While geography is an old discipline, going back at least to the classical era, we are on the cutting edge, becoming one of the leading centers for geographic information systems, satellite-based remote sensing and other 21st-century technology.The Department of Geography offers training in fundamental geographic skills and the opportunity for advanced study and research in a variety of fields within the discipline. Areas of emphasis reflect faculty interest and competence and include the following: cartography and visualization, GIScience, and remote sensing; cultural, economic, political, and urban geography; environmental science and climatology; and environment-society relationships. Programs of study lead to the M.A., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees. The department has a strong record of success in graduate placement in private- and public-sector careers as well as in the academic sphere. To assist in its educational role, the department administers the GISciences Research Laboratory, the Hazards and Vulnerability Research Institute, the Climate Research Laboratory, the Biogeomorphic Research Laboratory, the Center for Excellence in Geographic Education and the South Carolina Geographic Alliance.