Geography

This emphasis focuses on earth systems, its processes and the impacts of these processes on the environment.  Recent and future changes in the earth's climate represent one of the greatest challenges for modern society, and courses in this emphasis cover the climate system, climate change and impacts of climate change on the environment and society.

This emphasis focuses on population growth, urban systems and sustainable development. The United Nations has projected that by 2050 the world's population will be 9.7 billion. Due to employment and access to social resources, including medical assistance and educational opportunities, much of this population growth will occur in urban areas. These urban areas vary in their stages of development and environmental impacts, threaten to decrease the livability of already established urban areas. A lack of sustainable development in the future will lead to further poverty, disease, and death.

Students can choose electives that allow them to specialize in either urban or sustainable development areas. The courses in this emphasis cover concerns of population growth: cities, transportation, politics, health, energy, environment, and economics. Upon completion, students will understand today's major issues with population growth, urbanization and sustainability globally and best practices to alleviate much of the burden of future growth.

Remote sensing relies on measurements of electromagnetic radiation to monitor the earth and its environmental systems using satellites, aircraft, sensor networks and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV's). This emphasis allows students to get in-depth knowledge on how remote sensing data are collected, processed, and used for a multitude of applications. Remote sensing skills are increasingly sought after in a variety of disciplines, and by many employers in environmental and intelligence fields.