Does the Geography Major Fit in STEM?

Md Rajibul Hasan Al Mamun,Trisha Jackson,George White

doi:10.5539/jgg.v7n1p27

Md Rajibul Hasan Al Mamun, Trisha Jackson + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.5539/jgg.v7n1p27

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Abstract

STEM education plays a significant role in developing reasoning and technical skills among other benefits. Definitions of geography vary somewhat, but most of the sources define geography as a science. Geography relates to the STEM disciplines with application of geographical tools to solve problems. However, geography is not included as a STEM discipline by federal authorities in the United States (US). This paper presents evidence from US graduate and undergraduate geography programs demonstrating how geography qualifies as a STEM discipline, a qualification that could provide a variety of benefits for the programs and students alike. This research suggests that more than 50% of US colleges/universities confer Bachelor of Science (BS) or Master of Science (MS) degrees in geography and the distribution of these institutions occurs in most states. Therefore, geography has already been recognized as a STEM major by these US colleges/universities that offer STEM coursework including physical geography, Geographic Information System (GIS), remote sensing, natural resources, environmental science, and atmospheric science. Hence, it follows that government authorities should recognize geography as STEM.

Highlights

1.1 Geography and STEMGeography strongly links the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) disciplines with application of geographical technology/tools, which can provide a better understanding of cross-disciplinary phenomena to address important problems
This paper presents evidence from United States (US) graduate and undergraduate geography programs demonstrating how geography qualifies as a STEM discipline, a qualification that could provide a variety of benefits for the programs and students alike
This research suggests that more than 50% of US colleges/universities confer Bachelor of Science (BS) or Master of Science (MS) degrees in geography and the distribution of these institutions occurs in most states

Summary

Introduction

Geography strongly links the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) disciplines with application of geographical technology/tools, which can provide a better understanding of cross-disciplinary phenomena to address important problems. Geography is somewhat overlooked as a STEM field by government authorities (Dangermond, 2013). If a STEM field is classified as non-STEM, both local and international students will be deprived of opportunities and benefits such as salary increases and work extensions. Foreign scholars can lose opportunities to obtain visas and work permits because policymakers emphasize hiring workers skilled in STEM areas from abroad. In a time when geographical science is poised to address overarching issues “to help society manage and adapt to the transformation of Earth’s surface,” (The National Academies, 2014) a federal classification of geography as STEM is overdue

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