Doug Miskowiak, Chair
Room B307, Science Building
Phone: 715-346-4789
Email: geoggeol@uwsp.edu
Web: www.uwsp.edu/geo

This department is in the School of Behavioral and Social Sciences  within the COLLEGE OF LETTERS AND SCIENCE .

Faculty: S Kaplan, E Larsen, D Miskowia, I Odogba, L Siewert.

Definitions:

Geography is the study of spatial patterns to the earth’s physical and human environments, and the art and science of map making. Geographers study where things are located on the surface of the earth and why. They also study how places differ from one another, and how people interact with the environment.

Geology is the scientific study of the history, structure, and composition of the earth, the natural processes that alter the earth’s surface, and the resources and hazards associated with the geologic environment.

The geospatial sciences major prepares you for careers or graduate study in geospatial analytics, field and mapping technologies, environmental science and consulting, geospatial intelligence, geographic information systems, remote sensing, planning and geodesign.

Recent graduates from our program have obtained employment in a variety of positions within:

• public and private land management with consulting firms and various governmental agencies at city, county, state, regional and federal level;
• environmental, civil, and geological engineering firms;
• urban and regional planning agencies;
• mapping and photogrammetric firms;
• natural resource management agencies (private and public);
• sustainability and energy companies; and
• resource extraction corporations.

Abbreviations:
GIS = Geographic Information Systems

Academic Standards for all programs offered by the Department of Geography and Geology

1. To be accepted into a major or minor offered  by the Department of Geography and Geology you must file a major declaration form in the School of Behavioral and Social Sciences.
2. To be retained and approved for graduation with a major or a minor offered by the Department of Geography and Geology, you must have a 2.00 cumulative GPA in all courses in the major or minor, regardless of any declaration of academic forgiveness.
3. Geology and Geography Department majors must have an adviser within the department. Any department faculty or academic staff member may advise a department major. You must confer with your adviser every semester. Students accepted into any of the minors offered by the department are not required to have an adviser within the department.
4. Geography and geology courses taken at the 300 or 400 level on a pass/fail basis do NOT count toward the geoscience major or any of the minors offered by the department.

Test-Out and Credit-by-Exam Policy for Geography and Geology

1. The Department of Geography and Geology will offer test-out examinations for all of its general education  courses. If you wish to take a test-out examination, first confer with the department chair. Then confer with the faculty member who most recently taught the course.
2. The comprehensive written exam will be based on material normally covered in the course. The faculty member will notify you in writing before you take the exam of the required minimum passing score. You will receive your grade in writing within two weeks after taking the exam.
3. Credit will not be granted for GEOG 100  and GEOL 100 , but you will receive a waiver for the corresponding General Education Program (GEP)  requirement. You may take a test-out exam only once.

Programs

• Community Sustainability, BS
• Geospatial Sciences, BS

• Earth Science Minor
• Environmental Geography Minor
• Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Spatial Analysis Minor
• Urban Planning and Geodesign Minor

• Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Professional Certificate

Courses

• GEOL 730 - Environmental Geology for Educators