Department of Geography

Water Resources Minor

The minor in Water Resources, as part of the Department of Geography, offers broad training in spatial perspectives of sociopolitical and biophysical dimensions of water resource issues at local, regional, national, and international scales.  As climate changes and population grows in many parts of the world, water resource sustainability becomes an increasingly urgent issue for our sustainable future. This minor is designed to broaden and deepen students’ knowledge and experience in complex water resource issues. To earn a minor in Water Resources, a student must take 28 credits as specified below.

Foundational Courses (12 credits)

Three courses from the following list (all 4-credit courses): 

  • GEOG 210 Physical Geography
  • GEOG 230 Environment and Society
  • GEOG 340U Global Water Issues and Sustainability
  • ESM 220 Introduction to Environmental Systems             

Advisor-approved Courses (16 credits)

At least one 300 level course and two 400 level courses from the following list (all 4-credit courses):

  • GEOG 310U/SCI 333  Climate and Water Resources
  • GEOG 320/G 374  Geomorphic Processes
  • SCI 335U  Water in the Environment
  • ESM 424  Wetland Ecology
  • ESM 425  Watershed Hydrology
  • ESM 426  Ecology of Streams and Rivers
  • ESM 475  Limnology & Aquatic Ecology
  • G 443  Groundwater Geology
  • G 448  Chemical Hydrogeology
  • GEOG 414  Hydrology
  • GEOG 446  Water Resources Management
  • GEOG 447  Urban Streams
  • GEOG 494  GIS for Water Resources 

Students may use up to four credits of other coursework toward minor requirements.  All courses must be graded and passed with a C or better. For students pursuing both the Geography major and the Water Resources minor OR both the Environmental Sciences (or Studies) and the Water Resources minor, courses presented for the minor must differ from the major by at least 12 credits. 

 

Existing PSU students can add the minor

OR

Apply to PSU and add Water Resources Minor to a major

Other Geography Minor

Learn more about Geography programs