Geography Program   
Department of History, Geography, and Philosophy  

Geography Courses
The Georgia College & State University Geography Program offers students a wide range of undergraduate and graduate courses.  Be sure to examine our Upcoming Courses.

Dr. Chuck Fahrer teaches Human Geography and World Regional Geography, and offers upper-level courses in Cultural Geography, Political Geography, and Advanced Regional Geography.  Dr. Fahrer's regional specialty is in the Middle East and Asia.  He also teaches History of the Middle East and special topics in Insurgency and Terrorism.

Dr. Doug Oetter teaches two introductory courses in Physical Geography (Weather & Climate and Landforms), and offers upper-level courses in Geographic Information, Resource Use, Environment & Society, Natural Hazards, and Wetland Environments.  Dr. Oetter's regional specialty is in South America and Africa.  He also teaches Environmental History and special topics in Environmental Science.

Dr. Amy Sumpter is a limited-term instructor who teaches Human Geography, World Regional Geography, and upper-level courses in race and ethnicity.  Dr. Sumpter also teaches Geography of Africa.

Dr. Jeff Blick, in the Department of Government and Sociology, teaches Cultural Geography of Latin America at the upper-level, and other courses in support of the Certificate in Latin American and Caribbean Studies.

Dr. Trish Klein is not currently teaching full-time in Geography, but is an active advisor to the program.  Dr. Klein is a specialist in Geography Education, associated with the Early Childhood and Middle Grades Education department.

Support of Geographic Education
The GCSU Geography Program supports many other programs and schools on campus.  For example, our course in Advanced Regional Geography is a staple for students in the School of Education pursuing a degree in Middle Grades Education.  Many graduate students in the Masters of Applied Teaching select geography as one of their areas for the broad-field certification.  More information on geography in teaching is available in these web links.

In addition, the courses in Geographic Information are an integral part of the B.S. in Environmental Science.  Many students from this program go on to graduate schools and careers in fields that require geographic skills.

Special Projects
GCSU hosts Georgia's annual National Geographic Bee in late March of every year.  The bee selects the top 4th-8th grader from 100 middle schools to represent the state at the national competition each May in Washington, DC.  For more information on the Bee, please contact the National Geographic Society.

Our faculty also support The Coverdell Institute, a GCSU organization devoted to the principles of civic engagement.  The institute hosts the American Democracy Project and The Leadership  Community.  Geographers have played a crucial role in developing campus and community education programs for the institute, including:

• Indian Ocean Tsunami 2005

• Hurricane Katrina 2006

• Global Warming 2007

• Georgia's Drought 2008

In support of the GCSU Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning, and other venues, geography faculty have offered several Faculty Development Workshops in Geographic Education, including:

• Geographic Information Systems in History (.ppt)

• Georgia's Rivers (.ppt)

• Making Sense of Maps (.ppt)

• Problem-Based Learning (.ppt)