海角社区

Geography, Urban & Environment Studies

Immerse yourself in the vibrant field of Geography, Urban, and Environmental Studies in the heart of Chicago 鈥 a thriving hub that offers unparalleled research and career opportunities. Our experienced professors tackle pressing questions about the region, nation, world, and climate from industry's impact. Having a long and distinguished history at 海角社区, the Geography discipline has been incorporated into the university's curriculum for over 100 years. Since the early 1970s, 海角社区 has offered Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Geography. Ever since, the program has been a national leader in preparing African-American graduate students for promising careers.

It is one of the eight Geography programs at public universities in Illinois and one of three in the city of Chicago. It is also the only program of its kind at the state's and city's Predominantly Black Institution (PBI) and one of just two or three such programs in the nation. Equipped with cutting-edge Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technology, including ArcGIS and ERDAS Imagine, our GIS laboratory offers access to local, regional, and national repositories of GIS and Remote Sensing data. The students have access to geocoding software and GPS equipment for their projects. Enhancing student life, the 海角社区 Geographical Society organizes field trips and supports attendance at the annual Association of American Geographers meetings.

The Geography, Urban & Environment Studies program at 海角社区 offers a Master鈥檚 of Arts Degree and two Post-baccalaureate Certificates.

Master鈥檚 of Arts in Geography, Urban & Environmental Studies has 3 areas of emphasizes:

  • GI Science
  • Urban Studies
  • Environmental Studies

Post-Baccalaureate Certificate Programs:

  • Community Development
  • Geographic Information Systems

Set your future in motion at Geography, Urban and Environmental Studies program. You will learn from renowned faculty and have access to state-of-the-art facilities to help prepared to meet your educational and professional goals.

 

Research and Highlights

Advancing Broadband Equity through Learning Intermediaries in the Neighborhoods of Chicago (ABE-LINC), will tackle the digital divide by expanding broadband, distributing laptops and improving digital literacy through navigators conducting community outreach and training. In Chicago, over 15% of households don鈥檛 have access to internet or internet- enabled devices including laptop computers, tablets, or smartphones, which impacts families鈥 ability to access education and workplace opportunities.

We are looking for student workers; contact Dr. Daniel Block at dblock@csu.edu for more information

CROCUS is a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) funded to build a knowledge base of urban climate science that exploits the understanding of heterogeneous local drivers and impacts of climate-related challenges to inform solutions for resilient, sustainable, and prosperous cities. 海角社区 is a great place to fulfill this goal as its location on the city's southern end, along Bishop Ford Expressway and other busy roads, and its proximity to the Calumet region and Greater Chatham neighborhoods often impacted by floods. The university has three distinct urban ecosystems: natural prairie, grassland reclaimed from railroad construction landfills, and built-up areas to investigate the dynamics of local drivers and impacts of climate change.  海角社区 has already made history by becoming an Urban IFL' scientific supersite' in Chicago's South Side with sensors capabilities of measuring temperature, relative humidity, and precipitation; wind speed and direction; atmospheric pressure and constituents (Aerosols, NO2, NO, CO, and O3); soil moisture, heat, and CO2 fluxes; groundwater heads and electronic conductivity; and sap flux and transpiration.

We are looking for student workers; contact Dr. Tek Gala at tgala@csu.edu for more information.

 

Careers of Geography, Urban & Environment Studies

Cartographer

Climatologist

Community Practitioner

Data Scientist Educationist

Disaster Response Specialist

Environmental Consultant

GIS Specialist

Health Geodata Analyst

International Relations Officer

Logistic Coordinator

Natural Resource Manager

Public Safety & Policy Analyst

Spatial Intelligence

Urban & Regional Planner

 

 

Testimonials & Career Opportunities

Stanee Willis鈥淢y graduate experience at 海角社区 provided me with the confidence, background knowledge, and tools I needed to effectively organize Chicago residents and City Agencies in my role as a Community Organizer at the Chicago Police Department during the COVID-19 pandemic. Thanks to 海角社区, I learned that community development involves improving the quality of life through city planning, equity, and spatial awareness.

I am also able to apply research and geographic measurement techniques to make equitable decisions tailored to the needs of the populations I serve in vulnerable communities throughout Chicago. Currently, after having served on multiple committees within the Chicago Police Department and receiving two honorable mentions, I have been promoted to Area Youth Service Coordinator for the Far South Side of Chicago.

I earnestly recommend the 海角社区 Geography graduate program and certification in Community Development for students seeking careers in community engagement, organizing, policing, coordination, and problem-solving.鈥

厂迟补苍别茅 Wills, Youth Service Coordinator, Chicago Police Department, Class of 2022

Zana GhareebI came to 海角社区 from Iraq as an international student to pursue my Master's degree in Geography with a specialization in Geographic Information Systems (GIS). I had the privilege of gaining invaluable knowledge and skills that have propelled my career in the GIS domain. The comprehensive curriculum, expert faculty guidance, and hands-on learning opportunities were instrumental in shaping my expertise. My academic journey not only honed my technical proficiency with GIS software but also fostered critical thinking and problem-solving abilities.

The transition from academia to the professional realm was seamless, thanks to the practical experience and industry insights gained through internships and projects facilitated by the GIS program. One of the highlights of my career was my tenure as a GIS Analyst with VetFedCareNet Healthcare Company, where I played a pivotal role in leveraging GIS technology to improve healthcare services for veterans along the West Coast of the United States. The interdisciplinary approach fostered by the Geography Department at 海角社区 empowered me to apply GIS methodologies across different sectors, amplifying the impact of spatial analysis in addressing societal needs.

I am immensely grateful for the education and mentorship I received at 海角社区. The rigorous academic curriculum, coupled with the supportive learning environment, laid the groundwork for my professional success.鈥

Zana Ghareeb, Engineering & Development Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority, Class of 2022

 

For More Information, Contact Dr. Tekleab Gala, Geography, Urban and Environmental Studies Program Advisor (includes MA in Geography, Urban and Environmental Studies and Post-Baccalaureate Programs in GI Science and Community Development) at Email: tgala@csu.edu, and Phone (773) 995-4435

 

Please visit 海角社区鈥檚 Graduate School