Bachelor’s in Geography – Earth Science

Geographers explore both the physical properties of the earth and the human societies spread across it. The Bachelor’s in Geography — Earth Science degree, available as a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) or Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), allows you to focus your studies on the earth’s physical environment. Whichever degree you choose, the Earth Science concentration features more courses in physical geography, cartography, and natural resource analysis.

Earth Science is especially beneficial for those interested in careers in environmental assessment, water and land resource evaluation, and environmental conservation and education. This specialization is useful for certain types of professional employment and may facilitate a rapid start in graduate-level research.

b.s. or b.a. — which Earth Science degree is right for you?

The B.S. in Geography — Earth Science degree requires more foundational physical and/or life science courses (such as chemistry and biology or physics) than the B.A. You’ll develop greater depth of knowledge and technical and applied skills in one narrowly focused aspect of geography.

The B.A. in Geography — Earth Science degree offers a broader curriculum, with greater emphasis on analyzing issues that connect geography, climate, and humans’ place in these complex systems.

Whether you choose to pursue your B.S. or B.A. degree in Earth Science, we strongly recommend taking coursework in geographic information science (GIS).

Earth Science PROGRAM DISTINCTIONS

• You’ll have access to up-to-date geographic technology, including an oversized cartographic plotter, GPS equipment, and computers with industry-standard software programs like Arc/Info, ArcView, ERDAS Imagine, ArcGIS, Surfer, AtlasGIS, MapInfo, and ER Mapper.
• State-of-the-art laboratories — like the Carolina Tree-Ring Science Laboratory and the Regolith Analysis Laboratory — offer in-depth geographic analysis using the latest precision instruments.  
• UNC Greensboro is ranked as one of the nation’s most environmentally responsible colleges, according to The Princeton Review, and is featured in its 2025 Green Colleges list.

THE Earth Science STUDENT EXPERIENCE

• One of the hallmarks of UNCG’s Geography, Environment, and Sustainability Department is your ability to study abroad. For example, our two-week summer field school has taken Geography students to the Canadian Rockies, the Central Rocky Mountains, the desert Southwest, and the Pacific Northwest.
• The student-led Geography Club hosts a series of speakers each year from planning departments, environmental agencies, GIS firms, and economic development companies.
• Academically high-achieving students in the B.A. in Geography — Earth Science degree may pursue Disciplinary Honors in Geography.
• Students who excel in the classroom can earn membership into UNCG’s Kappa Phi chapter of Gamma Theta Upsilon (ΓΘΥ), the international honor society in geography. 

AFTER GRADUATIng with your Degree in Earth Science

• Bachelor’s in Geography graduates have found careers in business and industry, urban and regional planning agencies, departments of federal and state governments, and teaching.
• Our Bachelor’s in Geography — Earth Science degree is an excellent foundation for advanced graduate studies — such as our top-ranked online Master’s in Sustainability and Environment, the accelerated BA-to-PhD program, or our graduate Post-Baccalaureate Certificate (PBC) programs — or professional training in planning, business, or law.
• Potential career paths include:
  • GIS Analyst
  • Emergency Management Planner
  • Environmental Planner
  • Remote Sensing Analyst
  • Transportation Manager
  • Urban/City Planner
  • Educator