Major and Minor Programs

Overview

UC Berkeley's undergraduate program in Geography is uniquely broad and diverse, giving students a comprehensive understanding of the discipline while allowing them to specialize in their areas of greatest interest. As a truly interdisciplinary major, Geography covers everything from cultural, economic, political, and historical geography to biophysical, urban, and regional studies, alongside crucial skills like cartography, quantitative methods, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), remote sensing, and fieldwork. We encourage our students to explore opportunities beyond the classroom, including study abroad, internships, and field research.

Our faculty are as varied and interesting as their courses, and they eagerly work directly with students on independent research projects. Our graduates go on to make a real difference in the world, with alumni working as geospatial data scientists, transportation and housing policy managers, and environmental planners at places like NASA, Google, and the City and County of San Francisco.

Undergraduate Programs

Geography Major
Geography Minor
Geospatial Information Science & Technology Minor

Geography Major

Direct Admission for Transfer Students

Transfer students who select Geography on their UC Berkeley application are automatically declared and do not need to take any other action to join the major. Any courses that are required to declare the major and were not completed prior to transfer must be completed to graduate from the major. Students should consult the  Undergraduate Major Advisor to plan out their path to graduation and refer to this website for more information on Direct Admission.

Declaring the Major

The Geography major may be declared after completion of two lower-division requirements with a letter grade of C or better, and once you’ve completed at least 30 units with a 2.0 or better cumulative UC Berkeley GPA. Students are able to use community college coursework as substitutions for lower-division requirements with approval from the Undergraduate Major Advisor.

To declare, make an appointment with the Undergraduate Major Advisor.

Major Requirements

**Please be advised that this section only provides information about the requirements for the major. In addition to major requirements, all students must complete the General Education requirements that the College of Letters & Science mandates. Please check your Academic Progress Report in CalCentral or plan to meet with an L&S advisor in order to clarify your General Education requirements.**

Our major curriculum requirements give students the opportunity to engage with five areas of study critical for understanding the breadth and depth of Berkeley Geography: Geospatial Representations, Earth System Science, Critical Environments, Racial Geographies, and Political Economies.

Honors Thesis in Geography

To apply, students must maintain a minimum 3.5 Geography GPA and a 3.5 overall UC Berkeley GPA to undertake the Honors Thesis, Geography H195A/H195B, under the supervision of a selected Geography faculty member. Seniors eligible to enroll in the honors program must make arrangements with a faculty member willing to direct their honors thesis in the semester before they enroll in H195A/H195B. Any faculty member within the department may administer an honors course. It is suggested that you approach faculty members with whom you’ve taken classes about being your mentor. 

The Geography Undergraduate Research Request form should be submitted at the beginning of senior year. Students choose the number of units for their Honors Thesis (1-4 units) and the grading option (letter grade or P/NP). Upon successful completion of the program, students will receive departmental honors based on your major GPA:

  • 3.3-3.6 for “Honors”
  • 3.61-3.81 for “High Honors”
  • 3.81-4.0 for “Highest Honors”

For questions about the Geography Honors Program, please contact the Undergraduate Major Advisor.

Geography Minor

**Please be advised that this section only provides information about the requirements for the minor. In addition to minor requirements, all students must complete the General Education requirements that their college mandates. Please check your Academic Progress Report in CalCentral or plan to meet with a college advisor in order to clarify your General Education requirements.**

Our minor curriculum requirements follow a similar structure as our major requirements. Minor students complete five upper-division courses that engage with at least three of the research areas of Berkeley Geography: Geospatial Representations, Earth System Science, Critical Environments, Racial Geographies, and Political Economies. Students are allowed to use up to two non-Geography upper-division course substitutes toward their minor requirements.

To declare, make an appointment with the Undergraduate Major Advisor.

Geospatial Information Science & Technology (GIST) Minor

**Please be advised that this section only provides information about the requirements for the minor. In addition to minor requirements, all students must complete the General Education requirements that their college mandates. Please check your Academic Progress Report in CalCentral or plan to meet with a college advisor in order to clarify your General Education requirements.**

Our GIST minor curriculum requirements provide students with the conceptual foundations and technical skills needed to harness maps and geospatial data to solve society’s most pressing problems. GIST minor students complete one lower-division course and five upper-division courses in departments across campus, such as Environmental Science, Policy, and Management (ESPM), City and Regional Planning, and Geography.

To declare, make an appointment with the Geography Undergraduate Major Advisor.