Curriculum
The coursework in Oregon State’s online geography and geospatial science program will provide you with an in-demand skill set to help you address business, land use, natural resource, planning, transportation, natural hazards, national defense and public safety challenges worldwide.
Geography is a scientific discipline that explores people’s relationship with their physical environment and natural, cultural and built resources. The curriculum in this program focuses on relevant topics including water, climate and society; hazards and resources; and human-environment relations with an international perspective aimed at enhancing global awareness.
Degree requirements
To earn your degree in geography and geospatial science, you must complete 180 credit hours including 85 credits of major coursework. Please refer to the geography and geospatial science program's advising worksheet for full details. You can also view the program's major requirements and a full list of classes on Oregon State’s official academic catalog.
For additional information about OSU's Baccalaureate Core, please visit our bacc core details page.
Sample course topics
- Physical geography
- Human-environment geography
- Climate change, water and society
- Geographic information systems and theory
- Remote sensing
- Geovisualization and cartography
- Geographic field research
- Foundations of geospatial science
- Web mapping
- Geospatial analysis
- Geovisual analytics
Additional program features
Experiential learning
All geography and geospatial sciences major students are required to complete 9 credits of experiential learning. More information is available within the program curriculum on OSU's academic catalog.
Computer software requirements
Three required major courses utilize ArcGIS Pro software that is not Mac-compatible. Your PC must meet these requirements:
- Operating system: A 64-bit version of Windows 7, Windows 8.1, or Windows 10
- Processor: A quad-core Intel Core i5 2.4GHz processor or better
- Memory: 8 GB of RAM or more
- Storage: 32 GB or more on a solid-state drive (SSD)
- Monitor/Video card: SVGA or better resolution display (1024 x 768, 24-bit graphics)
- Video/Graphics adapter
See Open GL or DirectX adapter and additional system requirements at the ArcGIS Pro website.
Transfer credits
Some degree requirements may be transferred from other institutions. Please note that a minimum of 45 credits of the last 75 credits in this degree program must be completed at Oregon State (online or on campus) to meet the academic residency requirement.
Previously earned credits must be reviewed upon admittance to OSU for appropriate articulation. Find more information about transferring credits using the Office of Admissions’ single-course search tool.
Add a minor
As an Oregon State Ecampus student, you can add a minor to your degree program. OSU boasts a diverse offering of minors online, giving you a great way to enhance your studies and gain a competitive advantage in the job market.
Notice: Oregon State University students may now take part in internships anywhere in the United States. Read more about Ecampus’ authorization to operate in your state.
Important dates
See our academic calendar for our full quarter term schedule.
Degree details
* Oregon State University is on a quarter-term system. There are four quarters each year and classes are 11 weeks long. This program's 180 quarter credits are equal to 120 semester credits.
† Cost per credit is calculated using tuition per credit for the current academic year. It does not include associated fees, course materials, textbook expenses, and other expenses related to courses.
‡ You can complete all or nearly all requirements of this program online. View the curriculum.
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