Major code BS4239
College of Arts and Sciences
Geography Department
N378 Lindley Hall
Athens, OH 45701
Phone: 740.593.1140
www.ohio.edu/cas/geography
Edna Wangui, Chair
wangui@ohio.edu
Ryan Fogt, contact person
fogtr@ohio.edu
Program Overview
Geography bridges the natural and social sciences. Geographers focus on spatial patterns to study physical and cultural environments and how people interact with those environments. Geography is important to humanity because most of the world’s problems require deep understanding of the interdependence between human activities and the natural world. Geographic theories and methods provide students with fundamental analytical skills relevant to any occupation focused on solving social and environmental problems. Reflecting the diversity and breadth of geography, the department of Geography offers a Bachelor Science in Geography with six possible concentrations and a Bachelor of Science in Geography - Meteorology with two possible tracks to help students specialize in a subfield of their choice.
The Geography - Meteorology major prepares students for public, military, and private sector positions in atmospheric science and for graduate studies in meteorology, climatology, or atmospheric science. The curriculum is based on guidelines from the American Meteorological Society and the National Weather Service. While the major requires course work in math and physics, most of the courses are focused on atmospheric science and are offered by the Geography Department. All meteorology majors receive forecasting experience; broadcast experience is possible in association with WOUB.
The Broadcast Meteorology track of the Meteorology major is interdisciplinary, spanning courses in both the Department of Geography and the School of Journalism. The Geography - Meteorology major with Broadcast Meteorology track meets all of the requirements specified by the American Meteorological Society to earn a degree in meteorology, and adds a significant component of journalism classes to prepare students for a career in broadcast. While not a requirement, it is expected that students pursuing this track will be actively involved with broadcasting through the WOUB news outlet. Students who complete the required coursework and achieve success in their broadcast experiences with WOUB will be in a position to apply for the American Meteorological Society’s Certified Broadcast Meteorologist title. The thorough combination of meteorology and journalism courses required will allow graduating students to be among the most competitive students entering the workforce and will prepare graduates for a variety of broadcast and science media related positions.
The Geography Department at Ohio University is committed to excellence in both teaching and advising. Several of our faculty members have received teaching awards. We are known across campus for the highest quality of student advising. As a geography major, you will meet one-on-one with your faculty advisor every semester during advising week, and you are always welcome to talk with your advisor at any time throughout the semester whenever questions may arise. In addition to advising our students about their academic programs, we provide timely information about internships, nationally competitive awards, and other opportunities as they arise. Many of our students complete internships and several of our students have received nationally competitive awards.
For more information about our program, please view this video, visit our website, or reach out to the faculty contact person, whose information is listed above.
Admissions Information
Freshman/First-Year Admission
No requirements beyond University admission requirements.
Change of Program Policy
No selective or limited admission requirements.
External Transfer Admission
No requirements beyond University admission requirements.
Opportunities Upon Graduation
The meteorology major prepares students for careers with the National Weather Service, the private sector (including jobs with agriculture and energy industries, insurance agencies, and others), and federal and non-federal careers where forecasting is the primary job responsibility. The program also adequately prepares students for advanced specialized training and education at the graduate level, including graduate education in broadcast meteorology.
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Requirements
