Why Choose Geography at PPCC?
Geography impacts every facet of our daily lives. Students studying geography at PPCC have the opportunity to explore both the physical and cultural elements that define and impact humans and the planet. Students learn from experienced instructors who have worked in the field, traveled abroad, and conducted important research.
Geography is an engaging discipline of questioning, challenging, exploring, investigating, and examining the human place in our cultural and physical world. As we increasingly face opportunities and challenges at both the local and global level, geography offers both breadth of interdisciplinary knowledge as well as the depth and specialization needed to address issues that matter.
With a background in geography, students can pursue a wide variety careers areas such as water management, resource conservation, community planning, historic preservation, disaster preparedness, climate change research, cartography, teaching, and many more.
What do PPCC Geography students study?
As a PPCC geography student, you will explore the earth’s surface features and climate as well as the ways humans are distributed and how they interact with their environment. This program delves into all aspects of the physical and cultural landscape, and seeks to ask and answer questions such as:
- How did the various mountain ranges form?
- What factors make natural disasters particularly destructive?
- Is climate change human-caused?
- How do historical ethnic conflicts relate to geography?
- Where is the link between fires and increased flood risks?
- Which foods have the least impact on the environment?
- How do religious beliefs and political systems relate to geography?
Classes You Might Take
Program Learning Outcomes
PPCC's Geography Program learning outcomes include both content-specific aspects, as well as general education skills that prepare students for meaningful careers. Upon completing their AA in Geography, students will be able to:
1) Explain the reciprocal relationships between physical and human systems
2) Acquire, process, and report information from a spatial perspective using maps and other geographic tools
3) Describe how culture and experience influence people's perceptions of places and regions
4) Explain the processes, patterns, functions, and impacts of human populations at the local and global scales, to include economic, political, and environmental factors
5) Describe the physical processes that shape the patterns of earth's surface and the spatial distribution of its ecosystems
In addition to mastering geographic content, students develop critical thinking skills, build awareness of issues related to diversity and globalization, cultivate techniques that expand their quantitative literacy, and learn to effectively apply inquiry and analysis methods.
Career Options
With an academic background in geography, a student can gain an entry-level position as an emergency management specialist, community planner, historical preservationist, resource analyst, cartographer, sustainability officer, conservationist, environmental activist, water resource specialist, tour guide, environmental scientist, policy consultant, public health officer, forester, hazards analyst, market researcher, environmental economist, just to name a few.
Testimonials from our Students
"(My geography instructor’s) knowledge of the subject matter, as well as real world experience within her particular field, made her classroom extremely interesting and a fertile learning environment."
"(My geography instructor) is the best science teacher I've ever had. She breaks down subject matter in ways that make concepts easier to understand, and therefore enjoyable. I found myself sharing new weather knowledge with friends and family. When (my instructor) overheard me mention my math woes, she offered to help in math as well. Yep, she's awesome."
"(My geography instructor) created an environment that allowed us to do our own research and present it to the class. Having the ability to research, teach, and learn from other classmates allowed growth for everyone involved. She was always helpful by clarifying or addressing any information that needed special emphasis."
"(My geography instructor) was able to bring a tremendous amount of professional experience from her position as a cartographer for the military into the classroom. Her experience and insight were extremely motivating and inspirational."
"(My geography instructor) has a serious passion for her subject, which for me, translated even through an online course. I felt confident in learning from her but also felt that I was in control of my own fate when learning. This gave me the freedom to learn my way, while still compiling a large amount of information from the course due to the way she arranged it."
Get started in Geography
What are our graduates doing now?
A degree in geography can lead students into a wide range of career paths. Geographers are employed in college and other school settings, community planning, hazard mitigation, mapping, publishing, and many others. Geographers study the earth and its land, features, and inhabitants. They also examine phenomena such as political or cultural structures as they relate to geography, as well as the physical and human geographic characteristics of a region, ranging from local to global.
All Geography courses offered at PPCC are Guaranteed Transfer (GT) courses to the state of Colorado public colleges and universities.