State and regional maps of where geography is taught in the U.S. in 2015

What is it about?

This is a study of where geography is taught in the US using data on tests given for Advanced Placement Human Geography and bachelor's degrees granted in geography. There is a very uneven pattern in where these two types of geographic learning take place. AP Human Geography exams are more commonly taken in the southeastern US while bachelors degrees in geography are more common in northern states.

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Why is it important?

The article uses geography's spatial perspective to study itself, part of what I call "the geography of geography." I also coin the term "geography desert" to describe areas where formal instruction in geography is mostly or completely absent. I point out that there is a tremendous lack of data about enrollment in geography courses in the United States. Where one lives while completing secondary and possibly post-secondary education has an important influence on the opportunity to learn geography. The article shows that there appears to be a disconnect between AP Human Geography and geography in higher education, based upon the areas where each level of instruction is most commonly found.