Any geography majors? (bachelors, PhD, middle school, graduates)

[Crew Chief]

Originally Posted by k350

I assure you after living myself in Europe for a few years and traveling to every country there that it certainly is not mostly tourists that use mass transit.

Most of my friends and co-workers there did not even own cars or any sort of motorized transportation, only a few had bicycles even, they just used mass transit the same as I did while living there.

Rush hour was always glorious and fun on the mass transit system.

K350, i had the pleasure of living in Germany for almost 10 years, courtesy of the USAF. Mass transit works VERY well in Europe. I sure wish we'd do more to implement it here in the U.S. (I wouldn't DREAM of driving in Munich or Cologne; we always took the train!)

[bobmulk]

God, I am so envious of all of you. I'm like Spade (Spade, I sent you a direct message). I have always been fascinated by geography, population statistics, income, mapping, ad infinitum. I've been purchasing the World Almanac since 1972. I have the Census Bureau on my 'Favorites' list on my computer and every year I create all these population charts reflecting new estimates for cities in Oregon, Washington and California. I'm now doing it for all counties and cities in the nation.

I got a degree in Sociology with a minor in Geography from Oregon State in 1982. I have never been able to use it or find anyone who could help me. Everyone would look at my blankly. Even my "advisor" in college was nonplussed and incapable of helping me.

I'm forty-nine now and upset and frustrated that I've never been able to do what I feel I'm designed to do. Unfortunately, my current situation does not allow me to go back to school. I've thought of trying to find some company that could use me as a contractor (work on the side, online or something similar) doing SOMETHING to satisfy this desire.

Does anyone have any ideas?

By the way, thank God for all of you. I am not alone.

[k350]

Originally Posted by Crew Chief

K350, i had the pleasure of living in Germany for almost 10 years, courtesy of the USAF. Mass transit works VERY well in Europe. I sure wish we'd do more to implement it here in the U.S. (I wouldn't DREAM of driving in Munich or Cologne; we always took the train!)

After rereading your original post I replied to, I realize I misunderstood the context of what you were saying!

Call it a DUH! moment.

[talktobrent]

i'm a geography major and i just wanted to put my 2 cents in on GIS. Yea, if you go the GIS route you will probably have a good job right out of college. I took a GIS class and I realized i hated it. The thing about GIS is it's driven by data. I'm a visual, big picture learner (which brought me to geography in the first place), I'm not a statistics/math guy. My opinion in that stats/math majors and technical types in general will actually ENJOY GIS more than most geography majors. Learning to use GIS software is similar learning CAD, photoshop, or any other kind of professional software tool.

[ertily]

Not too many physical Geographers have weighed in yet. I have a BA in Geography and it is good to see it go full circle. Back in my day we did all Cartography with scribing and ink. I still have my drafting pens from those days and rub on lettering. About the time I graduated, the big things that was coming out was 'computer Cartography' which everyone was excited about. GIS did not take of until later but I went back to grad school for that.
This goes to show to always follow your interests. I remember many Geography profs tell me they never saw an unemployed Geographer and that the jobs go by less obvious names.
I realized after a number of years that Demography is what interests me and I am now working in that field. GIS is just a tool for that supporting a disciplipline and it is good to put into use.

[EuroExpat]

Geography/GIS major here in the DC area. Will graduate next spring - finally!! Job opportunities in the GIS field are awesome here.

[schmidt486]

anyone found jobs in something other than GIS?

[Mircea]

Originally Posted by schmidt486

Ohio State. I'm a sophomore just getting into my core courses but am always thinking about what I want to do when I am gone.

My specialisation is Urban/Regional Studies, which is a B.A. I'll be taking GIS courses, though. Thinking about grad school as well. Demography peaks my interests, as well.

I wouldn't specialize at the undergraduate level if you intend to peruse a master's. I have BA in International Relations, which is a double major in political science and economic, and a double minor in history and geography. Other than the obligatory introductory courses, most of my geography courses were in imagery and cartography.

With a degree, you can do anything you want. You can be a bank manager, or security director, and in many states you can teach even though you have no education courses.

If you broaden your base a little, you'll have more opportunities. As an Urban Planner, your opportunities are limited to municipalities where job competition is fierce (few openings, lots of qualified candidates). Take a few mass communication courses oriented toward marketing so you can have opportunities in the corporate sector related to demographic market research.

[Mircea]

Originally Posted by ertily

Not too many physical Geographers have weighed in yet.

Too bad, and too bad it's no longer taught in schools. With respect to foreign policy, I'm a constructivist (as opposed to a neo-conservative, neo-liberal institutionalist, or classical conservative/liberal) and physical geography is a key component to understanding the history and development of countries, and the future directions they'll be taking.

Most people ignore how geography impacts development. In the whole of Africa, there isn't one stinking navigable river. I'm sure some idiot will say "the Nile" but you can't navigate from the White or Blue Nile all the way to the Mediterranean Sea, because of the cataracts. In the US, you can start at the Allegheny or Monongahela and sail a few thousand miles into the Ohio then into the Mississippi and on into the Gulf of Mexico. From Germany, you can sail down the Dunarea all the way to the Black Sea and into the Mediterranean.

That has a definite impact on trade, and the ability to transmit culture and innovations.

[EuroExpat]

^^ Very interesting post and so true. I also find it interesting that Russia with its amazing natural resources never became a hegemony.

As for physical geography in general, I believe many choose to study geology or atmospheric sciences instead of physical geography. Yes, a physical geography course is required for geography majors in my school but overall the physical offering isn't that great.

Someone mentioned jobs other than GIS, I believe you can do lots of things with a BA/BS in geography, including regular office work.