Geography

Geographers use tools such as mapping, Geographic Information Systems, and community interviews to study natural and human patterns as they vary over geographic space as well as the interaction between humans and their natural environments.

About the Major

The Geography Major emphasizes four themes that together provide a means of understanding the complex relationships between human activities and the earth’s natural environment:

  • The spatial and temporal patterns of earth’s physical environments
  • Human impacts on the physical environment
  • The organization and development of cultural regions, landscapes, and urban areas on the surface of the earth
  • Cartography, remote sensing and Geographic Information Systems (GIS).

The major provides a broad base for graduate study in Geography and many other natural and social sciences. Students are prepared for careers in urban and regional planning, environmental and resource management, Geographic Information Systems, and areas of business that deal with location (logistics).

Related Minors

Think Big

Through The OWU Connection, you have the opportunity to connect one-on-one with faculty to pursue your research interests and create new knowledge.

Geography majors typically engage in an extended research project, including Summer Science Research, Theory-to-Practice Grants, Departmental Honors projects, or diverse independent studies and internships.

Research & Independent Study Summer Science Research

Reforestation in Chile

Jackson Hotaling ’17 applied remote sensing methodologies to study the effects over five years of reforestation and other land restoration efforts in the Chacabuco Valley—the site of a proposed National Park—within Chilean Patagonia.

Research with Drones

Geography major Christian Gehrke ’15 used a drone to develop high-resolution maps in Ohio and Costa Rica with faculty members Nathan Rowley and John Krygier.

Remote Sensing and Community Engagement

Lucas Farmer '19 presented an iCubed lecture about his time spent using drones to map the islands of Belize while serving as an International Community Scholar.

Watch the Video

Forecasting Extreme Cold

Dianyi Li ’18 worked with Dr. Nathan Rowley on her research project examining the climatic factors that led to an extreme cold wave in South China in January 2016.

Measuring Glacial Melt

Christopher Pessell '18 worked with Professor Nathan Rowley to study the growth of supraglacial lakes in the West Central ablation zone (or melting zone) of the Greenland Ice Sheet. Eight separate instances of growth were recorded.

Go Global

From your first year on campus, you can get off campus—with Travel-Learning Courses. Journey to a distant land and immerse yourself in another culture. Learn how classroom theory truly connects with real-world experience.

Field trips are also part of many geography courses, including Urban Geography, Cultural Geography, and Environmental Alteration.

Travel-Learning Courses Theory-to-Practice Grants

Costa Rica

Faculty members Nathan Rowley and John Krygier traveled with students to Bahia Ballena, Costa Rica, to help collect environmental data to assess environmental change—and impacts of climate change—with OWU graduate Amy Work '04, Director of the environmental nonprofit organization GeoPorter.

Studying Environmental Alterations

Students in Dr. Rowley's Environmental Alterations classes traveled to Costa Rica in 2018 to study sustainability, responsible tourism, and local economies.

Drone Mapping

Lucas Farmer '19 (left) and Austin Riegel '21 (middle) joined Dr. Rowley to chart new courses in Bahia Ballena, Costa Rica over Spring Break.

Department Contact Info

Location

Schimmel/Conrades Science Center 202
Ohio Wesleyan University
Delaware, OH 43015

Department Contacts

Interim Chair: Nathan Rowley
Associate Professor of Environment & Sustainability
Schimmel/Conrades Science Center 202
740-368-3619 | nrowley@owu.edu

Academic Assistant: Joshua Seiders
Schimmel/Conrades Science Center 201
740-368-3907 | jjseiders@owu.edu