Geography, particularly environmentally-focused geography as emphasized at UMASS, is an ideal field for students who want to pursue a degree and gain skills that integrate the physical and social sciences while emphasizing environmental and sustainability studies at a range of scales from local to global.

Geography is the study of the earth in all of its physical and human diversity, spatial variation and geographically variable, dynamic interactions between people and the planet. Environmental themes are central to much of geography, which as an inherently interdisciplinary field has a long tradition of integrating the social and natural sciences through research and teaching which addresses relevant, current and critical environmental and social issues. As we become increasingly aware of the linkages between the planet's natural and social systems, in areas ranging from climate change to deforestation and biodiversity loss, it is important for the university to provide students with opportunities to learn geographic perspectives about the ways in which people interact with the planet and gain geographic skills to contribute to environmental research, policy making and action.