Department of Geography

Get immersive exposure to modern techniques in geography, and bridge the social and natural sciences to study interactions between people and their environments.

Colgate students snowshoe to the upper woods of the Colgate University campus during an outdoor session of The Geography of Happiness.
Colgate students snowshoe to the upper woods of the Colgate University campus during an outdoor session of The Geography of Happiness.

Colgate geography students delve into a wide variety of fields: public health; urban planning; hazard and disaster mitigation; international development; geopolitics; physical, biological, human, and nature-society geography; climate science; environmental and social justice; and natural resource management. They acquire a deep understanding of the relationships between humans and their natural and social environments.

As the relationships between humans and physical place evolve, the interdisciplinary skills and knowledge fostered through study of geography are more relevant than ever.

The department offers the following majors and minors:

Majors:

  • Geography
  • Environmental geography

Minors:

  • Geography

 

LEARN ABOUT PROGRAMS IN GEOGRAPHY

 

Department Contacts

Chair:  Mike Loranty
Administrative assistant: Sarah Hughes
Office: 220 Ho Science Center
Phone: 315-228-7201

We started talking about the trails, since we both like to walk on them, and Professor Klepeis said that some of the first-years in his first-semester seminar had gotten lost up there. We thought, well, if there was a better map, maybe people wouldn’t get lost — so I should make one!

Jenna Lilly Class of 2017
Colgate students spend four weeks in Western Australia focusing on the historical geography and the contemporary experience of the Noongar community.
Off-Campus Study

Learn more about off-campus opportunities for immersive study in geography, including through the University of Wollongong in Australia.

Professor Peter Klepeis lectures in the GIS computer lab on the second floor of the Ho Science Center.
Geographic Information Systems

Gain practical experience in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in the GIS and Cartography Lab.

Professor Peter Klepeis teaches a course on "The Geography of Happiness" to first-year students on a sunny afternoon outside the Ho Science Center.
Course Offerings

Learn about both required and elective courses available to students in Colgate geography majors and minors