Geography is the organized knowledge of the earth as a world of people.
Geography is an interdisciplinary science that studies both the physical and human features of our planet. Physical geography focuses on landforms, water resources, climate, and vegetation patterns. Human/Cultural geography focuses on how human societies interact with and imprint upon their environment such as urban development, transportation patterns, and water resource management. Geography emphasizes interactions between the physical and human environment including how they are affected by a changing climate. Geography is central to an understanding of the international global arena and provides an exciting and challenging way to examine our planet.
Subjects in Cultural/Human Geography include the spread of economic, political, urban, religious, language, and technological systems through time and region. Subjects in Physical Geography include map-reading & interpretation, atmospheric processes & air quality, climate patterns & climate change, biomes, water resources, natural hazards, and landforms. Cabrillo offers the first two years of the Geography Major as well as elective courses for students wishing to complete their General Education requirements.
Physical Geography (GEOG1) and Weather & Climate (GEOG3) both have separate laboratory courses which satisfy the Natural Science requirement for transfer.
Cultural Geography, Regional Geography, and California Geography satisfy the Social Science requirements in General Education.
GIS/Geographic Information Systems (GEOG17) is an excellent course for both geography and non-geography majors. Geographic information systems skills are highly desirable in agriculture, archaeology, business, cartography, government, law enforcement, marketing, environmental sciences, forestry, real estate, and urban planning.
Geography serves as an excellent undergraduate major. City, county, and state governments are hiring geographers in the field of Geographic Information Systems (GIS), urban planning, and environmental studies because of their broad training. A geography degree also provides a good foundation for careers in international work with agencies such as the State Department, the United Nations, or international NGOs. The national mapping division of the United States Geological Survey traditionally needs geographers in map making and its related job openings such as photo-interpretation, satellite image analysis, land use, and land cover mapping. In addition, the analytical skills gained through a geography major provide a strong foundation for graduate study in law, urban planning, and architecture. Geographers with advanced degrees are also in demand in colleges and universities around the world.
