Geographers study the physical properties of the earth's surface and the distribution of life on earth, including humans and the effects of human activity. Students may focus on world regions and cultures, urban planning, or interaction between people and the environment. Students learn to analyze data, use cartographic and geographic information systems, and work in the field and in remote-sensing laboratories. Internships are integral to the major. Course credit and on-the-job experience can be earned in Tucson's top private-sector firms and government agencies. A teaching major is also offered, leading to certification to teach in Arizona public schools.

The knowledge gained from a major in Geography in the Water, Environment, and Society concentration of human and physical geography, computer based and statistical research methods, land use, resource assessment, politics, and planning, as applied to issues surrounding water and natural resources management, provides a strong career foundation. Graduates might work as field or lab researchers or consultants studying pollution, weather, or climate; as water resource analysts and managers; or as environmental policy advisers or conservation advocates. This concentration is also excellent preparation for graduate studies in geography, hydrology, or arid lands resource science.