Geography – Minor curriculum

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Geography minor requirements

Geography offers students, professionals and the general public analytical, qualitative and quantitative, graphical and historical-based tools for understanding relationships between Earth and people.

The online geography minor requires 14 credits of core courses and at least 13 credits of specialty courses to meet the requirement of 27 credits, at least 12 of which must be at the upper-division level.

Core requirements (14 credits)

Introductory course in Human Geography (3). Choose one of the following:
GEO 105: *Geography of the Non-Western World (3) 
GEO 106: *Geography of the Western World (3)

Introductory course in Physical Geography (4). Choose one of the following:
GEO 101: *The Solid Earth (4) 
GEO 102: *The Surface of the Earth (4)
GEO/OC 103: *Exploring the Deep: Geography of the World's Oceans (4)

Other core requirements (7):
GEO 300: *Sustainability for the Common Good (3)
GEO 301: Map and Image Interpretation (4)

Specialty Requirements (13)

Students can choose their 13 credits of specialization courses from those within one of the suggested focus areas below, or take any of combination of the courses listed here to meet their specific goals. The lists below are suggested topic areas that students may choose as part of the specialty requirements. Other combinations are possible; the program requirements have been met as long as at least 13 credits have been selected from the list of approved courses below.

Regional Geography
GEO 105: *Geography of the Non-Western World (3) 
OR GEO 106: *Geography of the Western World (3)  (whichever not taken as part of the core requirements)
GEO 326: *Geography of Europe (3)
GEO 327: *Geography of Asia (3)
GEO 329: *Geography of U.S. and Canada (3)
GEO 350: *Population Geography (3)

Earth Processes and Hazards
GEO 101: *The Solid Earth (4) 
OR GEO 102: *The Surface of the Earth (4) (whichever not taken as part of the core requirements)
GEO 305: *Living with Active Cascade Volcanoes (3)
GEO 308: *Global Change and Earth Sciences (3)
GEO 380: *Earthquakes in Pacific Northwest (3)

Earth Resources and the Environment
GEO 101: *The Solid Earth (4) 
OR GEO 102: *The Surface of the Earth (4) (whichever not taken as part of the core requirements)
GEO 306: *Minerals, Energy, Water, and the Environment (3)
GEO 308: *Global Change and Earth Sciences (3)
GEO 309: *Environmental Justice (3)
GEO 424: International Water Resources Management (3)
GEO 425: Water Resources Management in the United States (3) 

Water Policy and Management
GEO 335: *Introduction to Water Science and Policy (3)
GEO 424: International Water Resources Management (3)
GEO 425: Water Resources Management in the United States (3)
GEO 487: Hydrogeology (4)

* Baccalaureate core course 

Undergraduate Adviser

Erin Lieuallen is the undergraduate adviser for Earth Sciences, including Geography. Students can contact Erin for help with everything from transfer credits, graduation audits and course restriction waivers to selection of upper division courses (specialty requirements) in the geography minor. Please feel free to call or send an email:

Erin Lieuallen
Academic Advisor, Distance Education
Environmental and Earth Sciences
Phone: 541-737-4495
Email: erin.lieuallen@oregonstate.edu

Visit the geography minor overview page for requirements and course details, or view all of our online courses in geography.