OU Department of Geography and Environmental Sustainability

Welcome to the Department of Geography and Environmental Sustainability at the University of Oklahoma! We are a dynamic and growing department located in Norman, Oklahoma, named one of the best small cities in America^*.

Degrees offered in the Department of Geography and Environmental Sustainability

Geography is an interdisciplinary field that studies people and the world in which they live. The geography research and research focus at the University of Oklahoma are organized around two thematic areas which correspond broadly to the traditional classification of physical and human geography. These are:

Natural Systems (principally physical geography), which focuses on the integrated analysis of the natural world, as well as how humans and   human activities impact the natural environment.

Cultural and Indigenous Geographies, which focuses on how indigenous peoples, cultures, and economies throughout the world have been impacted by globalization, environmental degradation, climate change, and other changes in the natural environment.

Geospatial and technical courses including, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Remote Sensing, Statistics, and Cartographic Mapping are interwoven in both areas of emphasis. 

Environmental Sustainability is an emerging and fast growing discipline that addresses how societies can meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. Accomplishing this goal effectively requires new paradigms that weave environmental, economic, and social issues together to provide students with an interdisciplinary education designed for dealing with such complex issues. Graduates of this program will lead efforts in research, decision-making, and policy-making that underpin the drive for environmental sustainability. We at OU are proud to be at the forefront of institutions nationally offering full- fledged degrees in environmental sustainability.

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