We live in a pluralistic and highly technical world in which it is paramount to ensure that technology works to human benefit, rather than to its detriment.  To help people make intelligent decisions about places, Geography has sharpened its traditional stature among core disciplines through the development of modern spatial analytical techniques. Geography is both a physical and a social science because geographers cannot study societies and their technologies without also studying the environments in which they exist.  As a result, the Geography department's programs are focusing on environmental analysis (physical geography and human environment interaction) and geographic information technologies (geographic information science, remote sensing, and spatial statistics).

 The Department of Geography at the University of New Mexico evaluates spatial interactions between humans and the biophysical environment.  This approach naturally provides opportunities for students to learn a variety of skills that are important not only for geographers, but for any successful person in our dynamic world.  

The Department of Geography offers both theoretical and practical "hands-on" work in physical geography, including biogeography, hydrology; conservation of natural resources; human geography, including urban, social, and economic geography; geographic information technology (GIT), including spatial analysis using GIS, remote sensing, computer cartography, image processing; and an opportunity to put these above areas in context via a regional geography curriculum.  To complement these educational experiences, the department offers geography majors internship opportunities.