We are the only university in South Carolina to offer bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees in geography. The Department of Geography offers two undergraduate degrees , a B.S. and a B.A, as well as a minor for students from other programs who wish to
enhance their degrees. Graduate students in our department can pursue one of three graduate degrees , M.A., M.S., or Ph.D.
Our faculty is active in research, which means our students, both graduate and undergraduate,
have ample opportunity to participate and to present research during their time here.
USC is ranked a top tier research university, which opens doors for our students to
pursue a wide range of research interests .
Since classical times, geography has been a discipline of explorers and travelers.
Geography takes you outside the classroom, offering opportunities to apply and to
enhance what you've learned in the field. Our students can be found measuring trees
at Congaree National Park, mapping historic buildings in downtown Columbia, and launching
weather balloons from campus. Both graduate and undergraduate students have been recipients
of prestigious awards to study and conduct research abroad, including Fulbright, Boren,
and Rhodes Scholarships. We encourage our students to study abroad, either through
semester- and year-long study abroad programs, or through shorter courses, like our
department's annual Maymester in Chile. We also encourage students to take advantage
of the many public lectures, forums, and events sponsored by the department, including
Geography Awareness Week, GIS Day, and the annual Julian V. Minghi Distinguished Lectureship.
