Physical Geography Minor

The Physical Geography Minor is designed to provide students from a variety of majors with a science-based understanding of the mechanisms that continually alter the Earth’s natural surface features, and how to analyze spatial relationships between both human and naturally-produced features. The minor emphasizes the four spheres of the Earth System: Atmosphere, Lithosphere, Hydrosphere, and Biosphere through completion of 20 credits in geography and geology classes.

Please see the UNLV College of Sciences Department of Geoscience web page for information about department programs, faculty and facilities. Degree worksheets are available on the UNLV Degrees Directory.

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.

Advising

Please see advising information at the UNLV College of Sciences Advising Center.

Accreditation

For information regarding accreditation at UNLV, please head over to Academic Program Accreditations.

University Graduation Requirements

To obtain this minor, you must be a degree seeking undergraduate student pursuing an approved UNLV bachelor’s degree. Please see Graduation Policies for complete information.