Careers in Geography

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Careers in Geography

• What do geographers study?
• What tools do geographers use?
• What skills does geography provide?
• Who should consider geography?
• What opportunities are out there for students?

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Some Myths About Geography
MYTH 1 Geography is nothing but a form of
Trivial Pursuit, because Geographers spend much
of their time memorizing relatively pointless
facts about the world.
What is the capital of New Jersey?
What is the longest river in the world?
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MYTH 2 Aside from trying to be experts at
Trivial Pursuit, making maps is the ultimate goal
of geographers - the prettier, the better.
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MYTH 3 Physical Geography is a Rocks for
Jocks course.
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The Reality
Geographers attempt to understand the physical
world, . . .
Salinization of agricultural land in southern
Arizona
. . . Its human interactions, and environmental
issues!
A flooded cemetery in New Orleans after Hurricane
Katrina.
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Earth and Its People
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Conservation of Resources
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City and Regional Planning
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The Physical World
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Climate Change
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Environmental Hazards
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Environmental Preservations
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Geography is a spatial discipline that uses the
scientific method to understand the world.
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The worlds population has surpassed 6 billion,
and an additional 3 billion people may be added
during the next 40 years!
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With increased population, we face numerous
demands and problems at local, regional, and
global scales

• Economics
• Resources
• Infrastructure
• Environmental
• Energy
• Food
• Disease

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Geographic Tools

• Maps
• Imagery
• Global Positioning System
• Geographic Information Systems
• Field Survey Techniques

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Maps are the tools of the trade. They help
geographers perceive spatial relationships and
the spatial interactions that must be understood
to solve problems.
Maps
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Maps
Maps and a knowledge of facts, form the basis of
inquiry no the final goal. The goal is to
acquire knowledge and apply it to the solution of
real-world problems.
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IKONOS 4 METER IMAGE SABINE PASS AFTER HURRICANE
RITA
Imagery Remote Sensing
DUST STORM OVER THE ARAL SEA
THERMAL INFRA-RED IMAGE CAMP VICTORY, IRAQ
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GPS provides specially coded satellite signals
that can be processed in a GPS receiver, enabling
the receiver to determine precise position,
elevation, velocity and time.
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• Collection of geo-coded, digital data
• Storage of digital data
• Stored in thematic layers
• Digital analysis of geo-coded data
• Permits simulation and prediction

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field research techniques
ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
COMPUTER SKILLS IN GIS
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Geography also provides . . .
A broad base of knowledge and global perspective
of important human, environmental, political, and
economic issues.
A firm grounding in professional and graduate
studies.
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Who should consider being a geographer
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Student Opportunities

• Professional Societies
• Association of American Geographers
• Pennsylvania Geographical Society
• Honorary Societies
• Gamma Theta Upsilon
• Internships
• Undergraduate Research Projects
• Field Trips
• Attendance at Professional Conferences
• Middle States Division of the AAG

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Sample Job Titles

• Aerial Photo Interpreter
• Air Pollution Specialist
• Air Quality Analyst
• Appraiser Real Estate Corp.
• Budget Planning and Policy Manger
• Business Analyst
• Cartographer
• Climatologist
• Community Development Analyst
• Computer Mapping Specialist

• Conservations Coordinator
• Coastal Scientist
• Data Analyst (Insurance)
• Demographer
• Ecologist
• Economic Development Analyst
• Economist
• Energy Analyst
• Environmental Manager
• Environmental Planner
• Environmental Scientist

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Sample Job Titles

• Geography Education Specialist
• Geomorphologist
• Geopolitical Specialist
• GIS Analyst
• GIS Coordinator
• GIS Program Manger
• Glacial Geologist
• Hydrologist
• Insurance Analyst
• Intelligence Officer
• Land Scientist

• Land Use Planner
• Location Analyst
• Map Analyst
• Map Librarian
• Map Curator
• Mapping Designer (Corporate)
• Mapping Specialist (Land Devel.)
• Market Analyst
• Meteorologist
• Microcomputer Specialist
• Paleontologist

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Sample Job Titles

• Physical Scientist
• Planner
• Pollution Analyst
• Pollution Control Specialist
• Principal Scientist (Corporate)
• Project Planner (Corporate)
• Park Ranger
• Real Estate Planner
• Real Estate Research Analyst
• Redevelopment Coordinator
• Regional Environmentalist

• Regional Planner
• Remote Sensing Specialist
• Resource Economist
• Risk Analyst
• Site Researcher
• Soil Scientist
• Teacher
• Tourism Director
• Traffic Management Specialist
• Transportation Planner
• Water Conservation Planner

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Sample Job Titles

• Water Resource Specialist
• Wetlands Conservation
• Zoning Administrator

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The Department of Geography and the
Environment Villanova University

• Five Programs
• Human Geography (B.A.)
• Environmental Studies (B.A.)
• Environmental Science (B.S.)
• Minor in Geography
• Environmental Concentration

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The Department of Geography and the
Environment Villanova University
GEO 3500 - North America GEO 3600 - Europe GEO
3700 - Africa GEO 3800 - Islamic World GEO 3900 -
Geography of Asia GEO 4050 - Air Photo
Interpretation GEO 4101 - Geographic Info
Systems GEO 4250 - Remote Sensing GEO 4300 -
Advanced Cartography GEO 5100 - Resource
Management Conservation GEO 5200 - Geo of Land
Use Management GEO 5300 - Disasters Nat
Hazards GEO 6000 - Geography Seminar GEO 6001 -
Seminar Geographic Education GEO 6100 - Geography
Seminar GEO 6200 - Independent Study
COURSES
ENV 1051 - Environmental Science II ENV 4000 -
Seminar Environmental Issues GEO 1001 -
International Approaches Geography GEO 1500 -
Physical Geography GEO 1700 Geo-Techniques GEO
1903 - Internship Elective GEO 1906 - Internship
Elective GEO 1909 - Internship Elective GEO 2000
- Political Geography GEO 2100 - Economic
Geography GEO 2200 - Urban Geography GEO 2300 -
Population Geography GEO 2500 - Global change in
Local Places GEO 2993 - Internship GEO 2996 -
Internship
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http//www.villanova.edu/artsci/geoenv/