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Geography is everywhere in your day-to-day life. The study of geography helps us to make sense of our increasingly complex world, become more socially and environmentally aware, and be informed citizens at both a local and global scale.

Why choose Geography at PCC?

Portland Community College geography faculty offer you a depth and range of experience that includes international perspectives, advanced degrees, technical expertise, and practical experience. You will study in small classes with teachers who will know your name as you embark on an adventure in learning about the people, places, environments, and landscapes of our world.

See all the Geography awards available at PCC.

Degrees and certificates

PCC offers classes in this program but not a degree. These classes can be used as electives and as part of the following university transfer plans:

What will you learn?

Geographers have a unique approach to studying the Earth because we look at it from a spatial perspective, and examine both the social and natural components of the world.

• Human geography focuses on understanding cultures, societies, and economies ¨C from single customs and traditions to international cooperation and integration.
• Physical geography is concerned with the dynamics of the natural environment, including water bodies, landscapes, depletion of valuable resources, and climate change.
• Geographic Information Systems (GIS) demonstrates our interconnectedness and interdependence with societies and nature. These tools allow geographers to analyze and map the spatial patterns and distributions of both social and natural elements of our world.

Geography also puts a strong emphasis on place. Geographers need to understand social and natural processes within the context of a place. Why do two places develop differently? What are the connections between the natural environment, political systems, economies, and cultures in any one place?

What will you do?

Geography provides a structure for integrating many disciplines and examining the interconnectedness of those disciplines. This includes fields of study in both the social and natural sciences ¨C geology, anthropology, sociology, environmental science, natural resource management, and economics, to name a few.