As a University of Mary Washington geography major, you’ll take classes in cultural, political, economic, and physical aspects of places around the globe. You’ll learn how humans interact with their environments, both human-made and natural, and you’ll have opportunities to broaden your life experience by studying abroad. Thanks to UMW’s strong liberal arts program and interdisciplinary approach, you’ll gain communication and technical skills that will enhance your career — and your whole life.
Degree Awarded
Students majoring in Geography who complete all requirements earn the degree of Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Geography.
Areas of Study
The geography major has three areas of emphasis:
- Globalization: A focus on the geographies of globalization and its political, cultural, and economic dimensions.
- Community, Development, and Culture: A focus on how people living in specific places and regions experience and affect social, cultural, economic, and environmental processes.
- Nature and Society: A focus on the climatologic, geomorphic, biogeographic, and social processes that shape the natural environment and affect human life.
Internships
University of Mary Washington’s proximity to Washington, D.C., gives students access to the greatest concentration of geography-related work sites in the United States. UMW students have held internships with federal agencies, local governments, private industry, and nonprofit organizations.
Honors
To graduate with departmental honors, you must be a declared geography major by the beginning of your senior year. You must have a grade-point average of 3.5 in major courses and a 3.0 grade point average overall at the beginning of the second semester of your senior year. In consultation with an advisor, you’ll propose, research, and write a thesis. You’ll defend it before a committee, which determines whether it merits departmental honors.
Requirements
At least 35 credits including required introductory and intermediate classes; methods; and upper-level electives. Study abroad may fulfill some requirements.
Scholarships
The Geography Alumni Scholarship is granted to a rising junior or senior geography major who demonstrates excellence and a commitment to the discipline.