Expanded scope of the field is discussed by Geography/Regional Planning Department professor John Benhart and alumnus Darin Palilla, Pittsburgh GIS analyst 1:56, 4.7 MB
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The career prospects in the fields of geography and planning are presently very good.
In geography, there is a high demand in the public and private sectors for graduates who have the skills to work with geospatial technology and geographic databases. There are also many opportunities for students who would like work in environmental science/management or are interested in building sustainable local and regional economies. Planners are needed at all levels of government—local, county, regional, state, and federal—and are crucial players in decision-making processes. Planning jobs are available anywhere in the country, from Indiana, Pennsylvania, to San Diego, California.
The geography undergraduate program includes a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree and a minor in which students receive instruction in aspects of the discipline. The B.A. program is organized into tracks, or areas of emphasis, that students can pursue. These are Geographic Information Systems/Cartography, Environmental Geography, Economic Geography, and a General Geography track where students can choose any combination of electives. The Regional Planning undergraduate program offers Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degrees in the following tracks: Economic Developer, Environmental Planner, GIS/Cartography, and Town Manager.
The department’s master’s program includes both Masters of Science (M.S.) and Master of Arts (M.A.) options, as well as thesis and non-thesis options. The M.S. degree program is organized into tracks similar to the undergraduate program. These are: GIS/Cartography, Environmental Planning, and Regional Planning. The M.A. program has the same core courses as the M.S., but it provides the student with the opportunity to choose from elective courses.
Please contact any of the faculty or staff with any questions that you may have regarding the program. We welcome additional inquiries via e-mail, phone, or personal visit (please contact Missy Bair, the departmental secretary, at mbair@iup.edu to set up a visit). We look forward to seeing you on the ground floor of Leonard Hall on the IUP campus soon.
Additional information for prospective graduate students.