Contact Information

General Contact

Admissions Office

Financial Aid Office

ACCEPTANCE RATE

90.04%

FINANCIAL AID RATE

92%

STUDENT TEACHER RATIO

17:1

DEGREE OFFERED ONLINE

90

FINANCIAL AID AWARD AVG.

$4,847

Average Grants + Scholarship Aid Awarded to Undergraduate Students

Percent of Full-Time Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid

Percent of Students Paying In-State Tuition vs Out-of-State Tuition

College Video Tour

School Map

Geography Degree

The geography program at South Dakota State University prepares students for a career as an urban planner, community developer, cartographer, GIS specialist, climatologist, transportation manager, environmental manager, or a writer or researcher. The program focuses on the systematic study of the spatial distribution and interrelationships of people, natural resource, plant and animal life. Program courses include: historical and political geography, cultural geography, economic and physical geography, regional science, cartographic methods, remote sensing, spatial analysis, and development studies. Get more details below including other South Dakota colleges that offer geography degrees.

Learn more by requesting information now!

South Dakota State University (SD Mines)

501 E Saint Joseph St, Rapid City, SD

South Dakota State University provides a variety of degree programs for students to guide them in their growth and development. The school is located in Brookings, SD and publically funded. As a land grant institution this school is one of the larger public institutions in the state of South Dakota. Approximately thirteen thousand students are enrolled annually at SDSU.

Areas of study available at SDSU include:

  • Health And Clinical Professions
  • Biological And Biomedical Sciences
  • Social Sciences
  • Agriculture Operations
  • Psychology
  • Family And Consumer Sciences

Students applying for admission are most often required to submit an application, school records, standardized test scores and any requested letters of recommendations, which will then be reviewed by the admissions staff. Most students admitted to South Dakota State University score in a range of 19 to 25 on the ACT exam. SDSU has an admissions rate of about 92 percent of which only 52 percent decided to attend. More information on admissions can be found here.

The cost of tuition is different for in-state and out-of-state residents. In-state residents pay nearly $7,600, while nonresidents pay $9,500 per year. Housing may be available for students who wish to live on-campus for a cost of $3,000 annually. Students enrolled at SDSU may qualify for aid which is generally loans, grants, scholarships and work study programs.

The South Dakota State University Jackrabbits participate in a number of athletic programs, within the NCAA. Athletic programs offered include:

  • Baseball (NCAA Division I-AA)
  • Basketball (NCAA Division I-AA)
  • Track & Field (NCAA Division I-AA)
  • Football (NCAA Division I-AA)

Students can take a look at the school's http://www.sdstate.edu/ to see additional information.

Students Enrolled in the Geography Program

Get more details below regarding enrollment, academics, and school demographics. SD Mines has offered the following degree levels for students:

  • Bachelor's Degree
  • Master's Degree

Students by Academic Level (2019)

 Graduates
Bachelor's Degree7
Master's Degree0

Students by Gender (2019)

 Graduates
Male6
Female1

Students by Race (2019)

 Graduates
White6
Non Resident Alien1

Source: IPEDS Survey 2012-2020: Data obtained from the US Dept. of Education's Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS). Data may vary depending on school and academic year.

Career Options for Graduates

Students who have completed the Geography program at South Dakota State University, have entered into some of these more popular career paths listed below:

Regulatory Affairs Managers

Description

Plan, direct, or coordinate production activities of an organization to ensure compliance with regulations and standard operating procedures.

Geographers

Description

Study the nature and use of areas of the Earth's surface, relating and interpreting interactions of physical and cultural phenomena. Conduct research on physical aspects of a region, including land forms, climates, soils, plants, and animals, and conduct research on the spatial implications of human activities within a given area, including social characteristics, economic activities, and political organization, as well as researching interdependence between regions at scales ranging from local to global.

Career Outlook & Projections ()

According to the BLS, geographers employment is expected to shrink at a rate of -1.6% from 2014 to 2024

Geography Teachers, Postsecondary

Description

Teach courses in geography. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

Source: Job descriptions, estimated salary and wages, and projected job growth are taken from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Admission Requirements & Details

The admissions information below may give an overview of the students SD Mines accepts. The details may include admissions application requirements and recommendations, as well as any college credits that may be transferred.

College Credits Accepted

  • Dual Credits
  • Life Experience Credits
  • AP Course Credits
accrediation - SELECT Campus_Name, Campus_IPEDS_UnitID, Agency_Name,clean_program_name as Program_Name,Accreditation_Type,Accreditation_Status,Accreditation_Date_Type,Periods,cipcode,entity_id FROM `college_accreditations_2015` ca left join `college_accreditations_program_names` capn on capn.program_name = ca.Program_Name WHERE `entity_id` = '219356' AND `Last Action` = ''

Academics & Student Services

Student Services

To support students and graduates, South Dakota State University may offer student services like:

  • Online course work available
  • Remedial courses
  • Academic counseling for students
  • Work study style employment
  • Assisting students to find work

Intercollegiate Athletics

South Dakota State University is a Member of National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), with many of the sports belonging to the NCAA Division I-FCS classification. The most popular sports played are listed below:

  • Baseball (The Summit League)
  • Basketball (The Summit League)
  • Track and Field (The Summit League)
  • Football (Missouri Valley Conference)
  • Golf
  • Soccer
  • Softball
  • Swimming and Diving
  • Volleyball
  • Wrestling
  • Equestrian