Medical Geography in Global Health | BA

Geography is the science of place, space, and environment. Each place on earth is distinguished by a unique mix of natural resources, cultural practices, and socioeconomic and political systems. Geographers study what makes each place unique, as well as the connections and interactions between places.

About this Program

To graduate with this major, students must complete all university, college, and major requirements.

Department Information

The Geography Department offers a range of topics in contemporary geography and geospatial science, rich and lively cultural and learning environments, BA and BS undergraduate degrees, MA, M.S., and PhD degrees, as well as the largest Medical Geography program in the United States.
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CONTACT

Email | 352.392.0494 (tel) | 352.392.8855 (fax)

P.O. Box 117315
330 Newell Drive
3141 TURLINGTON HALL
GAINESVILLE FL 32611-7315
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 Curriculum

The Bachelor of Arts in Medical Geography in Global Health is intended for students interested in social and cultural aspects of medical geography and global health and disease issues. The degree focuses on human impacts, cultural, and social aspects of health and disease, and public health planning and management.

Requirements for the Major

The Bachelor of Arts in Medical Geography in Global Health requires a minimum of 39 credits of coursework, plus 3 credits of Statistics. Students must earn a minimum grade of C in all coursework for the major.

Required Coursework

Geography BA Medical Geography in Global Health Core Courses
GEO 2200
2200L
Dynamic Planet Earth
and Dynamic Planet Earth Laboratory
4
GEO 4170Communicating Science in the Geosciences3
GEO 4930Senior Seminar1
Select one:3
Social Geography
People, Place, and Culture
Global and Regional Economies
GEO 3162CIntroduction to Quantitative Analysis for Geographers4
Select one GeoAI course:3
The Digital Earth
The World & Big Data
Select two technique courses:7-9
Foundations of Geographic Information Systems
Select one:
Geovisualization and Map Design
Digital Image Processing
Select one regional geography course:3
Geography of Florida
Geography of Africa
Geography of Latin America
Select two medical geography core courses:6
Introduction to Medical Geography
Peoples and Plagues
Plants, Health and Spirituality
Geography BA Medical Geography in Global Health Major Electives
Select two geography elective courses: 16-8
Extreme Weather
Climatology
Hungry Planet: Global Geographies of Food
The Human Footprint on Landscape
Conservation of Resources
Plants, Health and Spirituality
Population Geography
Introduction to Medical Geography
Peoples and Plagues
Economic Geography
Selected Topics in Geography
Honors Thesis
Digital Image Processing
GIS Programming
Total Credits40-44

The same course may not be used to satisfy requirements for more than one bulleted group.

1

Other geography courses may be counted at the discretion of the undergraduate coordinator.

Transfer coursework is considered on a case-by-case basis. Upper division transfer courses with no UF equivalent will be substituted as GEO 4938.

Related Coursework

Critical Tracking records each student’s progress in courses that are required for progress toward each major. Please note the critical-tracking requirements below on a per-semester basis.

For degree requirements outside of the major, refer to CLAS Degree Requirements: Structure of a CLAS Degree.

Equivalent critical-tracking courses as determined by the State of Florida Common Course Prerequisites may be used for transfer students.

Semester 1

  • 2.0 UF GPA required

Semester 2

  • 2.0 UF GPA required

Semester 3

  • Complete 1 geography course (GEA 1000 not acceptable)
  • 2.0 UF GPA required

Semester 4

  • Complete 1 additional geography course (1 of the 2 must be GEO 2200GEA 1000 not acceptable) or complete STA 2023 with a 2.5 critical-tracking GPA
  • 2.0 UF GPA required

Semester 5

  • Complete all critical-tracking courses (STA 2023 and 2 geography courses, 1 of which must be GEO 2200GEA 1000 not acceptable) with a 2.5 critical-tracking GPA
  • 2.0 UF GPA required

Semester 6

  • Complete 1 geography technique course.
  • 2.0 UF GPA required

Semester 7

  • Complete 1 geography elective course
  • 2.0 UF GPA required

Semester 8

  • Complete all remaining geography (GEO, GIS, or MET) 3000/4000 required courses
  • 2.0 UF GPA required

Students are expected to complete the Writing, Civic Literacy, summer enrollment, and Quest requirements while in the process of taking the courses below. Students are also expected to complete the General Education International (GE-N) requirements concurrently with another General Education requirement (typically, GE-C, H, or S) as part of the CLAS Basic Distribution requirements. One of the two general education mathematics courses must be a pure math course.

College of Liberal Arts and Sciences allows students additional flexibility in its Distribution Requirements. Students may count a maximum of 6 credits TOTAL from the CLAS Distribution course lists towards Humanities, Social and Behavioral Sciences, or Biological and Physical Sciences, with no more than 3 credits of Humanities, 3 credits of Social and Behavioral Sciences, or 6 credits of Biological or Physical Sciences.

The full list of major-specific requirements for this major can be found on the Overview tab. College of Liberal Arts and Sciences degree requirements can be found on the college’s degree requirements page.

To remain on track, students must complete the appropriate critical-tracking courses, which appear in bold. These courses must be completed by the terms as listed above in the Critical Tracking criteria.

This semester plan represents an example progression through the major. Actual courses and course order may be different depending on the student's academic record and scheduling availability of courses. Prerequisites still apply.

Plan of Study Grid
Semester OneCredits
Gen Ed Humanities 3
GEO 2200 Dynamic Planet Earth (Critical Tracking; Gen Ed Physical Sciences) 3
GEO 2200L Dynamic Planet Earth Laboratory (Gen Ed Physical Sciences; Natural Science Laboratory) 1 1
STA 2023 Introduction to Statistics 1 (Critical Tracking; State Core Gen Ed Mathematics) 3
State Core Gen Ed Composition; Writing Requirement 3
Quest 1 3
 Credits16
Semester Two
Select one: 3
Social Geography (Critical Tracking)
People, Place, and Culture (Critical Tracking)
Global and Regional Economies (Critical Tracking; Gen Ed Social and Behavioral Sciences)
State Core Gen Ed Humanities 3
Gen Ed Mathematics (pure math) 3
State Core Gen Ed Social and Behavioral Sciences 3
Gen Ed Composition; Writing Requirement 3
 Credits15
Semester Three
GeoAI course (select one:) 3
The Digital Earth
The World & Big Data
Medical geography core course 3
State Core Gen Ed Biological or Physical Sciences 3
CLAS Foreign Language Proficiency Requirement 2 4-5
 Credits13-14
Semester Four
Regional geography course 3
Quest 2 3
Gen Ed Social and Behavioral Sciences 3
Gen Ed Biological or Physical Sciences (area not selected in semester 3) 3
CLAS Foreign Language Proficiency Requirement 2 3-5
 Credits15-17
Semester Five
GEO 3162C Introduction to Quantitative Analysis for Geographers 4
GIS 3043 Foundations of Geographic Information Systems 4
Medical geography core course 3
Elective (or CLAS Foreign Language Proficiency Requirement if 4-3-3 language option) 2 3
 Credits14
Semester Six
GIS 3420C GIS Models for Public Health (Critical Tracking; recommended second techniques course) 3
Gen Ed Humanities 3
Gen Ed Biological Science 3
Elective (3000 level or above, not in major) 3
Elective (or Gen Ed Social and Behavioral Science, if needed) 3
 Credits15
Semester Seven
Geography elective (Critical Tracking) 3-4
GEO 4170 Communicating Science in the Geosciences 3
Electives (3000 level or above, not in major) 9
 Credits15-16
Semester Eight
GEO 4930 Senior Seminar (Critical Tracking) 1
Geography elective (Critical Tracking) 3
Electives (3000 level and above, not in major) 6
Electives 7
 Credits17
 Total Credits120-124

Electives to reach the 120-credit minimum will vary depending on whether students select minimum or maximum credit course options. 

1

CLAS Foreign Language Proficiency Requirement

2

Degree Requirements