Map Connections Between People, Places, and the Environment
Housed in the Social Sciences Division, Pitt-Johnstown offers the only Geography major within the University of Pittsburgh system.
Geography is an interdisciplinary field that brings together the environmental and social sciences to study places, regions, human-environment interactions, and the movement of people, goods, and ideas. Using tools such as cartography and Geographic Information Systems (GIS), students develop the skills to analyze and solve real-world challenges at the local, regional, and global levels.
Coursework explores topics including urban planning, energy use, population dynamics, water resources, soil analysis, climate change, and natural hazards. Students also gain hands-on experience with in-demand technologies such as GIS, remote sensing, drone technology, spatial analysis, and digital map design.
Geographic Information Systems (GIS) is a rapidly growing field that combines computer technology with geographic data to visualize patterns, support decision making, and solve complex problems. GIS professionals work in industries including urban and regional planning, transportation, environmental management, emergency services, business, public health, and government. Students from any major can expand their career opportunities by earning Pitt-Johnstown's 18-credit GIS Certificate.
Students interested in environmental issues and sustainability may also choose to double major in Geography and Environmental Studies (soon to be Environmental Sustainability). The two programs complement one another and provide a broader understanding of the relationships between people, places, and the environment.
Get To Know Our Faculty
Ola Johansson PhD
Mitzy L Schaney PhD
Ahmad Massasati PhD