Florida State University’s Department of Geography has been a long-standing institution at FSU, existing as a department since 1946 with roots going even further back. FSU was established in 1851, then called Seminary West of the Suwannee River. After the Civil War, the institution taught primary and secondary schoolers, and classes on descriptive geography and physical geography were made available in 1887. Seminary West became Florida State College in 1901, and geography was taught at the college level in the 1903-1904 school year. The Department of History and Geography at Florida State College for Women was officially established in 1924.
Florida State College for Women became Florida State University in 1946, and the Department of Geography was established that same year. Henry Floyd Becker, M.A., was the new department’s first chair. Becker had been with the college since 1928 and was instrumental in expanding geographical study at the institution. He helped to increase class options and create the geography department’s first graduate program in 1934.
Today, the Department of Geography has two bachelor’s programs, two master’s programs, and a doctoral program. The department prides itself on its ability to secure grants and contract funding, and our distinguished faculty have held grants from NASA, the U.S. Department of Defense, the Florida Department of Transportation, and many more.
The last chair of the department was Mark W. Horner, Ph.D., who served as chair from 2021 to 2024. In July 2024, Anne Chin, Ph.D., joined the department as chair and as the Harrison V. Chase Distinguished Professor of Geography. As of the 2023-2024 academic year, 175 FSU students are enrolled in programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels. The Department of Geography’s 3,500+ alumni find lucrative careers as GIS technicians/specialists, cartographers, and software engineers at companies like NASA, the National Audubon Society, and Snap, Inc. (Snapchat).
Undergraduate programs
The Department of Geography has two undergraduate programs: geography and environment and society. Both majors also have minor equivalents. The Undergraduate Director for the Department is Rachael Cofield, Ph.D.
An undergraduate student pursuing B.A. or B.S. in Geography will study how location affects society and the environment. The degree incorporates social sciences and physical sciences to examine human interaction with the environment. Students use mapping technology such as Geographical Information System (GIS) software, Global Positioning System (GPS), and satellite imaging to understand the world around them.
The B.S. in Environment and Society is an interdisciplinary STEM program focused on the changing environment and how it both affects and is affected by humans. Students in this program take a close look at pressing environmental issues. Topics of study for those in this major include ecosystem management, climate change, sustainability, environmental health, and much more. Students also learn how these issues relate to social debates and public policy, preparing them to make an impact on their world.
Master’s Programs
MS-GIS Program
The Master’s in Geographical Information Science (MS-GIS) is a program that provides students with highly marketable skills in geospatial data management and analysis. The GIS and spatial analytics market is growing rapidly, and these skills are widely applicable. Graduates can go into many sectors, including environmental protection, urban planning, emergency management, public health, and more. The MS-GIS program gives students the tools to solve some of the most critical issues in society today. The MS-GIS Coordinator for the Department is Xiaojun Yang, Ph.D.
Master’s in Geography
The Master’s in Geography program has two tracks: the thesis track and the non-thesis track. The thesis track allows students to conduct independent research. Students on this track develop a research program of study approved by a supervising professor and a committee. These students learn how to engage with and contribute to scholarly knowledge, present at conferences, and demonstrate research ethics.
Many students on this track continue their education with a Ph.D. after graduating. Students on the non-thesis track focus on coursework, advancing their expertise in the field. After graduating, these students typically apply this expertise to the workforce. The coordinator for the M.A/M.S. in Geography is Tingting Zhao, Ph.D.
Doctoral Program
FSU’s Ph.D. in Geography is an internationally respected program that equips students with the necessary skills for in-depth research, such as methodological skills and theoretical perspectives. Students in this program develop a program of study and research in collaboration with their supervising professor and committee. This student initiates the program and refines it until it demonstrates the necessary proficiency for a Ph.D. dissertation. This research examines topics regarding society, geospatial inquiry, and the physical environment.
Research and Affiliated Centers and Institutes
The Department of Geography is committed to research excellence. Professors mentor students closely so they can create innovative and impactful research projects. Faculty in the department have earned grants from NASA, the National Science Foundation, the National Institute of Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Florida Department of Health, the Florida Department of Transportation, and more.
The department has instructional and research ties with programs including Computer Science, Urban and Regional Planning, Geology, Meteorology, Ecology, and Criminology; as well as the Center for Demography and Population Health and the DeVoe L. Moore Center. These connections pave the way for collaborative, interdisciplinary research.
The Center for Demography and Population Health (CDPH), established in 1967, supports evidence-based public policy through interdisciplinary research on demographic processes and population health; trains master’s students seeking careers as applied demographers; and mentors doctoral students in social demography, population economics, social epidemiology, and environment and health. The center brings together researchers from the Departments of Sociology, Economics, Geography, Urban and Regional Planning, History, and Statistics, and the College of Medicine.
DeVoe L. Moore Center for the Study of Critical Issues in Economic Policy and Government is an interdisciplinary center in the College of Social Sciences and Public Policy which examines how the government impacts the market economy. The center provides undergraduate and graduate students opportunities for research. This research has been presented at conferences and published in the news and as policy reports.
Distinguished Faculty
The Department of Geography has two endowed chairs. Anne Chin, Ph.D., joined the department as chair and the Harrison V. Chase Distinguished Professor of Geography. Dr. Chin’s areas of expertise include coupled human-landscape dynamics, fluvial processes, watershed management, interdisciplinary education, and the Anthropocene.
Mark W. Horner, Ph.D., outgoing department chair was appointed as the newest Earl B. and Sophia H. Shaw Professor of Geography beginning in Fall 2024. Dr. Horner studies commuting, land use, and their interrelationships; aging and vulnerable populations and their transportation needs; measuring accessibility to goods, health services, and opportunities; spatial optimization and network analysis in GIS; and disaster relief, evacuation, and sheltering.
For more information about the department’s current programs and activities, visit coss.fsu.edu/geography. For more information about our college’s history as we celebrate our 50th Anniversary, visit coss.fsu.edu/50th.