Mission Statement
The Department of Geography has based its mission and objectives within the framework of the mission, aims, and objectives of Brigham Young University. The department’s guiding philosophy is to contribute to the overall goal of a BYU education: spiritually strengthening, intellectually enlarging, and character building, leading to lifelong learning and service.
Major Emphases
Why Geography
Geography is more than memorizing place names and capital cities. Geography is the study of human-human and human-nature interactions on the earth’s surface. Geography is about understanding how these interactions have changed over time and space, and why people, places, and things are where they are.
Why Geography Should Be Part Of Every 21st Century Education
History of the Geography Department
Brigham Young University has offered geography classes since its opening. BYU’s first president Karl G. Maeser taught many of the core geography classes.
Geography was originally part of the Geology Department, with Elliott Tuttle and a couple geology professors teaching courses in geography.
1953 |
The BS Geography degree introduced in the Geology & Geography Department. |
1954 |
Robert Layton (Cartography, Human Geography) and Albert Fisher (Human Geography) hired |
1955 |
The independent Geography Department was created, housed in the Eyring Science Building, consisting of three full-time faculty, chair: Elliott Tuttle |
1956 |
Keith Duke (Regional Geography) hired as our 4th professor (he left for Stanford in 1960) |
1957 |
We moved to the new David O. McKay Building |
1958 |
Marion Millett hired as our 5th professor |
1960 |
Geography moved to the Jesse Knight Building; the first Master’s degree is awarded by the department |
1961 |
Russell Horiuchi (Human Geography) hired, Chair: Robert Layton (for the next 20 years!); the University standardizes the 3-digit course numbering system, a few classes have miraculously survived from then to the present with the same number! (101, 120, 211, 312) |
1962 |
Geography moved to the Heber J. Grant Building, our home for the next 19 years. |
1964 |
Alan Grey (Physical Geography) hired. |
1965 |
Melvin Aamodt (Human Geography) hired as our 6th professor. |
1966 |
Dale Stevens (Regional, Physical Geography) hired as our 7th professor. |
1968 |
A more well-defined Master of Science Degree program is introduced |
1969 |
Richard Jackson (Human Geography, Planning) hired. |
1970 |
Lloyd Hudman (Human Geography, Tourism) hired; Dr. Horiuchi called as a mission president in Japan. |
1972 |
Thomas Hinckley (Cartography) hired. |
1974 |
Two new majors are introduced in Planning and Cartography, along with a Planning/Cartography Associate Degree; Kelly Nielsen hired as the first full-time staff cartographer, providing services for faculty in the department, across the campus, and the Church (including the maps for the 1981 edition of the Doctrine and Covenants). |
1976 |
New emphasis (Bachelor and Associate) in Travel & Tourism introduced. |
1979 |
Several new degree programs replace the emphases: BS Resource Management, BS Geography Teaching, BS Travel & Tourism, BS Planning, MS Cartography, MS Planning. |
1980 |
The department weather station is established—now the David James Memorial NWS Weather Station. |
1981 |
The Geography Department moved into the 6th floor of the Spencer W. Kimball Tower (it’s current location); BS Cartography introduced; Chair: Russell Horiuchi (-1988). |
1987 |
Perry Hardin (GIS) hired (the first new faculty in 16 years); Jeff Bird hired as the new staff cartographer. |
1988 |
Robert Ford hired, Chair Dale Stevens (-1995). |
1989 |
Associate degrees are eliminated in our department and across the university. We receive a large grant from Intergraph for GIS workstations and software. |
1990 |
Jim Davis (Human Geography/Tourism) hired as our 8th professor. |
1991 |
Matthew Shumway (Human Geography) hired as 9th professor; the Planning and Resource Management degrees combined. |
1992 |
Chad Emmett (Human Geography) hired; the masters degrees are merged into a single program with three emphases |
1993 |
Cartography degree renamed to Cartography and Geographic Information Systems. |
1995 |
Chair Richard Jackson (-2000). |
1996 |
Brandon Plewe (GIS) hired; BS Cartography and Geographic Information Systems renamed to Geographic Information Systems |
1997 |
Sam Otterstrom (Human Geography, Planning) hired |
1998 |
Jeff Durrant (Human, Physical Geography) hired; Travel and Tourism changed to an emphasis in BS Geography. |
2000 |
Mark Jackson (GIS) hired, Chair Matthew Shumway (-2012). |
2001 |
Matthew Bekker (Physical Geography) and Renee Gluch (GIS) hired as new 10th and 11th faculty positions; the emphasis in Environmental Studies introduced; the staff cartographer position is replaced by the student-staffed Mapping Services Lab that eventually evolved into ThinkSpatial. |
2003 |
The first Chauncy Harris Distinguished Lecture; Global Studies added as the third emphasis of BS Geography, Planning renamed “Urban, Rural, and Environmental Planning.” |
2004 |
Clark Monson (Physical Geography) hired |
2006 |
The Planning and GIS degrees become emphases of the BS Geography; Geospatial Intelligence added as a 6th emphasis. |
2007 |
Ryan Jensen (GIS) hired |
2008 |
The Geography Teaching degree is eliminated |
2010 |
Last Master Degrees awarded; Graduate program furloughed to focus more resources on undergraduate education |
2011 |
Michael Clay (Planning) and Clark Monson (Physical Geography) hired, bringing our department to 12 full-time faculty |
2012 |
Ryan Jensen becomes 7th chair. |
2013 |
ThinkSpatial established as a student-run GIS/Cartography consulting agency |
2014 |
Daniel Olsen (Tourism) hired |
2020 |
Ruth Kerry (Environmental Science) and David Simpson (Planning) hired |
2021 |
Daniel Olsen becomes our 8th chair. |
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Professor Elliott Tuttle, 1958, teaching with our immortal chalkboard globe
“The Father of BYU Geography” was a mentor to many during his long career, including several future department faculty; one of our department scholarships is named in his honor.
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Students posing in front of a map, 1958
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Bob Layton and students studying air photos, 1958
Starting as our first cartography professor, Layton was instrumental in developing the professional aspects of the growing department, overseeing the introduction of programs in cartography, planning, and tourism.
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GIS Lab, 1998
Our first computer lab was funded by Intergraph, including both their UNIX workstations and GIS software. Eventually, we transitioned to PCs with Esri ArcGIS.
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Dr. Chad Emmett and the Geography Club, Zion N.P., 2003
Field trips have always been a fun and important part of experiencing geography
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Faculty field trip, Lehi, 2006
A few professors looking at recent developments in the "Silicon Slopes" area. Can you tell who is who?
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Dr. Plewe and BYU GIS alumni, 2013
Professional and academic conferences are always a great opportunity for faculty and alumni to reconnect and create new opportunities.
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