Geography and Planning

Geography is a complex field that bridges the natural and social sciences. It is a branch of science focused on understanding where phenomena are located, how they got there, where they are going in the future, and why. Geography is the "spatial" science - concerned with place, space, and pattern - and change in pattern over time.

Department specializations

  • Topical areas of study including globalization, international development, the environment, land use and land use change, natural resource conservation, and area studies (Africa, Asia, Europe, Middle East, the Americas).
  • A robust and expanding City and Regional Planning emphasis in the major, a minor, as well as a certificate in Sustainable Planning.
  • Geospatial technologies - geographic information systems (GIS), remote sensing, and cartography. We offer an emphasis in the major, a minor, and a certificate in GIS. Our experience shows that acquiring analytical expertise in geospatial technologies can virtually guarentee a wide range of employment opportunities and increase a student's chances of acceptance into a good graduate school.
  • We excel at providing students opportunities to conduct research and acquire analytical skills. The ability to generate new knowledge through research is the most important skill a student can acquire while in the university. We offer a wide variety of research methods courses.

Our faculty is comprised of area, topical, and technical specialists who are distinguished in their fields. Our area (also called regional) specialists have spent years in the field, have conducted research in their regions and speak at least one language from their region of expertise. The faculty is very student-focused: our main interest is to work closely with students to help them develop as professionals, analysts, and researchers who will make a smooth and successful transition to life after graduation--and make an impact on the world.

Unlike most majors, our graduates find meaningful and well-paid employment, and a career track, with the Bachelors degree. Our graduates are sought after by graduate programs as well. We are pleased that in the competitve application process for graduate schools, most of our students are awarded paid graduate assistantships. Our graduates are capable, particularly in their research and analytical skills, and simply out-compete students from other universities in the graduate application process.

We welcome you to our program and welcome you to come and pay us a visit.

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Dr. Wagendorp honored for his contributions to Michigan GIS

On Novermber 2, 2011, Dr. Wagendorp was recognized in Lansing for his work in Geographic Information Systems (GIS), where he has led the way as a pioneer in the public sector. After developing a GIS resource management tool for the Barry-Eaton Health Department in 1989, he repeated that success for Allegan County and now serves as co-chair of Michigan’s Local and State Government Cross-Boundary Collaboration Steering Committee.

“Dr. Wagendorp is helping us to transform government through partnership across traditional government boundaries,” said Behen. “He has brought tireless energy and passion to his work, embracing the mission to encourage cost-effective and efficient community government.”

Eleven years ago, Dr. Wagendorp co-founded the Michigan Communities Association of Mapping Professionals (Mi-CAMP). Recently he retired from the board after serving for a decade as its president.

Student research:

Three majors presented their scholarly research papers at the annual meeting of the Michigan Academy, Saginaw Valley State University, University Center, Michigan, March 11, 2011. The three students are Zachary Christian-Rotramel, Miles Hunsinger, and Anne Santa Maria.

  • Zachary Christian-Rotramel, "Michigan Inland Lake Water Quality and Surrounding Land Cover Change, 1998 to 2005."  Zach used water quality measurements taken from 15 lakes in 1998 and 2005 and compared change in water quality (if any) with his GIS land use/land cover change analysis of aerial photographs of the same 15 lakes in Michigan.
    Key findings: Lakes that were more urban in 1998 had the greatest decrease in water quality in 2005.
  • Miles Hunsinger, "Effect of Center Line Rumble Strips on Head-on and Sideswipe Automobile Collisions in Michigan, 2004 to 2009."
    Key findings: Center line rumble strips reduced head-on and sideswipe automobile accidents by 18% on average but motorcycle accidents increased by 52%. The Michigan Department of Transportation is very interested in Miles' work because no study has ever been conducted on the impacts of center line rumble strips in Michigan. Miles presented his paper at the Annual Meeting of the Association of American Geographers in Seattle in April, 2011.
  • Anne Santa Maria. "Assessing Campsite Impacts in the Allegheny National Forest: A Critique and Proposal." Anne worked as an intern in summer 2010 in the Allegheny National Forest researching the environmental impacts of campers on the forest. The ANF has a non-restrictive camping policy that permits campers to set up camp virtually anywhere. The research method used by the ANF is the subject of Anne's critiique.
    Key findings: The ANF uncritically applied an assessment method that is more appropriate to wilderness assessment than the ANF. In her critique she indicates that the ANF method was cumbersome, extremely time-consuming, and unscientific in its measurement and sampling. She proposes a more efficient, less costly alternative. Anne presented her paper at the Annual Meeting of the Association of American Geographers in Seattle in April, 2011.

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  1. Senior Thesis research, 2003 to 2010.
  2. Michigan Academy student research paper presentations, 2009-2011.
  3. Student Scholarship Day, April 8, 2009.

Flood Affected Areas in Southwestern Africa. An example of the work our former students now do as professionals, Malinda Van Sledright, class of 2005, now with the Humanitarian Information Unit, U.S. State Department.

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What is Geography?