Geography Careers

Career development is a lifelong process of self-discovery, career exploration, gaining meaningful experiences, intentional reflection, and career decision-making and planning. Utilize CLA Career Services staff and resources to help you navigate your career exploration and post-graduation planning process.

This Fall 2018, Career Drop-ins for BSE and Geography students will be offered every 2nd & 4th Thursday in the BSE & Geography Advising Office from 8:30 am to 10 am. Stop by and have a career chat with Marlena Yang, CLA Career Counselor. From learning how to navigate LinkedIn and GoldPASS to exploring career options with your major, it's never too late or too early to talk about your career!  For a more personalized one-on-one appointment with Marlena, schedule an appointment where appointments are held in CLA Career Services (411 Bruininks Hall).  

Explore

Geography majors go on to work in a number of different professional fields, including cartography, research, journalism, community development, environmental science, and more. The coursework you pursue provides a great foundation for many areas of interest upon graduation. The skills you gain in critical thinking and evaluation, research, attention to detail, and verbal and written communication will be immediately applicable as you enter your field.

Experience

In addition, what you do outside of the classroom can improve your confidence, enhance your skills, and build your resume. Therefore, we encourage you to seek out real-world experience through research opportunities, community engagement, and internships to help you feel confident in your decision upon graduation. Students may also gain valuable and relevant skills in geography with an independent study or through the learning abroad program.

Excel

Prioritize your next steps by building an effective strategy for applying to graduate programs, jobs, and/or service opportunities. You are encouraged to schedule an individual appointment with a CLA career counselor and attend upcoming employer and career events and workshops to start building a network. The American Association of Geographers (AAG) online career and internship guide is a particularly useful resource.