Degrees offered by the OU Department of Geography and Environmental Sustainability (DGES) provide a solid base for a variety of careers. By combining the study of (a) environmental issues and research methods, (b) social, economic, energy and policy considerations, and (c) digital technologies and their applications, our degrees prepare graduates to better comprehend and contribute to addressing real-world social and environmental issues. Our degrees are in three major areas:
Environmental Studies turns environmental passion into practical impact. The major and minor blend natural and social sciences with sustainability, policy, and planning to prepare students for a rapidly expanding environmental workforce. Students build a foundation in ecological systems, environmental policy, climate resilience, and community planning while gaining hands‑on experience through fieldwork and applied projects. Graduates pursue careers in environmental consulting, conservation, renewable energy, resource management, and public‑sector or nonprofit sustainability roles. The program equips students with the knowledge and skills to address environmental challenges and strengthen communities and ecosystems.
Environmental Studies students partnered with Norman Forester to mark tree planting at Sutton Wilderness.
Environmental Studies prepares students for the interdisciplinary efforts needed to solve environmental problems. In both our Bachelor of Arts (BA) and minor, students learn skills and ideas from multiple academic disciplines such as natural science, social science, and humanities. They experience the cross-disciplinary teamwork that generates effective environmental knowledge.
Environmental Studies B.A. degree prepares students for a wide range of environmental careers. There is no single “typical” environmental job, but most environmental work requires collaboration across disciplines. A key skill for environmental professionals is the ability to work productively in teams and contribute solutions to complex environmental challenges.
The Environmental Studies major and minor emphasize combining a broad interdisciplinary understanding of environmental research with in-depth knowledge in a particular area and employing transdisciplinary research strategies through service-learning and community engagement. Environmental Studies provides a “T-shaped” skillset; it emphasizes breadth on top of depth.
Students gain disciplinary depth through opportunities such as:
At the same time, students develop cross-disciplinary breadth and collaboration skills by:
Please find the courses, suggested study plans, and requirements in the checksheet.
Growing demand for professionals in environmental communication and community engagement is creating exciting career opportunities, with Environmental Communications Specialist earning a median salary of $69,780 and an average of 27,600 job openings annually projected through 2034.
Shape environmental policy and improve community resilience by working with federal, state, tribal, and local government agencies.
Help businesses achieve sustainability goals, comply with environmental regulations, and develop innovative solutions to today's environmental challenges.
Drive positive environmental and social change through conservation, environmental justice, public education, community engagement, and international sustainability initiatives.
Environmental Systems and Sustainability examines how societies can meet present needs without limiting the ability of future generations to meet theirs. The program builds a foundation in sustainable systems, environmental decision making, and the cultural, social, and ecological forces that shape long‑term resilience. Students learn how environmental challenges intersect with human communities, study practical approaches for creating more sustainable futures, and gain experience applying sustainability concepts in real‑world contexts. The degree offers three areas of concentration: culture and society, planning and management, and science and natural resources, giving students the flexibility to tailor their studies to their interests and career goals.
Students embarked on a cave exploration field trip as part of an Introduction to Physical Geography course.
The Environmental Systems and Sustainability Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree examines how humans interact with complex environmental systems and how societies can meet present needs for natural resources without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own. Grounded in geographical and systems thinking, this degree program trains students to analyze interactions among environmental, social, and geographical processes to evaluate sustainability challenges under global environmental changes.
Habitat loss, pollution, and the overuse of natural resources are putting real strain on the systems that sustain human life. To understand and manage these systems, students need scientific training and systems thinking: a working sense of how individuals, organizations, and societies shape the environment. This program is built to teach both.
Students in this degree develop the expertise to analyze environmental data, address real-world sustainability challenges, and support informed, evidence-based decision-making. They are prepared to tackle environmental challenges that society faces, such as climate change, natural resource management, environmental quality, and natural hazard response. Graduates are well qualified for a wide range of sustainability-related careers in government, the private sector, nonprofit organizations, and education.
Please find the courses, suggested study plans, and requirements in the checksheet.
Sustainability careers are expanding across every sector of the economy. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics recognizes sustainability as a multidisciplinary career field, with professionals helping businesses, governments, and nonprofit organizations improve environmental, social, and economic performance while pursuing careers with competitive salaries and strong job demand.
Protect natural resources and support sustainable communities through careers such as:
Help businesses achieve environmental and sustainability goals through careers such as:
Advance conservation and environmental stewardship through careers such as:
Geographic Information Science is one of the most rapidly expanding areas of study and employment in the United States. The field examines how geographic information systems and remote sensing, including aerial photography and satellite imagery, are used to gather and analyze all forms of geographically referenced information. It also explores how geospatial technologies support decision making in environmental management, urban and regional planning, emergency response, transportation, public health, and resource conservation. As demand for spatial data continues to grow across government, industry, and research, students gain a strong foundation for careers in a wide range of geospatial professions.
Students presented academic posters at OU GIS Day.
The Geospatial Science (GS) Bachelor of Science at the University of Oklahoma is a STEM degree that integrates GIS, remote sensing, drones, spatial data science, programming, and Geospatial Artificial Intelligence (GeoAI) to prepare students for the next generation of geospatial careers. Through hands-on research and applied learning, students apply these technologies to address real-world challenges ranging from severe weather and environmental sustainability to public health, agriculture, and energy, leveraging Oklahoma's unique landscape in the Southern Great Plain as a living laboratory while gaining the technical skills sought by employers nationwide.
Because many government and business datasets are tied to location, geospatial technologies have become indispensable tools for solving challenges in environmental sustainability, public health, infrastructure, agriculture, emergency management, and business analytics. Students who major in GS study the science and technology of gathering, analyzing, interpreting, distributing and modeling that information. The GS degree program also incorporates emerging areas such as spatial data science and Geospatial Artificial Intelligence, equipping students with skills in spatial data analytics, data science, and advanced geospatial modeling to work with large and complex geographical datasets and support data-driven decision-making.
The U.S. Department of Labor declared geospatial technology as one of the twelve targeted industries that are high growth, high demand, and economically vital for the nation. Lending itself to both physical and social sciences, geospatial technology is applied across a broad range of sectors. Career opportunities span academia, government, industry and non-governmental organizations and include careers in agriculture, ecological conservation, urban planning, land use management, energy & utilities, public health, natural hazards response, and consumer industries like in-car navigation systems.
Please find the courses, suggested study plans, and requirements in the checksheet.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), careers closely related to GIS continue to experience strong demand:
Geospatial professionals in government agencies use GIS and spatial data to support environmental management, urban planning, transportation, emergency response, public health, and natural resource decision-making.
Private industries increasingly rely on geospatial technologies for location intelligence, business analytics, environmental consulting, infrastructure management, and technology development.
GIS professionals support nonprofit and community organizations by using mapping and spatial analysis to address environmental justice, conservation, community planning, humanitarian efforts, and social challenges.
A minor in Envrionmental Sustainability (pdf) equips you with critical concepts and practical skills about how societies can meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. This minor focuses on how individuals, organizations and societies can achieve the critical balance between economic, environmental and socio-political forces related to resource management.
This minor provides you with practical skills about how Geographic Information Science (pdf) is used to gather, analyze and visualize all forms of geographically referenced information for use in everyday applicatrions such as emergency management, location analysis, real estate rout planning, etc. The minor focuses on different aspects including the use of maps as a communication tool, visualization of different types of spatial data, the study of satellite observations and aerial photgraphs and geospatial analysis of complex societal problems.
A minor in Geography (pdf) provides a broad overview of the human-environment relationship over time and space. You will learn how physical geography influences the nature, types, patterns and distribtion of human activities as well as how human/cultural geography influences how people perceive and use the envrionment and resources around them. Additional topics include the factors motivating patterns of interrelationships and interactions among the global population.
A minor in Physical Geography (pdf) gives you a broad knowledge of the Earth's physical features, including climate, landforms, ecosystems and natural hazards. This minor focuses on different aspects including biogeography- the distribution of species and ecosystems in geographic space and through time, Geomorphology- the origins and evolution of the Earth's landforms and Climatology- the study of the climate and how it impacts the envrionment, people, and society.
The Hydrologic Science Minor is designed for students who are interested in expanding their understanding of the role of water in our environment. The minor requires a minimum of 15 semester credit hours, to include at least one course each from Meteorology, Geography, and Civil or Environmental Engineering. No more than (9) hours may come from any one discipline.
The Climate Adaptation Minor is for students who want to focus on climate adaptation.
The department now offers accelarated Master's programs with any of our undergraduate degrees and a Masters in Regional and City Planning.
Department of Geography and Environmental Sustainability
Academic Advisor
(405) 325-5325
karin.h@ou.edu
