Modeling
- GES 433 Sustainability, Land use, and Natural Resources
- GES 437 Conservation and Development in the Tropics
- GES 462 GIS and Human Environmental Systems
- BIOL 483 Genes to Genomes
- GES 436 Global Environmental Change
Earth and Atmospheric Science stream
What are the forces and process that govern the cycling of Earth’s matter, flow of energy, and evolution of the Earth? How do the various spheres of the Earth (hydrosphere, biosphere, atmosphere, lithosphere) interact, and how are these processes affected by human activity? This stream is designed to help students develop skills and knowledge to understand the interrelated physical, biological and chemical processes of the Earth. The Earth and Atmospheric Science stream helps prepare students for careers in fields such as meteorology, geology, natural hazards, air quality, remote sensing, the energy sector, water resources management, and climate change science.
The GES 286-386 sequence is required of all students in the GES major, but for this stream it is highly recommended that students complete this sequence by the end of the second year. Transfer students should begin this sequence immediately upon joining the major.
Some Special Topics courses (GES 302 or 400) may count for this stream. Please consult with your advisor for further details.
Students pursuing this stream must take must take GES 110 Physical Geography and may take either GES 102 Introduction to Human Geography or GES 120 Environmental Science and Conservation as a prerequisite for upper-level courses.
Courses for Earth and Atmospheric Science stream
Foundational Courses
- GES 310 Geomorphology
- GES 311 Weather and Climate
Either GES311 or GES310 is required for the environmental science major; for this stream BOTH must be taken.
Depth Courses: Electives
- GES 312 Natural Hazards
- GES 302 Oceanography*
- GES 302 Earth Systems Science*
- GES 302 Arctic Geography*
- GES 302 Air Quality*
- GES 317 Water Quality*
- GES 381 Remote Sensing
- GES 400 Watershed Biogeochemistry
- GES 400 Earth’s Cryosphere*
- GES 411 Fluvial Morphology*
- GES 414 Severe Storms and Societal Impacts
- GES 415 Climate Change
- GES 416 Hydrology*
- GES 419 Watershed Modeling and Analysis
- GES 481 Digital Image Processing for Environmental Applications*
- GES 488 Spatial Data Analysis and GIS Applications
Students completing this stream are encouraged to take additional non-major courses in these departments.
- CBEE Groundwater Modeling
- CBEE Water Quality
- CHEM Aquatic Chemistry
- ENCE 621 Groundwater Hydrology
- ENCH 410 Environmental Chemistry
- ENCH 474 Air Pollution
- ENCH 476 Environmental Risk Assessment and Remediation
- PHYS 335 Physics and Chemistry of the Atmosphere
*These courses are offered infrequently