Geography is more than just the study of where places are located. The term “geography” comes from the Greek term geo meaning “the earth” and graphia meaning “to write." So literally, geographers are writing and describing the earth in all of its many aspects.
Geographers ask important questions about human activity and movement, and they seek to understand why people arrange and distribute themselves as they do. Geographers look at the world from a spatial perspective, even though they might use a variety of techniques, from statistics to interviews, to do their work.
At Oakton College, we offer a geography pre-major for students interested in beginning their studies in geography and who plan to transfer to a four-year institution to complete their bachelor's degree. We offer a number of easily transferable introductory and advanced courses that will prepare you for work as an educator, research assistant, geographer, tourism developer, urban planner or any number of other careers.
Geography is generally divided between human and physical branches. At Oakton, our curriculum focuses on the human aspect. (The physical aspects of geography are taught in the Earth Science department).
The following pre-major is recommended for students who are considering completing a Bachelor’s degree in Geography after transferring to a four-year institution. It is designed for students who have not decided upon a specific four-year college or university.
Employment of geographers is projected to show little or no change from 2021 to 2031.
Despite limited employment growth, about 100 openings for geographers are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Most of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
The median annual wage for geographers was $85,220 in 2021.
Enrolling at Oakton College can save you thousands of dollars and help you earn more over the course of your career. Our tuition is among the lowest in the region, and we offer many ways to bring your costs down even more.
99 percent of Oakton students graduate without debt.
To help you get there, you can apply for a scholarship, which you don’t have to pay back. We award $12 million in scholarships annually. Financial Aid includes grants, loans, and other forms of financial assistance that can reduce your costs of attending college.
We offer payment options that give you control over how you pay. Pay all at once or spread your payments over the course of the semester.
Learn more about your options for paying for your education
Meet our full-time faculty:
Kayla Mitchell
Chair, EGHPS (Economics, Geography, History, and Political Science)
Associate Professor, Economics
B.B. Western Illinois University
M.A. Western Illinois University
Areas of Specialization: Microeconomics and Macroeconomics
kmitchell@oakton.edu
847.376.7256
Office: 2602, Des Plaines
Valeria Benson-Lira
Assistant Professor of Earth Science and Geography
B.S. Instituto Tecnologico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey, Mexico
M.A. Geography, Arizona State University
vbensonlira@oakton.edu
847.376.7258
Office: 202 Lee Center DPC
Meet our part-time faculty:
Arkadiusz Stachnik
Lecturer - Geography
M.A. Geography, Jagiellonian University
astachnik@oakton.edu
847.635.1950
Office: 2430, Des Plaines