Students typically focus their education in one of four areas: physical geography, mapping sciences, human geography and anthropology.

Physical geographers study patterns of climates, land forms, vegetation, soils, and water.

Mapping scientists use many tools and techniques in their work, and geographic technologies are increasingly among the most important emerging fields for understanding our complex world. They include Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Remote Sensing, Global Positioning Systems (GPS), and online mapping such as Google Earth.

Human geography is concerned with the spatial aspects of human existence. And anthropologists study humankind, past and present, pulling in expertise in fields ranging from biology to sociology.

Because Anthropology offered by the Louisiana State University is a field science, students participate in numerous field trips. To help defray expenses, a field service fee of $20 per semester is charged to undergraduate majors and $25 per semester for graduate majors. Non-majors participating in field trip courses will be assessed a fee on a pro rata basis.