Geography at Middlebury is an interdisciplinary field of study that explores virtually all aspects of life on earth.

The Geography Department at Middlebury focuses on human geography. We provide our majors with a strong foundation in geographic concepts and theory, substantive knowledge of human geography, and extensive training in geospatial methods including GIS and cartography, among other technology skills.

Students use a drone in the field to gather data.

Why Geography?

If you love maps and have spent hours poring over an atlas, if you’re fascinated by human interactions across space and time, both globally and in particular locations, and if you want to better understand how politics, economics, culture, and the physical environment affect human activity at different scales, then geography is your place of discovery.

Contemporary geography is a far cry from the rote learning of capitals, rivers, and mountains you might have experienced in grade school—geography analyzes real-world problems. We investigate how and why phenomena vary across space and produce particular landscapes, how the geographical setting shapes outcomes, and how local, regional, and global processes are implicated. Geography helps draw connections between human activity and the natural world, paying particular attention to different scales, and is fundamentally interdisciplinary.

Learn more about our curriculum.

Students in geography class.

Learning Opportunities

Geography students are well prepared to do independent research and to work with faculty members as research assistants. Geography students can further enrich their education through summer internships with government agencies and nonprofit organizations and through study abroad.

Research

Students pursue internships and research in a variety of fields, enabling them to apply their liberal arts learning in real-world settings. Internships, research, and self-directed projects enrich your academic experience and help prepare you for life after Middlebury.

More about research

Facilities and Equipment

The Geography Department manages four laboratories that support digital cartography, geographic information systems (GIS), and remote sensing, all of which is readily available to students. 

More about our labs

Our Alumni

These are just some of the many interesting ways our graduates have applied their liberal arts learning to engage the world. See more about our alumni.

  • U.S. Department of the Interior, Attorney
  • NYC Office of Emergency Management, GIS Specialist
  • Defence Construction Canada, Environmental Services
  • U.S. Agency for International Development, Senior GIS Analyst
  • Maps for Good, Cofounder/Cartographer
  • National Geographic Society, Digital Graphics Editor
  • South Shore Natural Science Center, Executive Director
  • Volpe National Transportation Systems Center, Geospatial Analyst
  • Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative, President and Chief Scientist
  • Axis Maps, Managing Director

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Opportunities for Students

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