Kennesaw State's online geography degree program ranked best in U.S.
KENNESAW, Ga.
(Dec 20, 2019) — Best Colleges, an independent online ranking organization, has ranked Kennesaw State University's
online geography degree program as the top online geography degree program in the
United States for 2019. The ranking notes that the "online geography bachelor's degree
can open career paths in government, nonprofits, education, research, and business.
The program's multidisciplinary approach allows distance learners the flexibility
to select courses from several fields that address their personal interests and career
objectives." Rankings are based on data regarding academic quality, affordability,
and online programming, among other criteria, compiled from the National Center for
Education Statistics from the U.S. Department of Education.
Similarly, The Best Schools, an independent online ranking organization, has ranked the online bachelor's degree program in geography at Kennesaw State as second among the nation’s top five online geography degree programs in 2019. The rankings were based on academic excellence, strength of faculty scholarship, reputation of the school among academic peers, and strength of online instruction methodology, among other criteria. Additionally, Degree Query, another independent online ranking organization, ranked the program fourth among the top ten online geography degree programs in the U.S. With each of these rankings, Kennesaw State's online geography degree program shines strongly among the top online geography programs in the country.
The online BA in Geography degree is a 123-credit hour program that began in Spring 2015. The program director is Dr.
Garrett Smith. The online BA in geography focuses on basic human and physical geography,
including featured study in trade flows, landforms, climate, human culture and cities,
among others. The program’s graduates pursue careers in government, research, business,
education and non-profit organizations. Full-time students can complete the 123-credit-hour
program in four years. The fully online degree program includes courses in weather
and climate; introduction to human geography; earth from above; introduction to landforms;
urban geography; cultural geography; population geography; geography of Europe; geography
of North America; research methods; among many other courses.
"Geography is the study of the human and physical landscapes of the Earth's surface," the geography degree program description explains. "It considers many factors such as human culture, language, climate and weather, vegetation, landforms, trade flows, transportation, and cities. These are studied using geography's unique spatial perspective. Geographer Marvin Mikesell has labeled it the 'why of where.' In addition to meeting the basic human and physical geography requirements, KSU geography students also select a large number of courses in related studies. This illustrates the interdisciplinary nature of geography and allows students to tailor their degree to their personal and career interests. Related studies may be in the humanities and social sciences, the arts, the physical sciences, business, and many other disciplines."
"Geography and maps are a fundamental language for understanding the world," explains Geography.com, a collaboration between the American Association of Geographers and Esri. "They provide a framework for organizing and communicating our knowledge. Increasingly geography is used in virtually every field of human endeavor, providing a universal language for understanding, communicating ideas, and providing insights. Geography asks the big questions—Where? How? Why? What if?—and gives you the perspective to answer them with advanced technology and a solid knowledge of the world in which we all live."
The Best Schools notes that "Geographic studies make up the foundation of many careers. Graduates of online degree in geography programs go on to become surveyors and cartographers, environmental and emergency managers, and climatologists and educators. These professions all include investigations into human interaction and impact, climate studies, and weather patterns. With the growing need to enhance the Global Positioning System (GPS) and the rapidly expanding study of geographic information science (GIS), the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects significant job growth in geographic careers."
Additionally, Best Colleges explains that "an online geography bachelor's degree can prepare you for a career in environmental science, urban and regional planning, or geography education. Students learn how to use geographic information systems (GIS), spatial analysis, and computer-based cartography to contribute to groundbreaking research within the human-environmental landscape. Positions in geography are in particularly high demand."
The following video provides an overview of KSU's online geography degree program and includes an interview with program director Dr. Garrett Smith:
In the following video, Prof. Jason Rhodes describes the online Bachelor of Arts in Geography degree program: