Geography Major, BA

Geography Core

Admission to the Major

All students who wish to major in geography must:

1. Have a 2.25 minimum GPA in all coursework taken up to the time of admission
2. Apply for acceptance into the geography major
3. Upon acceptance into the program, meet with their assigned advisor to develop a major contract
4. Earn a C- or higher grade in each of the courses in their major contract

Department-approved Electives

Must include one upper-division geography course in each of the five subfields: regional, physical, human, resource, and techniques.

Total Credits: 65

Geography Department Information

College of the Sciences
Ellensburg
Dean Hall, room 301
Mail Stop 7420
509-963-1188
Fax: 509-963-1047
www.cwu.edu/geography
    See website for how this program may be used for educational and career purposes.

Faculty and Staff
Interim Chair
John Bowen, PhD

Professors
Anthony Gabriel, PhD, hydrology, lake and river ecosystems, coastal and wetlands management
Robert Hickey, PhD, environmental impacts, coastal zones, GIS, Australia 


Karl Lillquist, PhD, physical geography, geomorphology, soils, environmental change in arid and alpine watersheds
Michael Pease, water resources, watershed planning and analysis, environmental law

Associate Professors
John Bowen, PhD, economic geography, transportation geography, Asia
Jennifer Lipton, PhD, cultural ecology, remote sensing, climate change, Latin America
Craig Revels, PhD, cultural-historical geography, landscape, Latin America
Megan Walsh, PhD, biogeography, paleoecology, NW fire history, climate change
 


Assistant Professors
Elvin E. Delgado, PhD, political ecology, energy and capitalism, political economy and nature, critical resource geography, health geography

Senior Lecturers

Holly English, MS, environmental policy and energy resources
Elaine Glenn, MS, political geography, world regional geography, Middle East, Russia

Emeritus Faculty
James Brooks, PhD
Dee Eberhart, MA
Kenneth Hammond, PhD
James Huckabay, PhD
Nancy Hultquist, PhD
Robert Kuhlken, PhD
John Ressler, PhD
Morris Uebelacker, PhD

Staff 

David Cordner, instructional and classroom support technician III
Monica Reece-Bruya, secretary senior

Department Information
An understanding of geography is integral to an educated person’s ability to live and act effectively in today’s changing world. Abroad range of human, environmental, and technological factors are at work shaping the future of our planet, and it is the mission of the department of geography to prepare students to be active participants in that emerging future. Geography’s traditional concern with human-environment interactions, the interrelationships between places, and the associated impacts and problems of these processes provides important insights into today’s complex societal challenges. the department emphasizes critical thinking and applied approaches to analysis, while providing our graduates with the skills necessary to deal with issues at scales ranging from local to global.

Courses in the department of geography introduce students to world regions such as Asia and Latin America while also providing a fuller understanding for the patterns and relationships of our home region, the Pacific Northwest. We emphasize field learning and a holistic approach to the physical and societal characteristics of places. Majors in geography hone their written, verbal, and map communication skills while gaining proficiency in specialized tools such as geographic information systems (GIS) and remote sensing technology. Skills in geospatial analysis are useful in addressing a wide range of problems, from choosing a location for a neighborhood coffee shop to minimizing damage from wildfire to assessing the likely impacts of climate change.

The department maintains a state-of-the-art lab for instruction in GIS, air photo interpretation, remote sensing, and quantitative methods. Students also learn from and collaborate with faculty members in the department’s well-equipped soils, paleoecology, and hydrology labs. The department also encourages students to connect their geography training with related university programs, especially those in which the department is an active participant, including : Environmental Studies, Energy Studies, Asia/Pacific Studies, Latin American Studies, International Studies and Programs, and the Resource Management Graduate Program.

Upon graduation, geography majors work in a wide range of careers, with particular success in geospatial data analysis (e.g. computer mapping and GIS), urban and regional planning, and employment in local, state, and federal government agencies. In addition, the interdisciplinary nature of geography provides many other opportunities for our majors, including graduate school.

All students who wish to major in geography must:

1. Have a 2.25 minimum GPA in all coursework taken up to the time of admission
2. Apply for acceptance into the geography major
3. Upon acceptance into the program, meet with their assigned advisor to develop a major contract
4. Earn a C- or higher grade in each of the courses in their major contract

College of the Sciences Information

Administration and Organization

Dean
Tim Englund, PhD (Dean Hall, room 130)

Associate Dean
Mike Harrod (Dean Hall, room 130)

Associate Dean
Martha Kurtz, PhD (Dean Hall, room 130)

Staff
Brad Weekly, development officer
Velma Henry, administrative assistant
Cindy Klein, fiscal specialist
Janis Orthmann, administrative assistant
Colleen Falconer, program coordinator
Dannica Price, event coordinator

Mail Stop 7519
509-963-1866
Fax: 509-963-1977
www.cwu.edu/sciences

The College of the Sciences (COTS) is comprised of 13 departments and 12 interdisciplinary programs representing disciplines in the behavioral, natural, and social sciences, and mathematics. The departments and programs of the college offer undergraduate baccalaureate degrees, master’s degrees, minors that supplement other degree programs, and a comprehensive range of service coursework. As an essential part of its mission, the college offers an extensive general education curriculum. The departments play a major role in Central’s Teacher Certification Programs, offering bachelors and master’s degrees for students preparing to be secondary teachers and providing coursework in educational foundations and discipline-specific content and methods.

Departments within the college are committed to teaching excellence, active engagement by faculty in research, scholarship and professional service activities, student involvement in research, community service, and employing practical applications of academic specializations.
 

Departments
All departments offer baccalaureate degree programs and, in some cases, minors, educational specialist degrees and master’s degrees. In addition to consulting department/program headings in this catalog, students are encouraged to contact individual departments and program offices directly.

Anthropology and Museum Studies: Kathleen Barlow, PhD, Dean Hall, room 356, 509-963-3201
Biological Sciences: James Johnson, PhD, Science Building, room 338, 509-963-2731
Chemistry: Levente Fabry-Asztalos, PhD, Science Building, room 302, 509-963-2811
Computer Science: Aaron Montgomery, PhD, Hebeler Hall, room 219, 509-963-1495
Geography: John Bowen, PhD, Dean Hall, room 301, 509-963-1188
Geological Sciences: Carey Gazis, PhD, Lind Hall, room 108B, 509-963-2701
Law and Justice: James Huckabay, PhD, Farrell Hall, room 300, 509-963-3208
Mathematics: Stuart Boersma, PhD, Bouillon Hall, room 108, 509-963-2103
Physics: Bruce Palmquist, PhD, Lind Hall, room 201A, 509-963-2727
Political Science: Todd Schaefer, PhD, Psychology Building, room 415, 509-963-2408
Psychology: Stephanie Stein, PhD, Psychology Building, room 421, 509-963-2381
Science Education: Bruce Palmquist, PhD, Science Building, room 107, 509-963-2929
Sociology: Delores Cleary, PhD, Farrell Hall, room 409, 509-963-1305

Interdisciplinary Programs
These programs offer specialized coursework, interdisciplinary baccalaureate majors or minors, master’s degrees or research, and public service functions.

American Indian Studies: Toni Culjak, PhD, Language and Literature, room 408D, 509-963-1531
Center for Excellence in Science and Mathematics Education: Martha Kurtz, PhD, Dean Hall, room 130, 509-963-2135
Environmental Studies: Carey Gazis, PhD, Lind Hall, room 108B, 509-963-2701
or Pam McMullin-Messier, PhD, Farrell Hall, room 441, 509-963-2222
Ethnic Studies: Nelson Pichardo, PhD, Farrell Hall, room 440, 509-963-1348
Interdisciplinary Studies - Social Sciences: Steve Schepman, PhD, Psychology Building, room 429, 509-963-2389
Museum of Culture and Environment: Mark Auslander, PhD, Dean Hall, room 334, 509-963-3209
Primate Behavior and Ecology Program: Lori Sheeran, PhD, Dean Hall, room 335, 509-963-1434
Resource Management Program: Karl Lillquist, PhD, Dean Hall, room 319, 509-963-1184
or Steve Hackenberger, PhD, Dean Hall, room 349, 509-963-3224
Science Talent Expansion Program (STEP): Lucinda Carnell, PhD, Science, room 338G, 509-963-2821
Women’s and Gender Studies: Judith Hennessey, PhD, Farrell Hall, room 436, 509-963-1574

Affiliated Centers and Institutes
Center for Spatial Information and Research: Anthony Gabriel, PhD, Dean Hall, room 320, 509-963-1166
Center for the Environment: Anne Johnasen, PhD, Science, room 207D, 509-963-2164
Central Washington Archaeological Survey, Anthropology: Patrick McCutcheon, PhD, Dean Hall, room 340, 509-963-2075
or Steve Hackenberger, PhD, Dean Hall, room 349, 509-963-3224
Community Counseling and Psychological Assessment Center: Heath Marrs, PhD, Psychology Building, room 346, 509-963-2349
or Elizabeth Haviland, PhD, Psychology Building, room 118, 509-963-2371
Geodesy Laboratory and Pacific Northwest Geodetic Array (PANGA) Data Analysis Facility: Tim Melbourne, PhD, Hebeler Hall, room 110A, 509-963-2799
Health Career Resources: Keith Monosky, PhD, Dorothy Purser Hall, room 108, 509-963-1145