You are in the official 2007-2008 General Catalog
for California State University, Fresno.
You are in the official 2007-2008 General Catalog
for California State University, Fresno.
Subject Matter Preparation for
Single Subject Teaching Credential in Social Sciences
*As of fall 1998, admission to the M.A. in Geography has
been suspended.
Suspension is not expected to exceed three years.
Aribilola S. Omolayo, Chair
Michelle Calvarese
James Kus
Chi Kin Leung
Segun O. Ogunjemiyo
Akiko Yamane
Instruction at introductory, advanced, and graduate levels is conducted by a faculty whose teaching and research interests are diverse. All major facets of the discipline are represented as are a number of specializations.
Geography is an integrative discipline that bridges the natural and social
sciences. Its distinctiveness is as much a product of its unique approach
to the study of the earth and its human inhabitants as it is the subject
matter itself. Thus, geography employs a spatial framework for organizational
purposes analogous to the chronological framework employed in history.
Central to geographic inquiry is a concern with the human occupance of the
earth, the character of the human environment, and the interrelationships
that link humans and the physical world. In sum, geography seeks to provide
a broad understanding of the world, its people, and its problems and to
provide applied specializations and technical skills that can address economic,
social, and environmental problems at scales that range from local to global.
Not surprisingly, the subject matter of geography is diverse. Geographers
examine and analyze patterns of rural and urban settlement, resource exploitation,
land use, social and cultural phenomena. They are concerned with the natural
features and processes of the earth's surface, the ways in which nature
has conditioned the human occupance of the earth, and the ways in which
people have modified natural landscapes.
The department's instructional programs are designed to address several
objectives. First, for the larger number of our students, we provide a greater
understanding of the world as an element of a liberal education. Second,
we conduct programs for majors and minors in geography that assure a depth
of knowledge in subject matter and technique. Third, we serve those students
in related disciplines who wish to strengthen programs of study through
a selection of courses in geography.
Instruction at introductory and advanced levels is conducted by a faculty whose teaching and research interests are diverse. All major facets of the discipline are represented as are a number of specializations.
A variety of facilities is available for student use. Well-equipped laboratories
are maintained for the conduct of research and instruction in physical geography
and the technique fields Geographic Information Systems (GIS), cartography,
air photo interpretation and remote sensing, meteorological instrumentation,
and quantitative analysis. The department also operates a weather station.
The department has a computer laboratory for mapping, Geographic Information
Systems (GIS), and a variety of other applications. The department is also
well-equipped for fieldwork.
Geographers are employed in government and the private sector. Their knowledge and skills have applications in a variety of fields including teaching, planning, cartography, GIS, locational analysis, intelligence and security, land and resource management, policy research, transportation, and industrial development.
Agencies of federal, state, and local governments are major employers of geographers. At the federal level many agencies employ geographers. At state and local levels most geographers are involved in planning, land and resource management, and community development. Because many businesses and industries have important geographical dimensions to their operations, there is demand for geographers in the private sector. Geographers are employed in banking, transportation, international trade, utilities, wholesaling and retailing, and a number of other fields. Finally, teaching is a major occupation for individuals with training in geography. The department welcomes inquiries about career opportunities.
Certificate of Completion in Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Geographic Information Systems is designed to accept, organize, statistically analyze, and display diverse types of spatial data. A student that acquires a knowledge of GIS is more readily sought after by employers in the job market.
The Certificate of Completion in GIS requires the following three courses (9 units) to be taken in sequence:
GEOG 101 GIS 1: Data Display and Manipulation
GEOG 107 GIS 2: Data Creation and Project Implementation
GEOG 108 GIS 3: Spatial Analysis and Modeling
The courses are taught with the current GIS, remote sensing, and cartography
software. A minimum grade of C in each course is required. The program is
open to all students, including freshmen, seniors, graduate students, and
working professionals who wish to advance in their careers.
Geography
Courses