Online Social Science Degrees in Geography

• Remote sensing specialists: these specialists gather data from satellites to measure temperature, air moisture, and weather patterns
• Surveyors: by using tools equipped with Global Positioning System (GPS) technology, surveyors evaluate land for building projects, legal boundaries, and many other reasons
• Urban and regional planners: these workers figure out how to construct public buildings and roads according to population trends, building-code restrictions, and economic projections

Traditional geography careers include:

• Cultural geographers: look at the geography of cultural phenomena
• Economic geographers: focus on resource distribution and economies
• Medical geographers: look at how the environment affects health, the causes and control of epidemics, and health care delivery systems
• Physical geographers: study climate, soil, vegetation, and landforms and their consequences for human activity
• Political geographers: study how geography affects political phenomena
• Regional geographers: the term region is misleading since it may indicate a district or an entire continent, but these geographers look at the physical, economic, political, and cultural characters of that area.

Geography Degrees and Career Training

Online and traditional degrees in geography may offer specialized career training for the job you hope to pursue. For example, if you want to study remote sensing, take a significant number of courses in statistics, geometry, and matrix math to supplement your geography degree.

Most geographers require training in GIS technology, which can allow them to create computerized maps to track information ranging from weather patterns to environmental hazards, traffic to population growth and natural resources. In addition, just about all geographers, no matter their specialty, need knowledge of mathematics and quantitative research methods.

To teach geography at the post-secondary level, typically requires a PhD. Bachelor's degrees tend to lead to very basic, entry-level positions in the social sciences with most employers preferring to hire those with at least a master's degree. Remember, even after earning your college degree, you might need to pass a certification test to become eligible for a job. Make sure to double-check the certification requirements for your state before starting your job search.

Geography Career Prospects

Geographers make up the smallest number of social scientists, with only 1,100 employed in 2006. However, in 2007 geographers earned a median salary of $66,440. There are very few positions for geographers outside of the federal government, and the field is growing more slowly than the national average for all occupations, with only 6 percent job growth predicted from 2006 to 2016. Those with GIS training should have the best opportunities since they can work in nontraditional areas, such as an emergency assistant, which involves tracking emergency vehicles and their distance from the emergency. They may have the job title of "GIS analyst" instead of "geographer."

Other geography careers include working for real estate developers, utilities, and telecommunications firms, advising on where to build roads, cable lines, landfills, and even where to preserve wetland habitats.

• BA / Social Science - Geography