Minor in Geography (for non-geography majors)
The minor in geography is comprised of 18 credit hours. A minimum of 9 hours must be at the 300-level or higher. Students are required to take one human geography course, one physical geography course and one regional course. The remaining hours are electives. A minimum grade of C is required for all courses counted toward the minor. The courses should be selected in consultation with an undergraduate advisor in geography. Note: ESCI111 can be applied toward a minor in geography, however all other courses must have a GEOG prefix.
Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Minor
The GIS minor develops knowledge and skills related to the application of geographic information systems for mapping and analyzing spatial data. Since GIS has evolved into an invaluable technology that is being used extensively by geographers, environmental scientists, biologists, climatologists, epidemiologists, transportation planners, engineers, and business strategists, a minor in GIS would be an ideal supplement to many different programs of study (e.g., biology, criminal justice, anthropology, geography, political science).
The minor in GIS is comprised of 18 credit hours. Students must earn a grade of C or better for all minor coursework. The minor is open to students from any major, however the specific course requirements for geography majors are different than those for non-geography majors, as described below.
GIS Minor Requirements for Geography Majors:
Students majoring in geography must complete nine credit hours of required coursework and at least nine credit hours of electives. (Please note that majors must complete an additional 300- or 400-level course to fulfill the techniques requirement for the major.)
Core Required Courses (9 hours)
- GEOG 418 Introduction to GIS
- GEOG 422 Remote Sensing
- GEOG 424 Vector Based GIS
Elective Course Requirements (minimum 9 credit hours):
- GEOG 322 Air Photo Interpretation
- GEOG 420 Interactive & Animated Cartography
- GEOG 421 Digital Elevation Modeling
- GEOG 423 Computer Mapping
- GEOG 425 Raster Based Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
- GEOG 427 (GIS-related only) Internship
- GEOG 431 Web-based Online Mapping Using ArcGIS API for JavaScript
- GEOG 432 Python Scripting in GIS
- GEOG 454 (GIS-topics only)
GIS Minor Requirements for All Other Majors:
Students not majoring in geography must complete 12 credit hours of required coursework and at least 6 credit hours of elective coursework.
Requirements
Core Required Courses (12 hours)
- GEOG 320 Cartography
- GEOG 418 Introduction to GIS
- GEOG 422 Remote Sensing
- GEOG 424 Vector Based GIS
Elective Course Requirements (6 credit hours):
- GEOG 322 Air Photo Interpretation
- GEOG 420 Interactive & Animated Cartography
- GEOG 421 Digital Elevation Modeling
- GEOG 423 Computer Mapping
- GEOG 425 Raster Based Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
- GEOG 427 (GIS-related only) Internship
- GEOG 431 Web-based Online Mapping Using ArcGIS API for JavaScript
- GEOG 432 Python Scripting in GIS
- GEOG 454 (GIS-topics only)
Other courses not listed here may be used as electives toward the minor with the approval of the GIS Coordinator.
Minor in Meteorology and Climatology
Weather and climate are central components of the physical environment, playing important roles in a wide range of human activities and natural processes. This minor provides an overview of the physical processes that control both past and present-day weather and climate change throughout geological time, and allows students to study the linkages between the earth-atmosphere system and human development, food and water resources and disease.
The minor in meteorology and climatology requires 18 credit hours. Students must complete nine hours of core required courses in meteorology and climatology; six hours in advanced topics in meteorology and climatology; and three hours of electives. A minimum grade of C is required in courses completed for the minor. Geography majors pursuing the minor in meteorology and climatology cannot count the same courses for their major and their minor.
Requirements
Core Required Courses (9 hours)
- GEOG 211 - Meteorology
- GEOG 314 - Climatology
- GEOG 409 - Weather Forecasting
Advanced Topics in Meteorology and Climatology (6 hours-non-Geography electives may be considered with approval of the minor coordinator)
- GEOG 202 - Resource Use and Management
- GEOG 311 - Atmospheric Hazards
- GEOG 315 - Geomorphology
- GEOG 316 - Introduction to Biogeography
- GEOG 411 - Hydrology
- GEOG 417 - River Landscapes
- GEOG 427 - Internship (with approval of the minor coordinator)
- GEOG 429 - Storm Chasing and Assessment
- GEOG 430 - Global Climate Change
- GEOG 452 - Topics in Physical Geography (with approval of the minor coordinator)
Elective Courses (3 hours)
- GEOG 401 - Geography of Development
- GEOG 403 - Advanced Urban Geography
- GEOG 404 - Medical Geography
- GEOG 405 - Geography of Food
- GEOG 418 - Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
- GEOG 422 - Remote Sensing & Digital Image
- GEOG 424 - Vector Based Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
- GEOG 425 - Raster Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
- GEOG 451 - Topics in Human Geography (with approval of the minor coordinator)
- GEOG 454 - Topics in Geographic Techniques (with approval of the minor coordinator)
Minor in Urban Studies
The Urban Studies minor at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is an interdisciplinary program dedicated to the cultivation of knowledge and skills pertaining to urban issues at the local, national, and global scales. A minor in Urban Studies will help prepare students to be informed, thoughtful, and engaged participants in an urban world by providing a broad program of study encompassing the social, cultural, geographical, historical, political, economic, and planning dimensions of cities and urban life.
Students desiring a minor in Urban Studies must complete 6 credit hours of required core courses and at least 12 credit hours of elective courses for a minimum 18 credit hours. Courses taken to fulfill minor requirements must come from at least two different academic departments. Students must pass all courses with a grade of “C” or better. Courses already counted toward a student’s major cannot be counted again for this minor unless approved by both the student's major program advisor and the Urban Studies Coordinator. Courses not listed among the electives may be acceptable if approved by the Urban Studies Coordinator.
For additional information and advisement, please contact: Dr. James Hanlon (Email: jhanlon@siue.edu / Phone: 618-650-2943).
Core Course Requirements (6 credit hours):
- GEOG 303 Introduction to Urban Geography
Any one of the following (remaining courses may be taken to fulfill elective requirements):
- GEOG 403 Advanced Urban Geography
- POLS 344 Urban Politics
- SOC 335 Urban Sociology
Elective Course Requirements (minimum 12 credit hours):
- ANTH 332 Origins of Old World Cities and States
- ANTH 333 Origins of New World Cities and States
- ANTH 411 Urban Anthropology
- CE 376 Transportation
- CJ 366 Race and Class in Criminal Justice
- CNST 264 Construction Surveying
- CNST 415 Land Development
- ECON 327 Social Economics: Issues in Income, Employment and Social Policy
- ECON 445 Economics of the Public Sector: State and Local
- EPFR 320 Foundations of Education in a Multicultural Society
- GEOG 402 Cultural Landscape
- GEOG 403 Advanced Urban Geography
- HIST 434a Modern Twentieth Century American History (1896-1945)
- HIST 434b Modern Twentieth Century American History (1945-present)
- HIST 442 The Black Urban Experience
- HIST 470 Preserving the American Past
- POLS 320 Introduction to Public Administration
- POLS 342 Issues in American Public Policy
- POLS 344 Urban Politics
- SOCW 303 Human Behavior in the Social Environment II
- SOCW 390 Diversity and Issues of Social and Economic Justice
- SOC 304 Race and Ethnic Relations
- SOC 309 Social Inequality
- SOC 335 Urban Sociology
Because the following courses have variable content, they require advance approval by the Coordinator of the Urban Studies minor:
- ANTH 350 Applied Anthropology
- CJ 390 Special Topics in Criminal Justice
- GEOG 451 Topics in Human Geography
- HIST 400 Topics in History
- PAPA 499 Seminar in Public Administration
