Geography
Associate in Arts for Transfer School of Arts and Social Sciences · Merced College · 2026-2027 Catalog
School of Arts and Social Sciences
Geography is the study of the physical aspects of the planet. Topics studied include population pressures, food supply, and resource availability.
Physical Geography is a natural science about weather, climate, and earth processes creating different landforms, while World Geography is a social science of how mankind utilizes earth resources to create different cultures and standards of living. The study of Geography enables a student to better understand world problems and events; it prepares a student for a career as a planner, teacher, journalist, earth scientist, and for other occupations.
The Associate in Arts in Geography for Transfer degree is designed to provide students with the common core of lower division courses required to transfer and pursue a baccalaureate degree in Geography within the California State University system. The Geography Department at Merced College is a program that facilitates the success of general education students and geography majors by offering lower-division geography courses.
The Geography Program offers students a variety of courses in physical, cultural, regional and applied geography. Students gain the ability to analyze geographical issues, read and interpret maps, and develop the skills to communicate local, national, and international geographic phenomena to others.
The Associate in Arts in Geography for Transfer degree is designed to prepare students for a seamless transfer into the CSU system to complete a baccalaureate degree in Geography or similar major.
Program Student Learning Outcomes:
A. Analyze core geographic principles, concepts, models and phenomena.
B. Demonstrate understanding of the global natural and cultural environments and the geographic methods by which they are studied.
C. Examine the diversity of people, places and events globally as well as within specific geographic regions.
D. Interpret maps and mapped data utilizing basic map elements.
For an Associate in Arts in Geography for Transfer (AA-T), students must complete the following:
60 semester CSU-transferable units.
the California General Education Transfer Curriculum (Cal-GETC) pattern.
a minimum of 18 semester in the major or area of emphasis as determined by the community college district.
obtainment of a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 2.0.
earn a grade of C (or P) or better in all courses required for the major or area of emphasis.
Note: Students are not required to complete any additional local graduation requirements for the AA-T (e.g., PE and Computer and Information Literacy courses).
Program Requirements:
Program Core: (19-22 Units)
| Course | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| GEOG-01 | Physical Geography | 3 |
| GEOG-01L | Physical Geography Laboratory | 1 |
| GEOG-02 | World Geography | 3 |
| GEOG-12 | Introduction to Human Geography | 3 |
| GEOG-15 | Introduction to Weather and Climate | 3 |
| List B: Select 2 courses (6 units) of the following | ||
| ANTH-02 | Cultural Anthropology | 3 |
| BIOL-C1000 | Introduction to Biology with Lab | 4 |
| CHEM-02A | Introductory Chemistry | 4 |
| CHEM-04A | General Chemistry I | 5 |
| CPSC-01 | Introduction to Computer Information Systems | 4 |
| GEOL-01 | Physical Geology | 4 |
| STAT-C1000 | Introduction to Statistics | 3 |
| PHYS-02A | General Physics I | 4 |
| POLS-C1000 | American Government and Politics | 3 |
| Total Units for Major | 19-22 | |
Total Units that may be double counted: (7-13 units)
General Education (Cal-GETC) Units: (34 Units)
Elective (CSU Transferable) Units: (8-20 units)
Total Degree Units: (60 Units)