Bachelor of Arts in Geography and Urban Studies

Learn more about the Bachelor of Arts in Geography and Urban Studies.

The Geography and Urban Studies major introduces students to urban processes, spatial relations, geospatial technologies including GIS, and qualitative and quantitative social science research methods. In required courses and electives, students examine urban issues; the role of political institutions; policy-making; and human interactions with the environment. The Geography and Urban Studies gateway courses are designed to develop the theoretical and methodological frameworks and tools necessary to understand the relationships among people, places, and the environment as they interact through local and global connections. The electives give students the opportunity to develop an area of emphasis around their particular interests. Students focus on an individualized research project in their Senior Research Seminar. Each student's program is developed with a departmental advisor to suit individual interests and is designed to maximize educational and career opportunities. We encourage Geography and Urban Studies students to incorporate a semester abroad and/or an internship into their plan of study.

The objective of the Bachelor of Arts program in Geography and Urban Studies is to provide students with an understanding of:

• How space, place, and scale shape the interaction between environment and society;
• Critical thinking skills developed through examining a range of analytical approaches to investigate geographic, urban, and environmental processes;
• Contemporary explanatory frameworks in Geography and Urban Studies such as political ecology, feminist and poststructuralist theory, and development theory;
• The application of information technology skills to analyze spatial and temporal information, processes, and patterns through integrative research experiences;
• Practical considerations of community and environmental organizational settings at the local and regional scales.

Summary of Degree Requirements

University Requirements:

• MATH 0701 (4 s.h.) and/or ENG 0701 (4 s.h.), if required by placement testing.
• All Temple students must take a minimum of two writing-intensive courses as part of the major. The specific courses required for this major are GUS 2197 and GUS 4198.
• Students must complete requirements of the General Education (GenEd) Program. See the General Education section of the Undergraduate Bulletin for more details.

College of Liberal Arts Requirements:

• Completion of a minimum of 123 credits, including:
  • 90 credits in CLA/CST courses;
  • 45 credits of which must be at the upper level (numbered 2000-4999).
    • For Social Science majors, 6 upper level credits (numbered 2000-4999) must be taken in Humanities Subject Areas: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, German, Greek (Ancient), Greek and Roman Classics, Hebrew, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Latin, Philosophy, Religion, Russian, and Spanish in the College of Liberal Arts, Art History in the Tyler School of Art and Architecture, or any department in the College of Science and Technology.
  • A minimum GPA of 2.0, cumulatively, in CLA/CST coursework, and in the major.
  • Only courses in which a student receives a grade of at least C- can satisfy GenEd, major, minor, or CLA Foreign Language and Global Studies requirements.
  • Professional Development Requirement
    • All students in the College of Liberal Arts are required to take a 1 credit seminar in professional development. CLA 1002 Professional Development for Liberal Arts Majors is the appropriate course option for this major. Other courses that fulfill this requirement may be found on the CLA College Requirements page. Only one course in this category may count towards graduation.
  • Foreign Language/Global Studies Requirements:
    • All students must complete or test out of the first and second levels of a foreign language - these courses are numbered 1001 and 1002;
    • All students must complete at least one course from the GenEd Global/World Society category; and
    • All Bachelor of Arts students must complete one of the following options:
      • Third semester of a foreign language;
      • Demonstrated proficiency beyond the third semester in a foreign language (placement exam or certification from the language department);
      • Take one Global Studies course from the list on the CLA College Requirements page;
      • Study Abroad at an approved program; or
      • Take a second General Education Global/World Society course.
    • Notes on Foreign Language Study
      • The third level of language is numbered 1003 in French, German, Spanish, and Portuguese and numbered 2001 in all other foreign language subjects.
      • Students are strongly encouraged to take the third level of a foreign language as it is the minimum required for election to the prestigious honor society Phi Beta Kappa. (Taking the course does not guarantee admission but not taking it guarantees exclusion.)
      • See the College of Liberal Arts Policies section of this Bulletin for more information on the Foreign Language Placement, Regression in Coursework, and guidelines for students' other experiences with language.

General Electives are typically one-third of a student's program of study and can be focused on a second major, a minor, or towards some other personal enrichment or professional goals. See an academic advisor for assistance in developing an academic plan for these courses.

Major Requirements (39 credits):

Distinction in Major

Geography and Urban Studies students can graduate with distinction if they have, at the time of graduation, a 3.5 GPA in the major and a 3.0 cumulative GPA.

Suggested Academic Plan

Bachelor of Arts in Geography and Urban Studies

Requirements for New Students starting in the 2022-2023 Academic Year