Geography (Social Sciences)

Faculty:
Wells-Lewis -Chair, Davenport, Smith
Webster Hall 236 • 417-625-3008

Mission

Preparing students for dynamic leadership and responsible citizenship is the mission of the Department of Social Sciences. The department provides students with the opportunity to cultivate critical thinking, communication and technological skills that will continue to be of value in the complex world of the 21st century. The faculty offers substantive instruction and intellectual challenge within the Social Sciences. The department emphasizes opportunities to engage in the international world in support of the University’s international mission. Finally, the Department of Social Sciences builds bridges to the local community through academic internships, public events, partnerships with local institutions and sponsorship of academic programs and events for local schools’ students and teachers.

Geography is concerned with the spatial dimension of human experience, namely, space and place. As an integrative discipline, it brings together the physical and human dimensions of the world in the study of people, places and environments.

An International and Political Affairs major with a concentration in Geography and Environmental Affairs provides students with rigorous preparation for the workplace or for graduate education by providing a balance among the physical science, social science, and computer information science subfields. Career avenues available to geographers include work in city planning offices and in other local, county, state, and federal governmental agencies that utilize geospatial data. Additionally, graduates of the program are prepared for areas of employment that have an international focus, such as the Peace Corps or the Foreign Service. Further opportunities for employment include work with the National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, and state departments of conservation. The Geography Program also has a strong track record in preparing students for graduate study in geography, public health, and urban planning.

The minor in Geography emphasizes topical and regional studies, complementing programs of study for students majoring in International Studies, History, Political Science and Sociology, among other fields of study.

For additional information contact:
Dr. Steve Smith • Webster Hall 236
417-625-3008 • smith-steve@mssu.edu

Courses

Geography