Careers in Geography
Description of the Field
Geography is…
Geography concerns itself with the study of human and/or physical
phenomena as manifested throughout the world. This study includes
not only the locational and distributional patterns of these
phenomena, but also the forces involved that create these phenomena
as well as the interactions and inter-relationships of these
phenomena to one another. In short, Geography is the science of
space and place.
Geographers do…
Geography is an interdisciplinary field that offers a wide-variety
of career opportunities. People with a background in geography can
work in such diverse areas as 1) education and research; 2) city,
county, and regional planning; 3) real estate and urban development;
4) finance and marketing; 5) transportation and logistics; 6)
environment protection and resource management; 7) emergency and
disaster response; 8) medical and health services; 9) law
enforcement; 10) information technologies and mapping software
development; and many others.
Geographers use a multitude of techniques and tools in their work,
many of them becoming increasingly vital to help solve problems and
to understand the complexities of the world today. These include
Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Global Positioning Systems
(GPS), Remote Sensing, statistical software, online mapping such as
Google Earth, and others.
For more information about professional organizations in geography,
check out the following sites:
http://www.aag.org
http://www.gita.org
Sample Careers in Geography (links to O*Net Online)
Cartographers and Photogrammetrists
Atmospheric and Space Scientists
Urban and Regional Planners
Geographers
Geophysical Data Technicians
Atmospheric, Earth, Marine, and Space Sciences Teachers,
Postsecondary
Geography Teachers, Postsecondary
Other Online Resources
For more information about job opportunities in
geography, check out the following sites:
http://geography.about.com/od/careersingeography/a/jobsgeography.htm
http://www.geographyjobs.com
http://careers.geocomm.com
http://www.earthworks-jobs.com
Also, check out the following sites to learn more about Geographic
Information Systems (GIS):
http://www.esri.com
http://www.erdas.com
Geography at Columbus State
Coursework in Geography is offered by the Department of Social Science. Please visit their site for information about their pre-major programs, course offerings, and faculty.
