Geography Minor

The History, Politics and Geography Department offers an undergraduate Minor in Geography to all students. The Geography minor can complement most majors in the social sciences, physical sciences, biological sciences, and technical disciplines. The geography minor is flexible so that students can tailor their course choices to accommodate individual interests. A broadly based approach to selecting minor courses can be appropriate for students whose majors are highly specialized or narrowly focused. Alternatively, students may choose to fulfill geography minor requirements with a particular content emphasis, such as an interest in environmental issues or urban and regional planning. Looking through course choices and talking with geography staff can make earning the geography minor an important enhancement to one's academic program.

Student Learning Outcomes:

  • Students will apply basic foundational and specialized geographic knowledge about both the physical and human worlds, and identify notable areas of interconnectedness between those worlds at different scales
  • Students will effectively communicate geographical ideas using common media from the discipline, including maps, oral presentations, text, photos, illustrations, flowcharts, tables, graphs, graphics
  • Students will collect, organize, analyze, and synthesize geospatial information about people, places, and environments

About Academic Minors

Farmingdale State College students are invited to enhance their studies with an "Academic Minor." A minor is a cluster of thematically related courses drawn from one or more departments. In addition to department based minors (e.g. computer programming & info systems), interdisciplinary minors are also available (e.g. legal studies).

Academic minors are approved by the College-Wide Curriculum Committee and the Provost. Students must make application for an academic minor through the department offering the minor in conjunction with the Registrar's Office Specific course work must be determined in consultation with a faculty member in the department offering the minor. A statement of successful completion of the academic minor will appear on the student's transcript at the time of graduation.

  • A minor is considered to be an optional supplement to a student's major program of study.
  • Completion of a minor is not a graduation requirement and is subject to the availability of the courses selected. However, if the requirements for a minor are not completed prior to certification of graduation in the major, it will be assumed that the minor has been dropped. Consequently, the student will only be certified for graduation in their primary major.
  • Only students in 4 year baccalaureate programs can apply for a minor.
  • A minor should consist of 15 to 21 credits.
  • At least 12 credits must be in courses at the 200 level or higher.
  • At least 9 credits must be residency credits.
  • Specific requirements for each minor are determined by the department granting the minor. 
  • Students must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of at least 2.0 in their minor.  Some minors may require a higher GPA.
  • Students are prohibited from declaring a minor in the same discipline as their major (e.g. one cannot combine an applied math minor with an applied math major). Academic minors may not apply to all curricula.
  • Students are permitted to double-count courses.
  • Students are only permitted to take more than one minor with appropriate written approval of their department chair or curriculum Dean.

Admission to Farmingdale State College - State University of New York is based on the qualifications of the applicant without regard to age, sex, marital or military status, race, color, creed, religion, national origin, disability or sexual orientation.

History, Politics and Geography | Dr. Jeffery S. Gaab | hpg@farmingdale.edu | 934-420-2739

Fall 2024

Subject to revision

Required Courses (15 credits)
GEO 110 Maps and Map Analysis 3

Students must earn at least 12 additional credits selected from the following:

Physical Geography or Geographic Information Systems (3 credits)
GEO 201 Physical Geography OR 3
GEO 221 Introduction to Geographic Information Systems (GIS) 3
Human Geography (3 credits)
GEO 211 The World and Its Peoples OR 3
GEO 222 Human Geography OR 3
GEO 231 Europe and Its Peoples 3
Select (6) credits of geography courses at the 300-level 6

Curriculum Summary

Total Credits: 15

1. At least 9 credits (3 courses) must be taken at Farmingdale.

2. Students must maintain an overall GPA of 2.5 for all courses taken for the minor.

3. All courses must be in Geography (GEO prefix); any course substitutions must be approved by the minor coordinator in advance, in consultation with a geography advisor.

Printed on 12/11/24

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Farmingdale, NY 11735-1021

934-420-2000

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GEO 110 Maps and Map Analysis

This course is an introduction to the study and design of map formats, symbology, coordinate systems, and how maps record the historical patterns of human behavior. The course will also examine maps as a tool to analyze human activity and societal development, and include important aspects of map data collection, processing, the Global Positioning System (GPS), quantitative mapping, and GIS-based mapmaking techniques. Note: Students who take GEO 110 may not receive credit for GIS 101

GEO 201 Physical Geography

This course introduces students to the study of the Earth as a system. We will cover the four major subsystems--the atmosphere, the hydrosphere, the lithosphere, and the biosphere--with a focus on the patterns and processes that shape the planet. The goal of the course is to provide students with a clear understanding of the complex and changing processes associated with physical geography, especially those which are important for solving environmental and economic problems associated with air, water, soil, flora, fauna, and other aspects of the natural world. Prerequisite(s): EGL 101

GEO 211 The World and Its Peoples

This course is an exploration of the rich diversity of cultures and societies of the contemporary world, as well as an introduction to world geography and how it has shaped major developments in global history. Critical readings of recent ethnography will be used to examine themes such as ethnicity and migration, rural life and traditionalism, and family and kinship. Students will also be familiarized with the growth of cities, demographic changes, the development of a leisure culture, and attitudes towards work as we survey the major world regions (Southern Asia, the Pacific Rim, Sub-Saharan Africa, North Africa and the Middle East, the Americas, Europe, and Oceania). Furthermore, we will examine the interaction between humans and their physical environment, interrogate the role of language on national identity among peoples, and trace the evolution of world religions. NOTE: Students cannot earn credit for GEO 211 and GEO 211*D GEO 211*D can be used to fulfill the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Social Justice requirement.

GEO 222 Human Geography

This course provides an introduction to human geography in its multiple forms: social, cultural, environmental, urban, economic, and political. Students will explore human interactions through the lenses of community, culture, and society. While the focus will be on human populations, there will also be discussions of how interaction with nature and the environment shape relationships through an analysis of the human to land interaction. Globalization, cultural diversity, and migration will serve as important themes throughout the course. NOTE: Students cannot earn credit for GEO 222 and GEO 222*D GEO 222*D can be used to fulfill the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Social Justice requirement. Prerequisite(s): Any 100-level HIS or POL course

GEO 231 Europe and Its Peoples

This course is an exploration of the rich diversity of cultures and societies of contemporary Europe, as well as an introduction to the continent's geography and how its unique physical attributes shaped world history. Critical readings of recent ethnography will be used to examine themes such as ethnicity and migration, rural life and traditionalism, and family and kinship. Students will also be familiarized with the growth of cities, demographic changes, the development of a leisure culture, and attitudes towards work in Europe. Furthermore, we will examine the interaction between Europeans and their physical environment, interrogate the role of language on national identity among European peoples, and trace the evolution of religion from paganism to "Post-Christianity." We will also study the development of political culture on the continent and historical and contemporary projects to create a united Europe from the Pax Romana to the European Union. NOTE: Students cannot earn credit for GEO 231 and GEO 231*D GEO 231*D can be used to fulfill the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Social Justice requirement.
Last Modified 6/17/24