Geography

Geography - A.A.-T Degree

The Associate of Arts in Geography Transfer Degree (AA-T) is designed for students planning to transfer into the geography major. A student pursuing this degree will meet the AB 1440 Transfer Curriculum Model for CSU.

What is Geography? Humans have long pondered their place in the natural world, recognizing both the challenges and opportunities afforded them by the environment and, more recently, the effects of human activities in modifying that environment. This interplay of natural systems and human societies is the subject of the field of geography. Physical geography focuses primarily on the operation of earth’s systems upon which humans depend; cultural geography examines how humans live on the earth: how we modify the landscape, organize space, move about, use resources, and create the economies that sustain us.

Associate Degrees for Transfer

California Community Colleges are now offering associate degrees for transfer to the CSU. These may include Associate in Arts (AA-T) or Associate in Science (AS-T) degrees. These degrees are designed to provide a clear pathway to a CSU major and baccalaureate degree. California Community College students who are awarded an AA-T or AS-T degree are guaranteed admission with junior standing somewhere in the CSU system and given priority admission consideration to their local CSU campus or to a program that is deemed similar to their community college major. This priority does not guarantee admission to specific majors or campuses.

Students are required to:

• Complete 60 semester CSU-transferable units.

• Complete the California State University-General Education-Breadth pattern (CSU GE-Breadth); or the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) pattern.

• Complete a minimum of 18 semester units in the major

• Obtain of a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 2.0.

• Earn a grade of C or higher in all courses required for the major. A "P" (Pass) grade is also an acceptable grade for courses in major if the course is taken on a Pass/No Pass basis.

To view the most current list of College of Alameda Associate Degrees for Transfer and to find out which CSU campuses accept each degree, please go to www.alameda.peralta.edu. Current and prospective community college students are encouraged to meet with a counselor to review their options for transfer and to develop an educational plan that best meets their goals and needs.

Career Opportunities

Career Opportunities include but are not limited to: Aerial Photo Interpreter; Agricultural Geographer; Cartographer; Census Analyst; Climatologist; Community Development Specialist; Demographer; Development Specialist; Ecologist; Economic Development Analyst; Environmental Analyst/Planner; Geographical Information Systems Specialist; Map Curator; Natural Resources Manager; Park Ranger Wording in Current CoA Catalog: Skills learned in the study of geography are useful in many rewarding career paths. Urban planners design livable environments in the city; environmental managers, employed by government agencies and private industry, work to conserve our natural resources; hydrologists manage increasingly scarce water resources; cartographers produce maps for both public and private employers; academic geographers teach at all levels in our educational system; geographic information system (GIS) specialists provide their technical expertise to assist in the planning of structures and projects; foresters, many employed by the National Forest Service or the US Department of Agriculture, manage millions of acres of precious woodlands; park rangers in state and national parks help to maintain the health and beauty of these places and share their knowledge through public information programs.

Learning Outcome(s)

1. Describe the spatial organization of the world’s peoples, nations, cultural environments
2. Demonstrate knowledge of global physical and environmental processes and develop an appreciation of landscapes.
3. Demonstrate an understanding of how human activities impact the physical environment.