What is everyone studying here?

[Virgil]

the whole world, basically. But we also do a lot of theory and don't really learn all that many facts about other countries

Theory about geography? What kind of theories are there for geography. Isn't that just maps. The world is. This country has a city and a lake and a mountain? What would a theory say? Or do you mean geology?

[Petrarch's Love]

Theory about geography?

I knew it was only a matter of time before they started deconstructing the world.

[ShoutGrace]

"They" never stop, do they?

[IamMissingaLink]

I'm studying humanities & social sciences but I'm thinking about studying business instead or just getting a job in an office.

[higley]

Right now I am pursuing a degree in illustration, with a minor in fine arts. I hope to get enough of a scholarship later on to afford grad school, where I can get my MFA. Fingers crossed!

[SleepyWitch]

Theory about geography? What kind of theories are there for geography. Isn't that just maps. The world is. This country has a city and a lake and a mountain? What would a theory say? Or do you mean geology?

"The world is" no it isn't!
"Isn't that just maps." grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr. that's cartography!
Nah, we don't deconstruct the world. At least not in the sense of saying "wait, this city/country/river doesn't exist, it's all a construct".
Well, there's development studies, political geography, town and city planning, population studies and social geography and lots of other branches of human geography.
"This country has a city and a lake and a mountain?" This is how it was done in the 19th century. If Geography was like this, why would anyone need to study it at univ? A monkey could memorize cities and mountains! hehe, unfortunately, this is the way geography is taught at schools, which makes it such a boring subject. (Even more unfortunately, we don't do enough of this at univ, so Geography students don't have any idea where places are )
Ahem, and then there's also physical geography (geomorphology, climate, plant geography, ecology, high altitude mountains, hydrology,....) that's a bit more like mountains and lakes, but actually, it explains how they were formed rather than just listing them

[Petrarch's Love]

"The world is" no it isn't!
"Isn't that just maps." grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr. that's cartography!
Nah, we don't deconstruct the world. At least not in the sense of saying "wait, this city/country/river doesn't exist, it's all a construct".
Well, there's development studies, political geography, town and city planning, population studies and social geography and lots of other branches of human geography.
"This country has a city and a lake and a mountain?" This is how it was done in the 19th century. If Geography was like this, why would anyone need to study it at univ? A monkey could memorize cities and mountains! hehe, unfortunately, this is the way geography is taught at schools, which makes it such a boring subject. (Even more unfortunately, we don't do enough of this at univ, so Geography students don't have any idea where places are )
Ahem, and then there's also physical geography (geomorphology, climate, plant geography, ecology, high altitude mountains, hydrology,....) that's a bit more like mountains and lakes, but actually, it explains how they were formed rather than just listing them

Sleepy--Naturally I was joking about the deconstruction. At least the Geography students I've known seem to have a slightly saner definition of theory than my own field . As a matter of curiosity, you mentioned earlier that you're studying this to be a teacher, and you also mention above that the study of Geography is more about theory and other things at the college level, while in the schools it's taught more with the memorize cities and mountains approach. I was wondering if you plan to try to incorporate some of the theoretical aspects into your teaching or if you think it would be most valuable for your students to concentrate on memorization early on and maybe move on to what you term the "interesting" stuff later. I was just curious about your view on this since, as someone going into teaching herself, I'm often trying to decide what "high level" or "theoretical" concepts will actually be of use to my students and can really be tossed out or is better introduced at a later stage. Maybe this is a better question for the teaching section of the forum.

[Petrarch's Love]

I just realized I posted twice on this thread without addressing its main topic. For those who don't know, I study English Lit. at the graduate level.

[grace86]

Thank you Sleepy for the information about geography. I was thinking of taking a few classes on physical geography, but refrained because if it was all going to be memorization I didn't want to include it in a semester of statistics. Cool.

All of us here have in common our literature interest - but I thought there would be more out there going for degrees in literature. There are so many different goals here.

[SleepyWitch]

yeah, I really admire people who read as a hobby although it's got nothing to do with their job or studies! (with many of my fellow students it's the other way round, they study English but won't touch a book with a barge pole, unless they have to give a presentation about it)
Some of the non-lit students on this forum seem/ people who work seem to be more well-read than me.

[Shannanigan]

I'm studying English and Secondary Education...

but I love science , and history can be fun with the right professor...

[Virgil]

"The world is" no it isn't!
"Isn't that just maps." grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr. that's cartography!
Nah, we don't deconstruct the world. At least not in the sense of saying "wait, this city/country/river doesn't exist, it's all a construct".
Well, there's development studies, political geography, town and city planning, population studies and social geography and lots of other branches of human geography.
"This country has a city and a lake and a mountain?" This is how it was done in the 19th century. If Geography was like this, why would anyone need to study it at univ? A monkey could memorize cities and mountains! hehe, unfortunately, this is the way geography is taught at schools, which makes it such a boring subject. (Even more unfortunately, we don't do enough of this at univ, so Geography students don't have any idea where places are )
Ahem, and then there's also physical geography (geomorphology, climate, plant geography, ecology, high altitude mountains, hydrology,....) that's a bit more like mountains and lakes, but actually, it explains how they were formed rather than just listing them

Oh, I'm sorry, Sleepy. As I suspected we don't (unless it's changed) call this geography in the US. It sounds like more of a cross between anthropology, geology, and biology. Perhpas it's a sub-catagory of anthropology.

[Jamesian]

English literature for me. Just starting though, so I will not have my first literature class until next semester - but I am taking twelve hours of lit courses to make up for it! Muahahahhaha!

[vheissu]

Biology....mainly into genetics with a touch of microbiology and just a pinch of basic french, just to keep me sane. Haven't decided what I'd like my degree to be and don't have much time either to ponder about it for too long...but it will probably be genetics

[penelopea]

I'm not studying anything.
Just dipping through like a butterfly.