The University of Northern Colorado, in cooperation with the Colorado Geographic Alliance (COGA) and the Geography Program in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, offers a 12-credit graduate program for in-service school teachers. Completion of all the requirements results in a Graduate Certificate in Geography Education. The courses are offered in the summer, followed by an online course offered during the subsequent school year. The cost for the program typically includes the field trip fees, lodging, meals, and some local travel, but require participants to travel to a starting point in Colorado (announced in advance). COGA refers to this set of classes as the ProGeographer program, and has offered reduced costs to participants at times. Details about each year are posted on COGA’s website: http://geography.unco.edu/coga/index.htm

1.     Successfully complete all 4 courses with a grade of B or higher. Secondary teachers would complete the four courses outlined below. Elementary-level administrators would complete the three summer courses and attend a special summer institute that COGA would conduct to integrate geography with literacy, math, or science.

2.     Participants (except elementary teachers) agree to develop and conduct a district in-service that diffuses the summer coursework to appropriate district colleagues. COGA would provide partial funding support for these functions. For elementary school teachers: Conduct one district in-service that integrates content from the summer geography coursework with literacy, math, or science.

3.     All participants agree to administer COGA pre- and post-surveys or tests that help evaluate the status of geography knowledge in K-12 students.

Field Course (Geog 592)—Physical/human field methods and research initiatives

Systematic Course (Geog 520)—Urban, Economic, Political, or Population Geography, or nature-society courses such   as Resource Management or Natural Hazards

Systematic Course (Geog 520)—Urban, Economic, Political, or Population Geography, or nature-society courses such as Resource Management or Natural Hazards

Teaching Geography (Geog 525) —Capstone Course Online (during school year)