Welcome. We’re delighted that you are interested in UW-Madison Geography.

Science Hall, home of Geography, in the heart of the UW-Madison Campus

For over 85 years, UW-Madison has been home to one of the top ranked geography departments in the nation. Formally established as its own department in 1928, the historic Science Hall has always been our home. Geography grew out of the Geology Department, an original Science Hall tenant.

Today, the UW-Madison is a world-class research university that provides many opportunities for inter-disciplinary collaboration. The strength of our department is reflected in our ability to attract top-caliber students, compete for significant research funding, and win major awards, including more Guggenheim Fellowships than any other geography department.

Our Geography Program is organized into four major thematic areas: physical geography, people-environmental studies, human geography, and cartography & GIS. There is intentional overlap among the thematic areas and many of our faculty work across subfields (e.g., teach courses in both human and people-environment).

The department’s strength lies in more than its faculty. We are fortunate to have the Robinson Map Library (with over 500,000 items) and the UW Geography Library housed within Science Hall. Combined, these libraries represent one of the largest and best collections of geographic materials anywhere. Other valuable facets within the department include the Cartography Lab (a unique cartographic production facility), the Wisconsin State Cartographer’s Office, and the History of Cartography Project.

We are also proud of the accomplishments of our graduates, many of whom have gone on to prominence within government, industry, and academia. Some of the most influential names in geography received their training here in Madison. However, we are not content to rest on our laurels and the future looks equally bright.

We invite you to explore!

Department Contact
Prof. Lisa Naughton, Department Chair
355 Science Hall
608-262-4846
naughton@geography.wisc.edu
Main Office Telephone: (608) 262-2138
Main Office Fax: (608) 265-3991