Physical Geography Minor

The Physical Geography Minor is designed for students in the Colleges of Science, Education, Liberal Arts, Engineering, and others, who desire a scientific understanding of the spatial aspects of the Earth System and analysis of spatial data. The minor emphasizes the four spheres of the Earth System: Atmosphere, Lithosphere, Hydrosphere, and Biosphere, and consists of 24 credits of geography and geology classes.

Please see the UNLV College of Sciences Department of Geoscience web page at geoscience.unlv.edu for information about department programs, faculty and facilities.  Degree worksheets are available at www.unlv.edu/degree/minor-physical-geography.

Learning Outcomes

• Develop a competent level of ability to read, interpret, and make topographic maps, and understand coordinate systems and scale, and to implement use of Geographic Information Systems.
• Communicate verbally and orally the primary climatic zones of Earth, weather and climate, and the energy-atmosphere system. 
• Recognize the Earth-Atmosphere system, including tectonics, natural disasters, the rock cycle, rivers, and ocean systems.