One of the most important yet underrated subjects that we learn in elementary school and high school is geography.
Some people are not interested in geography for a few reasons, the globe has already been mapped and discovered. For younger learners understanding just how big the world is and all of the different countries and cultures that exist can be very overwhelming.
Subjects like science, astronomy, and medicine are still making new discoveries to this day.
We are no longer living in the age of discovery that existed during the 15th and 16th centuries. However, we are discovering, understanding, studying, and predicting how geography shapes countries, dictates relations between countries, and how physical geography like mountains and oceans affect how we live.
Understanding geography for those reasons is very necessary to understanding how the world functions.
Sometimes we don't understand why borders exist between countries, or why one country on one side of the world wants to trade with another on the other side.
There are countries whose cultures are completely impacted by the terrain and mountains they live on, or by the sea or oceans that connect to their shores.
Geography isn't simply looking at a map and knowing which continents and countries are where, but also knowing how our politics, languages, religions have travelled and been shaped by our geography and why and how wars have been fought throughout history.
Living in the United States we have some of the most unique geographical features in the world, which has shaped our culture and made us one of the most, if not the most, influential country in the world today.
There are also plenty of big cities like Los Angeles or Chicago, that some of the best educational institutions in the world call home, where you can study cultural geography, physical geography and more.
Different types of geography
Geography is a really diverse subject, there are many different branches or types of geography that you can learn about if you decide to study geography more in debt while you are in college or university.
Of course there are majors in geography, and if you really want to study all or many of the different branches of geography you should take geography as a major.
Studying geography has a lot to do with not only physical things like mountains and rivers, but also human migrations, cultures, and more.
Due to this you may be studying another major like history, politics, economics, or sociology and have to learn a lot about geography and take a few geography courses.
So what are the different branches of geography that you could possibly learn about?
- Human geography
- Cultural geography
- Physical geography
- Regional geography
Human geography by itself has so many different subtopics. The study of how we deal with different geography from rural to urban life, and how political and international motives are shaped due to geography is really fascinating stuff!
Examining human geography also means looking at how history has molded our societies, cultures and religions. Nomads who travelled from Asia to Europe and the discovery of America by Europeans, colonization in Africa and the Americas are events influenced by geography and still affect us to this day.
Cultural, physical, and regional geography also play an important role in how we live and interact with each other.
Then there is cartography which is the study of mapping and graphically representing geographical features.
Cartography is actually really important for many reasons as there are plenty of people who rely on maps and need to know the altitudes of terrain and distances of desserts and bodies of water to work, sail, or do things like hike or climb mountains.
Studying geography in New York
One of the best places in the entire country let alone the entire planet to study any type of subject is undoubtedly New York City.
New York is home to some of the best colleges and universities in the world, there are also some amazing educators in the city that can give you a helping hand when you are studying geography.
While New York City is home to some of the most famous universities in the country that you may be familiar with, you may actually have more success at some of the lesser known colleges and universities.
If you are a New York native you may know these colleges that are in the New York City metropolitan area, but if you aren't and looking to live in NYC and study geography, these colleges are the best in the area:
- Hunter College
- Hofstra
- Rutgers
- CUNY the City College of New York
Tutors in New York City
Apart from excellent professors and teachers living in the New York area, there are plenty of private tutors that can be an excellent resource when it comes to learning any of the types of geography.
Many people say you can find just about anything in the city that never sleeps, and that includes a great tutor.
There are also plenty of places to look for a private geography tutor. You can find a tutor through posters, commercials, and of course on your college campus. The best thing to do is to make sure you find someone who is truly professional, that will be important for when you need someone to set a rigid schedule for you, meet you on your time, and is knowledgeable on the subject.
Using the tutoring platform, Superprof, you should be able to find a great private tutor, the tutors on Superprof, generally offer a free introductory trial class, so you can get a free geography lesson, and then you can commit to the tutor if you feel he or she is the right match.
Looking for a tutor on Superprof would be an amazing idea, and you should be able to find a great tutor that can meet you either online or in person.
Geography classes in Los Angeles
Another city that many people would love to study in or live in is Los Angeles.
The city is world famous for it's shopping, weather, beaches, film industry, and even it's universities.
Los Angeles has some really fantastic colleges and universities and many people from Montana to Florida apply to and attend the universities that are found in Los Angeles, and why not, living in Los Angeles is an amazing experience.
When it comes to learning geography in college, you might be wondering if you can earn a geography degree in Los Angeles.
Luckily for you, there are some fantastic schools in Los Angeles that can give you what you need.
UCLA, USC, and the University of California in Santa Barbara all have geography degrees, including a very unique course GeoDesign.
If you aren't familiar with these three universities, they are considered to be some of the most prestigious in the entire United States. A degree from here would help you a lot to find a job once you finish studying.
Geography lessons in Chicago
Chicago is another of the major cities in the United States. Chicago is a great city to live in even though it can be freezing at times.
It is another city that many students love to go to study and the colleges and universities in Chicago attract students from all over.
The University of Chicago is arguably the best university in the Chicago area to learn geography. There are several positives when it comes learning geography at the University of Chicago.
The University of Chicago is considered to be one of the top universities in the entire country, it is considered to be one of the best universities to learn geography, and it is found in the heart of Chicago, therefore you'd have it all.
The University of Illinois is another great school to go to and study a geography major.
The only problem in this case is that it is found outside of the city of Chicago, so you would have to commute a bit.
Studying geography in Atlanta and Houston
Two cities that aren't as large as the other two, however are home to some great academic institutions.
There are plenty of universities in the two cities that offer geography courses and majors.
Rice University, Texas Southern, and the University of Houston offer courses in geography. Meanwhile in Atlanta, Georgia State offers a major in geoscience, and Georgia Tech also offers a degree in geographical science.
Wherever you decide to go, make sure you choose the best school for you and don't be scared to find some extra help from your professors or private tutors when your studies get tough.
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