About Option Three:

This option is a technical specialization for students interesting in solving social and environmental problems through advanced spatial information technology. Students learn how to visualize information in ways that reveal relationships, patterns, and trends by using computer software for cartography, remote sensing, and geographic information systems (GIS). Cartography is the art and science of making maps. Remote sensing provides a means to capture visual and digital information about the earth through airborne cameras and advanced electronic sensors. A geographic information system is a set of computer tools for analyzing spatial data.

The Program:

The Option Three program has a curriculum of 51 to 54 hours. This includes the Geography Departmental Core Curriculum of 15 hours, the Option Three Core of 18-21 hours, and 18 hours of directed electives in three categories.

REQUIRED COURSES:  36 - 39  hours

•     GEOG 101 Earth, Sea, and Sky: A Geographic View (3)
•     GEOG 150 Global Geography (3)
•     GEOG 240 Map Reading and Interpretation (3) 
•     GEOG 265 Introduction to GIS (3)  
•     GEOG 340 Cartography and Graphics 1 (3) 
•     GEOG 341 Cartography and Graphics 2 (3) 
•     GEOG 342 Remote Sensing 1 (3) 
•     GEOG 343 Remote Sensing 2 (3) 
•     GEOG 344 Advanced GIS Analysis (3) 
•     GEOG 369 Professional Experience (3 - 6) or GEOG 479 Practical Experience (3 - 6) 
•     GEOG 494 Research Methods (3)

ELECTIVES:  18 hours

Choose 6 hours from:

•     GEOG 443 Seminar in Advanced Techniques in Remote Sensing (3) 
•     GEOG 444 Advanced Cartography (3) 
•     GEOG 445 GIS Applications Design and Development (3) 
•     GEOG 448 GIS System Design (3) 

Choose 6 hours from:

•     GEOG 120 Economic Geography and Contemporary Issues (3)
•     GEOG 121 Geography of the Cultural Environment (3) 
•     GEOG 230 Elementary Meteorology (3)
•     GEOG 320 Ethnic Geography (3)
•     GEOG 321 Urban Geography (3) 
•     GEOG 330 Weather Analysis (3) 
•     GEOG 331 Global Climatology (3)  
•     GEOG 423 Population Geography (3) 
•     GEOG 470 World Political Geography (3) 

Choose 6 hours from:

•     GEOG 350 Geography of United States and Canada (3) 
•     GEOG 351 Geography of Latin America and the Caribbean (3) 
•     GEOG 352 Geography of Africa (3) 
•     GEOG 353 Geography of Indiana (3) 
•     GEOG 354 Geography of Asia (3)  
•     GEOG 356 Geography of Russia and its Neighbors (3) 
•     GEOG 357 Geography of Europe (3)

Recommended minors for Option 3 include:  Computer Science, Geology, Mathematics, Urban Planning, Biology, and Natural Resources and Environmental Management.

Employment Opportunities with Option Three:

Many public and private sector organizations use geographic information processing and mapping systems worldwide, and students graduating with these skills are in great demand.

For cartographers, mapmakers have more data to work with than ever before. Data is now gathered from ground surveys with laser precision, and from satellites 600 miles above the earth. A coordinated system of 24 geosynchronous satellites provides ground control for mapping surveys down to the centimeter level and is also used for international navigation. This data is then processed and analyzed with increasingly powerful digital computers and user-friendly computer mapping software. Map compilation, design, and production are now almost completely done digitally with a variety of computer software and hardware. These tools have given us a robust means of mapping and analyzing many aspects of our environment, which increase our understanding of the Earth's complex environments. This digital revolution in cartography has created a demand for professionals with the appropriate geographical and technological training.

Remote Sensing may be broadly defined as the collection of information about an object without being in physical contact with that object. Aircraft and satellites are the common platforms from which remote sensing observations are made. These observations are usually presented in the form of a photograph or a digital format suitable for viewing on a computer. There are numerous application areas and users of remotely sensed data; some users include natural resource and agricultural land managers, infrastructure managers and environmental engineers, and environmental planners.

A Geographic Information System (GIS) is a computer-based tool for mapping and analyzing things that exist and events that happen on earth. GIS technology integrates common database operations such as query and statistical analysis with the unique visualization and geographic analysis benefits offered by maps. These abilities distinguish GIS from other information systems and make it valuable to a wide range of public and private enterprises for explaining events, predicting outcomes, and planning strategies. Today, GIS is a multibillion-dollar industry employing hundreds of thousands of people worldwide.

Faculty Contacts for Option Three:

Cartography:

Remote Sensing:

Dr. Jian-sheng Yang: Assistant Professor of Geography
e-mail: jyang@bsu.edu

Dr. Gopalan Venugopal: Professor of Geography and Dept Chair
e-mail: gvenugop@bsu.edu

Geographic Information Systems:

Dr. Kevin Turcotte: Professor of Geography
e-mail: turk@bsu.edu

Dr. J. Andrew Slack: Associate Professor of Geography
e-mail: aslack@bsu.edu

Dr. Petra Zimmermann: Assistant Professor of Geography
e-mail: pazimmermann@bsu.edu