1. Carolina Core (32-44 hours)

Effective, Engaged, and Persuasive Communication: Written — CMW (6 hours)

must be passed with a grade of C or higher​

• any CC-CMW courses

Analytical Reasoning and Problem Solving — ARP (6-8 hours) 

• MATH 122 - Calculus for Business Administration and Social Sciences  OR MATH 141 - Calculus I  
• MATH 142 - Calculus II  OR MATH 170 - Finite Mathematics  OR MATH 172 - Mathematical Modeling for the Life Sciences  

Scientific Literacy — SCI (8 hours)

• Two 4-credit hour CC-SCI courses 

Global Citizenship and Multicultural Understanding: Foreign Language — GFL (0-6 hours)

Demonstration of proficiency in one foreign language equivalent to the minimal passing grade on the exit examination in the 122 course is required. Students can demonstrate this proficiency by successfully completing Phase II of the Proficiency Test or by successfully completing the 122 course, including the exit exam administered as part of that course.

• CC-GFL courses

​It is strongly recommended that students continuing the study of a foreign language begin college-level study of that language in their first semester and continue in that language until their particular foreign language requirement is completed.

Global Citizenship and Multicultural Understanding: Historical Thinking — GHS (3 hours) 

• any CC-GHS course

Global Citizenship and Multicultural Understanding: Social Sciences — GSS (3 hours) 

• any CC-GSS course

Aesthetic and Interpretive Understanding —  AIU (3 hours)

• any CC-AIU course

Effective, Engaged, and Persuasive Communication: Spoken Component* — CMS (0-3 hours)

• any overlay or stand-alone CC-CMS course

Information Literacy* —  INF (0-3 hours)

• any overlay or stand-alone CC-INF course

Values, Ethics, and Social Responsibility* — VSR (0-3 hours)

• any overlay or stand-alone CC-VSR course

*Carolina Core Stand Alone or Overlay Eligible Requirements — Overlay-approved courses offer students the option of meeting two Carolina Core components in a single course. A maximum of two overlays is allowed. The total Carolina Core credit hours must add up to a minimum of 31 hours. Some programs may have a higher number of minimum Carolina Core hours due to specified requirements.

Choose at least 1 of the following to fulfill a Carolina Core requirement:

must be passed with a grade of C or higher

• GEOG 103 - Introduction to Geography  (CC-GSS)
• GEOG 104 - Introduction to Physical Geography  (CC-SCI)
• GEOG 105 - The Digital Earth  (CC-ARP)
• GEOG 121 - Globalization and World Regions  (CC-GSS)
• GEOG 201 - Landform Geography  (CC-SCI)
• GEOG 202 - Weather and Climate  (CC-SCI)
• GEOG 210 - Peoples, Places, and Environments  (CC-GSS)

2. College Requirements (15-18 hours)

Foreign Language (0-3 hours) 

• only if needed to meet 122-level proficiency

Analytical Reasoning (6 hours)

• STAT 201 - Elementary Statistics  (or equivalent) or higher
• CSCE 102 - General Applications Programming  (or equivalent) or higher

History (3 hours) 

The College of Arts and Sciences requires one U.S. History and one non-U.S. History course. Whichever is not fulfilled through the Carolina Core GHS requirement must be fulfilled through this college requirement. Accordingly, please select one of the following:

• One Carolina Core GHS-approved course primarily focused on U.S. History: HIST 111 , 112 , 214 , or another GHS-approved course determined by the College of Arts and Science to fit this geographic category.

OR

• One Carolina Core GHS-approved course primarily focused on non-U.S. History: HIST 101 , 102 , 104 , 105 , 106 , 108 , 109 , GERM 280 , FAMS 300 , or another GHS-approved course determined by the College of Arts and Sciences to fit this geographic category.

Social Science and Fine Arts or Humanities (6 hours)

Courses Acceptable for Social Science and Fine Arts or Humanities Credit in Degree Programs in the College of Arts and Sciences  

• Three hours of Social Science
• Three hours of Fine Arts or Humanities

3. Program Requirements (33-49 hours)

Cognate or Minor (12-18 hours)

Cognate

The cognate is intended to support the course work in the major. The cognate must consist of twelve (12) hours of courses at the advanced level, outside of but related to the major. The cognate may be taken in one or more departments or programs, depending on the interests of the student and the judgment of the advisor.

Courses offered by departments and programs that are acceptable for cognate credit are outlined in the section titled Courses Acceptable for Cognate Credit in Degree Programs in the College of Arts and Sciences .

For cognate course offerings in other colleges, consult the appropriate sections of this bulletin. Some major programs have specific cognate requirements.

It should be emphasized that the cognate is not a second set of elective courses to be chosen at random by the student. The cognate must be approved by the major advisor as being related to the major field of study. Students are urged to consult their major advisors for specific requirements in their major.

Courses applied toward general education requirements cannot be counted toward the cognate.

For Bachelor of Science degrees, grades of D are acceptable for completion of the cognate requirement, except where restricted by the major program.

Minor

In place of the cognate a student in the College of Arts and Sciences may choose a minor consisting of at least 18 credit hours of prescribed courses. (Some minors in the sciences require a minimum of16 hours.) The subject area of the minor may be related to the major. Students pursuing interdisciplinary minors who wish to use courses in their major department for minor credit must petition the College Committee on Scholastic Standards and Petitions for permission to do so.

The minor is intended to develop a coherent basic preparation in a second area of study. It differs from the cognate inasmuch as the courses must be concentrated in one area and must follow a structured sequence. Interdisciplinary minors can be designed with the approval of the assistant dean for academic affairs and advising.

Courses applied toward general education requirements cannot be counted toward the minor. No course may satisfy both major and minor requirements. All minor courses must be passed with a grade of C or higher. At least half of the courses in the minor must be completed in residence at the University

A list of minor programs of study can be found at Programs A-Z .

Electives (15-37 hours)

No courses of a remedial, developmental, skill-acquiring, or vocational nature may apply as credit toward degrees in the College of Arts and Sciences. The College of Arts and Sciences allows the use of the Pass-Fail option on elective courses. Further clarification on inapplicable courses can be obtained from the College of Arts and Sciences.

Note: 4-25 hours of electives will be needed to reach hours to graduate, if completing the B.S. with Distinction.

4. Major Requirements (24-25 hours)

A minimum grade of C is required in all major courses.

Concentrations (24-25 hours)

Students must choose one of the following three concentrations:

General Geography (24 hours)

At least two courses for the major must be from the 500-level. GEOG 595 can be used to fulfill up to 3 hours of geography elective credit, but not the 500-level requirement.

• GEOG 495 - Seminar in Geography  
• Geography Elective* (6 hours): Select two courses at the 200-level or above with advisor’s approval.
• Select 15 hours from the following*: GEOG 285, 310, 311, 312, 313, 321, 324, 330, 333  , 337  , 341, 343, 344, 345, 346, 347, 348, 349, 351, 360, 363, 365, 370, 371, 378, 510, 511, 512, 515, 516, 521, 525, 530, 531, 535, 541, 542, 544, 545, 546, 547, 549, 551, 552, 554, 556, 560, 561, 562, 563, 564, 565, 566, 567, 568, 569, 570, 571, 573, 575, 581, 590.

*Courses used to fulfill Carolina Core or College Requirements may not be used again to fulfill these requirements.

Geographic Information Science (24-25 hours)

At least two courses for the major must be from the 500-level. GEOG 595 can be used to fulfill up to 3 hours of geography elective credit, but not the 500-level requirement.

• GEOG 363 - Geographic Information Systems  
• Two of the following (6 hours):
  • GEOG 341 - Cartography  
  • GEOG 345 - Interpretation of Aerial Photographs  
  • GEOG 531 - Quantitative Methods in Geographic Research  
• Three of the following (9 hours): GEOG 285, 349, 535, 541, 542, 551, 552, 554, 556, 562, 563, 564, 565, 575 (GEOG 341, 345 or 531 may be used if not used above)
• GEOG 495 - Seminar in Geography  
• Geography Elective (3-4 hours): Select one non-GIScience course at the 200-level or above with advisor’s approval.

Physical/Environmental Geography (24 hours)

At least two courses for the major must be from the 500-level. GEOG 595 can be used to fulfill up to 3 hours of geography elective credit, but not the 500-level requirement.

• Select one course from (3 hours):
  • GEOG 341 - Cartography  
  • GEOG 345 - Interpretation of Aerial Photographs  
  • GEOG 363 - Geographic Information Systems  
  • GEOG 551 - Principles of Remote Sensing  
• GEOG 495 - Seminar in Geography  
• Select 5-6 courses (18 hours) from the following: GEOG 330, 343, 346, 347, 348, 360, 365, 370, 371, 516, 530, 535, 545, 546, 547, 549, 566, 567, 568, 569, 570, 571, 573, and 590. (Geography 201 or 202 may be used if not used to satisfy Carolina Core or College Requirements.)

BS with Distinction in Geography (36 hours)

Available to students majoring in Geography who wish to participate in significant research activities in their major field under the supervision of a faculty mentor.

Prerequisite:

A minimum GPA of 3.50 in the major, and 3.30 cumulative, is required to apply for a BA or BS with Distinction in Geography.

Requirements:

• Students must submit a written application for the BS with Distinction in Geography at least eight months before completion of the degree.
• Written sponsorship agreement from a Geography faculty mentor on file in the department.
• An established thesis committee consisting of a tenure-track faculty member in Geography and at least one other tenure-track or research faculty member at the University of South Carolina.
• A written thesis demonstrating significant original work and approved by the thesis committee. 
• A public presentation of the Senior Thesis research.
• Successful fulfillment of all requirements below with a minimum GPA of 3.50 in the major and 3.30 cumulative.
• General major requirements, plus 12 additional credit hours including:
  • A minimum of nine credit hours in GEOG 498 , or any GEOG 500-level courses (9 hours)
  • GEOG 499 - Senior Thesis  (3 hours)

Note: South Carolina Honors College students satisfying the above requirements will graduate with “Honors from the South Carolina Honors College” and with “Distinction in Geography.”