Bachelor of Science, Major in Geography with Emphasis in Geographic Information Systems

at Pittsburg State University USA

The Department of Communication offers a Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Science in Education, and Master of Arts degrees within a collaborative and collegial environment. Our top-ranked faculty are highly active in their professions and emphasize the importance of fusing theory with applied skill. We have more than 250 majors across the five emphasis areas of human communication, media production, multimedia journalism, strategic communication, and theatre. The department stresses an integrated and active approach to learning. Please explore our website and let us know if you have any questions.

Strategic Communication - Emphasis
Strategic communication involves the applied research, creative development, and planned distribution of informational and persuasive communication messages across a wide variety of channels including: television, radio, print and digital journalism, mobile and social media platforms. Strategic communicators often work on behalf of public and private corporations and non-profit organizations, regionally and globally. Specialized career opportunities are available in many sectors such as: sports and entertainment, travel and tourism, health and wellness, policy and public affairs.

The Department of English and Modern Languages offers baccalaureate degrees and a master’s degree program. Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) programs are offered in English and in Modern Languages. A Bachelor of Science in Education and a master’s program are also offered in English. The department offers minors in English, English Teaching, Creative Writing, French, Professional Writing, and Spanish.

French Language and Culture - Emphasis
We live in a world that is more interconnected than at any time in history. A Bachelor of Arts Degree in Modern Languages will enhance any career path and allow you to become a more productive citizen of the world. Pittsburg State’s French program provides you with two degree options:

• Language and Culture
• Teacher Certification

The Language and Culture emphasis delves into the Francophone culture, providing students with a deeper understanding of French society. It’s the program of choice for students who wish to achieve fluency in the language and is often paired with business or communication majors and/or minors.

The School of Construction offers a comprehensive sequence of courses in Environmental and Safety Management. This broad-based program exposes students to several aspects of environmental and workplace safety.

Environmental and Safety Management program is on the list of national board-approved programs. A student earning an environmental and safety management degree from a board-approved institution is automatically qualified for the Associate Safety and Health Manager (ASHM) credential offered by the ISHM.

The Department of Engineering Technology is housed in the Kansas Technology Center on the Pittsburg State University  campus. Engineering Technology Programs are comprised of elements of the technological spectrum requiring scientific and engineering knowledge plus the operational methods and skills devoted to achieving practical purpose in support of product producing industries.

The Department of Family & Consumer Sciences offers baccalaureate degrees and a cooperative master’s degree program. B.S. programs are offered in Nutrition and Wellness, Community and Family Services, and two tracks in Child Development. A B.S.E. program is offered in Family and Consumer Sciences Education. The department has an Early Childhood Unified: Birth - Kindergarten program. The department offers minors in Child Development, Family and Consumer Sciences, Human Ecology, Nutrition and Wellness, and Youth and Adolescent Development. The department also contributes to minors in Women’s Studies and Public Health. 

Child Development - Emphasis
The Early Childhood Development program prepares individuals to work with children ages birth through eight in a variety of programs within the community.

Coursework:

Core courses such as Lifespan Human Development, Interacting with Children, Developmental Planning: Preschool and Kindergarten, Early Childhood Program Organization and Management, and Development of the Child: Birth-8 help provide a solid foundation of knowledge for early childhood professionals.

Students are able to tailor their program to fit their needs by selecting electives that help customize their program to match professional goals. All early childhood development students will select a minor that meets their interests and career goals. Suggested minors include but are not limited to: EC Special Education, Sociology, Psychology, Recreation, Spanish, and Business Administration.

The PSU School of Construction's mission is to provide a quality construction education and develop professional leaders for the construction industry through extensive recruitment, real-world education and successful placement. We strive to improve the community through service, economic development and applied research.

Our vision is to be an innovative leader in an effective, people-centered, collaborative, accessible learning environment maximizing the potential of construction students, faculty and industry constituents.

The Department of Health, Human Performance and Recreation (HHPR) is located in the new Student Recreation Center. The HHPR faculty possess a wide array of specializations. The department offers undergraduate degree programs in Exercise Science, Recreation Services, Sport and Hospitality Management, and Physical Education, five minors and certificates in Dance, Coaching, and Hospitality Management, as well as a graduate program in HHPR. Within each of the degree programs, there are emphases/concentration areas from which students select the professional paths that best fit their needs.

Therapeutic Recreation - Emphasis
The Therapeutic Recreation emphasis prepares students for supervisory and leadership positions in various hospital, private and community-based organizations delivering care as recreation therapists to individuals with various disabilities and ability levels.  Recreational therapists work with a variety of individuals requiring health services such as: physical medicine and rehabilitation, pediatrics, geriatrics, mental and behavioral health, addictions, veterans and developmental disabilities.  Students completing the Therapeutic Recreation emphasis allows them to sit for the National Council on Therapeutic Recreation Certification (NCTRC) Exam.

The Department of Engineering Technology is housed in the Kansas Technology Center on the Pittsburg State University  campus. Engineering Technology Programs are comprised of elements of the technological spectrum requiring scientific and engineering knowledge plus the operational methods and skills devoted to achieving practical purpose in support of product producing industries.

We have undergraduate programs covering the range of modern biology including: pre-health (pre-med, pre-dentistry, pre-vet, pre-optometry, pre-physical therapy, pre-physician assistant), medical technology, cell and molecular biology, wildlife biology, fisheries and aquatic sciences, botany, ecology, and secondary education.

There are almost 400 students in the undergraduate program and about 20 in the graduate division. The Department of Biology has 13 full-time faculty with a wide range of interests. The faculty are dedicated and committed to Pittsburg State University and the department, but most importantly, to students. Most faculty are actively engaged in research activities, national professional organizations, and professional service.

Botany - Emphasis
How do plants grow and develop? What role do plants play in biodiversity? How do plants impact our physical environment? Students in the Botany emphasis will answer these questions and many more. Aimed at expanding current knowledge of plants and their importance in our world, the botany track helps students and graduates address major issues in the fields of agriculture, ecology, and horticulture.

The Botany emphasis is grounded in the basic sciences (general biology, chemistry, math, and physics) needed to understand the latest research in plant biology.

Our geography students acquire superior skills in critical thinking and analysis, dynamic communication, computer usage, and analysis in a number of software areas. We strive to keep students on the cutting edge of technology. These technological skills, critical thinking skills, and the overall applied nature of a geography education provide students with abilities that are in demand at public and private agencies. Students also gain the expert knowledge and training they need to pursue admission to graduate programs, if that is part of their career plan.

Geography programs are part of History, Philosophy and Social Sciences department. The programs provide high-quality instruction to students in ways that emphasize active learning, problem solving, and critical thinking through transformative experiences.

Environmental Geography and Sustainability - Emphasis
The Environmental Geography and Sustainability degree emphasis focuses on the interaction of people and the environment and issues related to sustainability. It includes the study of the human dimensions of global change, the environmental impacts of development, and sustainability development. Topics such as air pollution, global climate change, hazards and disasters, deforestation, and water pollution are discussed in the context of how human activities impact physical environment and the nature and complexities of the driving forces behind them.