School on this page feature social or human geography as a major component of their online program.
Learn about cultural landscapes, urban development, and human-environment interactions while preparing for careers in urban planning, community development, or cultural research.
University of Florida
The UF Online Bachelor of Arts in Geography program offers a flexible, high-quality education that explores the connections between natural events, cultural practices, and economic systems across the globe. With a focus on human geography, students gain career-ready skills such as GIS, remote sensing, and spatial analysis, preparing them for roles in environmental science, urban planning, and geographic education.
This program combines rigorous coursework, world-class faculty, and affordable tuition to equip graduates with the analytical expertise to address pressing societal challenges like climate change, urban expansion, and multicultural integration.
Courses specifically related to social or human geography are as follows:
- GEA 1000 – Geography for a Changing World
Focuses on the spatial organization of society and political regions of the world. - GEA 1050 – Prisoners of Geography: 10 Maps That Explain Everything About the World
Introduces the impact of geographical factors such as climate, demographics, and cultural regions on international affairs. - GEA 2270 – Geography of Florida
Examines geographic conditions and human adjustments in Florida, including population, industries, and resources. - GEA 3405 – Geography of Latin America
Explores the interconnected land, life, and welfare in Latin America. - GEA 3500 – Geography of Europe
Surveys population, natural resources, and regional significance of Europe in global affairs. - GEA 3600 – Geography of Africa
Covers population, natural resources, and regional importance of Africa in world affairs. - GEO 2410 – Social Geography
Introduces geography as a social science, focusing on social concepts from a spatial perspective. - GEO 2411 – Geographies of Race
Addresses the study of race and ethnicity through the historical and contemporary lens of geography. - GEO 2420 – People, Place, and Culture
Introduces cultural geography, emphasizing societal development and spatial arrangements. - GEO 2426 – Pop Music and Culture: A Geographic Perspective
Examines the geographic origins, development, and diffusion of pop music culture. - GEO 2500 – Global and Regional Economies
Focuses on regional economic disparities and global economic change. - GEO 3430 – Population Geography
Analyzes population distribution, demographic processes, and development consequences. - GEO 3452 – Introduction to Medical Geography
Studies human-environment interactions and their effects on public health. - GEO 3454 – Peoples and Plagues
Examines infectious diseases within the geographic context of origin and management. - GEO 3502 – Economic Geography
Surveys major economic activities like agriculture, commerce, and manufacturing from a geographic perspective. - GEO 3602 – Urban and Business Geography
Analyzes the spatial organization of economic and social aspects within and between urban settlements. - GEO 3611 – Housing, People, and Places in a Spatially Diverse America
Examines housing and settlement patterns in diverse U.S. landscapes. - GEO 4060 – People and Parks
Explores the history and sustainability of protected areas and inclusive conservation strategies. - GEO 4554 – Regional Development
Analyzes problems of regional development and growth in the context of spatial relationships. - GEO 4700 – Transportation and Urban Accessibility
Examines the impact of transportation systems on urban accessibility, equity, and health.
These courses provide insights into the human, social, and cultural aspects of geography and their spatial implications.
About GEO 2410 – Social Geography
The GEO2410: Social Geography course, taught by Debjani Das at the University of Florida, examines how space and place influence social divisions such as class, race, gender, and disability.
This fully online, 3-credit course fulfills General Education requirements for Diversity (D) and Social and Behavioral Sciences (S).
Through asynchronous discussions, lectures, and readings, students delve into themes like urbanization, migration, inequality, and social justice.
The course integrates theoretical frameworks with practical applications to equip students with analytical tools for understanding the spatial dimensions of social phenomena.
Assignments and Grading
Key assignments include critical discussions and a creative presentation on the influence of place on a social issue, with both components comprising 50% of the final grade.
Students are encouraged to approach the presentation creatively, choosing from formats like videos, posters, or traditional PowerPoints. Active participation and timely submission of work are essential for success in this course.
Learning Objectives
Students will develop skills in geographic language, spatial analysis, and critical thinking to interpret complex societal issues. By synthesizing theories and real-world applications, they will gain a nuanced understanding of how geography shapes social dynamics. Topics like inequality, migration, and social justice are analyzed through diverse perspectives, fostering a deeper appreciation for cultural and societal intersections.
Read more information about the online geography program at University of Florida.
Old Dominion University
The Bachelor of Arts in Geography program offers a flexible curriculum designed to be completed in four years, with a focus on customizing the academic path to suit individual goals. Students are encouraged to work closely with academic advisors to create a personalized plan, leveraging tools like the Degree Program Guide and Degree Works for guidance.
Courses that specifically apply to social geography or human geography studies include:
- GEOG 100S – Human Geography
Focuses on the diversity of human societies, cultural impact on the landscape, population, migration, urbanization, and political landscapes. - GEOG 126S – Honors: Cultural Geography
A special honors section of Human Geography, exploring the cultural aspects of geography. - GEOG 310 – Geography of the City
Examines urban structure, growth, land use, and social problems of urban populations. - GEOG 320 – Political Geography
Studies the relationship between geography and political factors, nation-states, and political geography in daily life. - GEOG 321 – World Economic Geography
Explores spatial economic patterns, theories, and models at the global scale. - GEOG 325 – Ethnic Minorities
Investigates geographical dimensions of ethnic identity and relationships between ethnicity, territory, politics, and culture. - GEOG 411/511 – Urban and Regional Planning
Covers planning concepts and principles to guide metropolitan growth and development. - GEOG 412/512 – Cities of the World
Analyzes urban landscapes across developed and developing countries. - GEOG 446/546 – Geography, Gender, and Sexuality
Examines gender identity and sexuality through spatial and cultural geography. - GEOG 460/560 – Medical Geography
Focuses on spatial patterns of health and disease and health care access. - GEOG 475/575 – Urban Resiliency
Examines urban planning and management for sustainability and resilience in built and natural environments. - GEOG 424/524 – Weather, Climate, and Society
Explores the impact of weather and climate on society and related socio-political and cultural perspectives.
Read more information about the online geography program at ODU.
Florida International University
The Geography Major in Global Studies program emphasizes the study of social geography, exploring how humanity organizes space and interacts with the environment on local and global scales. Students examine cultural, political, and economic landscapes, addressing issues like territory creation, social movements, and human-environment relationships.
Through courses in cultural geography, political geography, and global change, the program prepares graduates to tackle societal challenges in urban planning, community development, and environmental justice.
Courses related specifically to social or human geography are:
- GEO4477 – Critical Geopolitics
Focuses on methods of critical geopolitical analysis and their impact on human political affairs across landscapes and territories. - GEO3421 – Cultural Geography
Examines spatial variations among cultural groups, including geographic differences in language, religion, economy, and government. - GEO3502 – Economic Geography
Explores spatial facets of the economy at an international level, including trade, development, manufacturing, and technology. - GEO3001 – Geographies of Global Change
Investigates the interconnected and contested nature of social, environmental, political, economic, and cultural change through global development and urbanization. - GEO4412 – Geography and Gender
Analyzes connections between space, place, and gender across scales such as the body, home, workplace, and nation. - GEO4354 – Geography of the Global Food System
Explores the spatial organization of the global food system and its role in economic development, including food security and trade. - GEO2000 – Introduction to Geography
Covers leading concepts of human and environmental geography, emphasizing cultural, economic, and political factors. - GEO4373 – Local Cultures/Global Nature
Challenges the culture-nature divide in modern Western thought using cultural geographic perspectives. - GEO4476 – Political Ecology
Uses human geography and political economy principles to analyze ecological problems and society-environment interactions. - GEO3471 – Political Geography
Examines spatial distribution of power, focusing on nation-states, sovereignty, territoriality, and challenges from social movements. - GEO3602 – Urban Geography
Studies spatial organization within and among urban settlements, addressing empirical and theoretical aspects of urbanism and current urban problems.
Read more information about the online geography program at Florida International University.
Northeastern State University
Understanding Human and Social Geography
The human and social geography component of Northeastern’s online degree program provides students with a comprehensive understanding of the intricate relationships between people, places, and the environments they inhabit. This area of study emphasizes how cultural, political, and economic forces shape geographic spaces and vice versa.
Global and Cultural Perspectives
GEOG 2133 – Global Economic Geography examines global economic activities, focusing on international trade and sustainable regional development. Students also explore cultural processes, identities, and landscapes in GEOG 4133 – Human Geography: Culture, Places, and Spaces, studying how factors like language, religion, and architecture are influenced by geographic spaces and traditions.
Urbanization and Sustainability
Urban dynamics and sustainability are at the forefront of GEOG 4193 – Sustainability & Urban Communities, where students delve into the complexities of urbanization and strategies for sustainable development, with a focus on North American cities. GEOG 4623 – Sustainability and Resiliency complements this by addressing sustainability principles, including population growth, climate change, and global ethics.
Historical and Political Dimensions
Students examine historical shifts in the U.S. landscape through GEOG 4303 – Historical Geography of the United States, covering themes such as migration, European exploration, and frontier development. In GEOG 4313 – Space, Power, & Politics, the program explores how political processes shape geographic spaces at global, regional, and local levels, providing insight into the spatial dimensions of power.
This comprehensive suite of courses equips students with the skills to critically analyze and address the complex intersections between human activities and geographic spaces.
Read more information about the online geography program at Northeastern.