Geography

Geographers are interested in the interrelationships between humans and their environment, including the physical environment, the built environment, and socially-constructed spaces. Geography’s perspective is inherently spatial, but may address issues from local to global scales. The Honors Tutorial program in Geography offers students an opportunity to explore the breadth of this dynamic field, while at the same time, gain proficiency in a selected subfield. The tutorial program in geography prepares talented and highly motivated students for graduate study or for employment in the public or private sector.

Tutorials

Over the course of the four-year program, students enroll in one tutorial per semester, including one fixed-content introductory seminar – History of Geographic Thought – taken in their first semester. In their fourth year, students use their final two tutorials to conduct original research and write a thesis. All other tutorials are “electives” that are selected in consultation with the student’s Director of Studies (DOS). One of these may be taken from a department or college outside of geography. In addition, students also take upper-level classes in geography and cognate fields in accordance with an academic plan agreed upon by the student and the DOS.

With regard to tutorial electives, the options available to students reflect the diverse teaching and research interests of the program’s faculty. These interests span a broad range of systematic and technical specializations, including nature and society studies; cultural and political ecology; geographic information science and remote sensing; environment and development, international migration, gender and development; environmental planning; rural livelihoods and urban environments; landscape ecology; biogeography and landforms; and meteorology and climatology. Geographers at Ohio University explore these fields in a variety of regional contexts, including Latin America, Southeast Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, Western Europe, North America, and Antarctica. Students may elect to build tutorials around these broad themes or construct more narrowly-focused inquiries depending on their individual needs and interests.

Eligibility

Applicants are selected by the program DOS in consultation with the Dean of the Honors Tutorial College. In addition to a superior academic record (minimum 3.5 GPA, a minimum score of 30 on the ACT or 1300 on the SAT, and a class rank in the top 10%), committee members look for students who are highly motivated and exhibit the potential to conduct independent research. An essay and a personal interview with the DOS are required for entry as a freshman. Letters of recommendation are also required. Although this is a four-year program, consideration will be given to applicants of first-semester Ohio University freshman.

Requirements

Eight tutorials, seven of which must be in Geography, are required. A Senior Thesis also must be completed under the direction of a faculty advisor and approved by the DOS and the Dean of the Honors Tutorial College. In addition, students are expected to take a minimum of six upper-division Geography courses, including one each from the program’s “human,” “physical,” and “technique” offerings. Additional courses in cognate fields are recommended, selected in consultation with the faculty advisor.

Evaluation and Grading

With respect to tutorials, students are graded on the basis of their oral and written performance, as well as the development of their “critical thinking” skills. While the exact grading criteria may vary from one tutor to the next, these criteria are clearly articulated in the syllabus created by each individual tutor. In other academic settings (e.g., classes and seminars) students will adhere to the requirements set forth by individual instructors.

Applications

The deadline for applications is December 1. Interviews are held in January.

Further Information

Dr. Geoff Buckley
Department of Geography and Program in Environmental Studies
Ohio University
Clippinger Labs 109
Athens, OH 45701
(740) 593-9846
buckleyg@ohio.edu

Also visit the Department of Geography.