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Geography: Dynamic Field, or Rocks for Jocks? |
| by Kirk Bangstad E Online Classes Columnist There is good reason to believe that the most famous current geography student is Prince William of the United Kingdom, who currently attends the University of St. Andrews in Scotland. He might have been edged out, however, if he had attended school about 20 years ago. Basketball great Michael Jordan also studied geography at NC-Chapel Hill. These and countless numbers of other people have and will study geography in college. The question is, however, why do they do it? Do people study geography to increase their knowledge of the earth, its natural wonders, and the borders between sovereign states; or do they study it because it's a less difficult major than others? This question will undoubtedly irritate many lifelong geologists, but empirical evidence shows that a number of star college athletes who received pretty bad grades in college, among them English rugby player Rob Andrew, majored in geography. Geography Education is becoming more DiverseAlright--enough geography bashing. This field of study, as surprising as it may sound, is actually growing. It's true that as far as mapping out the Earth's oceans, mountains, countries, etc., there's not a whole lot of work left to do. Satellites have become pretty good at doing that work for us. What people may not realize is that there are a number of other geography subfields that still require ongoing study. These fields include human geography, urban geography, and economic geography, for example. Also, students need to take geography classes while growing up to get a better sense of the world around them.Go Ahead, Get your Geography DegreeYes, this college major is sometimes called "Rocks for Jocks," but don't let that discourage you. There is plenty of academically challenging work to be done in this field, and there will always be a demand for geography teachers. If you want to get a good geography education, check out the different programs in your area. Don't forget to also look at your online learning options. A number of online colleges have built great reputations over the years.About the Author Kirk Bangstad is an artist manager and singer working in Chicago, IL. His previous experience includes consulting for technology companies in the Silicon Valley and serving as a field director and publicist for a statewide political campaign. Kirk holds a B.A. in government from Harvard University. |
