related majors, minors, graduate degrees and certificate programs
of Maxwell faculty conduct international research
topical research clusters provide vast academic and experiential opportunities
Undergraduate Studies
Our dynamic major and minor programs provide a solid foundation in the natural sciences, social sciences and humanities.
Environment, sustainability and policy integrated learning major (double major program), B.A. or B.S depending on base major
Graduate Studies
Graduate students are part of a vibrant intellectual community and work closely with faculty members in research and teaching. Advanced degree options include:
Geography, M.A.
Geography, Ph.D.
Joint degree program with the master of public administration (M.P.A.)
Certificate of Advanced Study in GIS and spatial analysis (concurrent with graduate studies)
There's a world of possibilities waiting for you.
Syracuse, N.Y. - A Learning Laboratory
Syracuse University’s location in Central New York serves as a learning laboratory, where students gain real-world experience through research, internships and more.
Students interested in environmental processes and management have easy access to the Finger Lakes and the region’s other extensive groundwater resources; ecological restoration projects in Onondaga Lake; environmental justice issues in Syracuse, N.Y.; or conservation challenges in the nearby Adirondack mountains.
Syracuse is also located within the first-in-the-nation unmanned vehicle traffic management corridor. This 50-mile stretch of land has become the most advanced drone testing corridor in the U.S., generating data that will inform future drone applications.
A Capital Experience
Applied and Scholarly Research
Faculty members within the Geography and the Environment Department represent wide-ranging interests and sub-specialties, providing students with the opportunity to address real-world problems through multiple lenses.
This unique partnership offers students with interests in urban studies, public health, environmental justice or community development opportunities to work on participatory research projects with local and regional community organizations.
Professor Ethan Coffel is principal investigator on a three-year National Science Foundation (NSF) grant project exploring the link between climate and agricultural change. He is one of many faculty in our department whose research focuses on energy and natural resources.
Watch this video interview with Professor Jane Read and learn about the tools and procedures for collecting, analyzing, visualizing, disseminating and understanding information about the earth, its inhabitants and physical processes using satellite imagery and other information technologies.
This research area links historical geography with the growing interdisciplinary field of the geohumanities, including historical GIS, digital humanities, spatial history and the environmental humanities.
Geography and the Environment in Action
School News
May 5, 2026
Media Coverage
Apr 23, 2026
School News
Apr 14, 2026
Geography and the Environment Events
Geography and the Environment Spring 2022 Colloquium Series
Eggers Hall, 220
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Geography and the Environment Spring 2022 Colloquium Series: A Celebration of the Life and Work of Donald Meinig.
Panelists: Bill Wyckoff, Montana State University; Jamie Winders, Syracuse University; Anne Knowles, University of Maine; Bob Wilson, Syracuse, University.
Please join us for an afternoon celebrating the life and work of Donald Meinig. Professor Meinig was Maxwell Professor of Geography and a member of the Department of Geography and the Environment for over fifty years. He was considered the leading historical geographer of North America and was best known for his magisterial four-volume Shaping of America series. He was also a well-respected teacher and supervisor of doctoral students.
The four panelists will share memories of Professor Meinig and discuss the con-tinued relevance and importance of his scholarship. We invite those who knew him to join us as well as those who would like to learn more about this valued and influential member of our Maxwell community.
Reception to follow in the Strasser Commons.
Category
Social Science and Public Policy
Type
Talks
Region
Open to
Alumni
Parents and Families
Cost
None
Organizer
Geography and the Environment Department
Accessibility
Contact Bob Wilson to request accommodations