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Department of Geography

 

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ACADEMICS: Undergraduate Programs & Geography Courses
Geography Major
Required Courses Course Credits Total
Required
University Core Curriculum   22
General Education Requirements   30-42
Geography Major:   40
   Geography Core   16
      GEOG 101 Global Geography 4  
      GEOG 150 Physical Geography 4  
      GEOG 216 Mapping a Changing World 4  
      GEOG 299 Essentials of Geography 4  
   Geography Electives
   (select four 300-400 level geography courses)
16
   Geography in Practice   4
      GEOG 301 Independent Study 1-4  
      GEOG 311 Directed Teaching Experience 1-4  
      GEOG 460 Geography Internship 1-4  
   Geography Capstone   4
      GEOG 499W Senior Seminar 4  
General Electives   24-36
Total Required Credits 128
Traditional Geography Minor
Required Courses Course Credits Total
Required
   Geography Core   8
      GEOG 101 Global Geography 4  
      GEOG 150 Physical Geography 4  
   Geography Electives
   (select three additional geography courses,
   two of which must be at the 300-400 level)
12
Total Required Credits 20
Certificate in Geographic Information Science
Required Courses Course Credits Total
Required
   Geography Core   12
      GEOG 101 Global Geography 4  
      GEOG 216 Mapping a Changing World 4  
      GEOG 316 Applied GIS 4  
   Geography Elective
   (select one upper level geography course)
4
   Mathematics and Computer Science 8
      COSC 110 Introduction to Programming 4  
      MATH 210 Elementary Statistics 4  
Total Required Credits 24
Geography Major with GIS Certificate Minor
Required Courses Course Credits Total
Required
University Core Curriculum   22
General Education Requirements   30-42
Geography Major with GIS Certificate Minor:   48
   Geography Core   16
      GEOG 101 Global Geography 4  
      GEOG 150 Physical Geography 4  
      GEOG 216 Mapping a Changing World 4  
      GEOG 299 Essentials of Geography 4  
   Advanced GIS Course   4
      GEOG 316 Applied GIS 4  
   Mathematics and Computer Science   8
      COSC 110 Introduction to Programming 4  
      MATH 210 Elemtary Statistics 4  
   Geography Electives
   (select three 300-400 level geography courses)
12
   Geography in Practice   4
      GEOG 301 Independent Study* 1-4  
      GEOG 311 Directed Teaching Experience** 1-4  
      GEOG 460 Geography Internship 1-4  
   Geography Capstone   4
      GEOG 499W Senior Seminar* 4  
General Electives   16-28
Total Required Credits 128
*Projects chosen for Independent Study and Senior Seminar must be GIS-focused
**Directed Teaching Experience must be in GEOG 216 or GEOG 316.
Course Descriptions

GEOG 101 Global Geography: Places, Landscapes, and Regions (4)
Expand and enhance knowledge of your world. This course uses a spatial approach to understand history, culture, and environmental concerns across the globe. Regional case studies and current events reinforce geographic concepts.

GEOG 150 Physical Geography: Understanding Planet Earth (4)
Hurricanes, tsunamis, earthquakes, volcanoes, global climate change. Learn the science behind the headlines. Understand processes and patterns in the natural environment. This course investigates a diverse set of environmental concerns on our dynamic planet including landform processes, oceans and coasts, water resources, Earth’s atmosphere, and climate dynamics. Offered: Fall and Spring. (Formerly GEOG 214)

GEOG 216 Mapping a Changing World (4)
Learn the art and science of mapmaking (cartography), using state-of-the-art technologies like Google Earth, Global Positioning System (GPS), remotely-sensed imagery, and geographic information systems (GIS). The course provides an opportunity to develop spatial problem-solving skills using timely and appropriate global, regional, and local case studies. Offered: Spring.

GEOG 270 GIS II: Spatial Analysis (4)
Extended exploration into theory and concepts of Geographic Information Science (GISc), focusing on analytical operations. Topics includes vector data query, feature measurement, map overlay, feature buffering, raster data analysis, terrain mapping, spatial interpolation, spatial modeling, and network analysis. Prereq: GEOG 216. Offered: Fall.

GEOG 299 Essentials of Geography (4)
Overview of the discipline of geography with an emphasis on developing the geographic skills necessary to investigate and solve problems in an increasingly complex world. Both traditional and emerging trends in geographic inquiry are explored with an emphasis on research, writing, and presentation abilities. Offered: Spring, on rotation.

GEOG 301 Independent Study (1-4)
Directed reading and/or research on a topic in geography intended to give special training or preparation in subject areas not covered in the regular geography course offerings. May be repeated for a maximum of 8 credits. Prereqs: Geography major or minor and permission of the instructor. Offered: Fall and Spring.

GEOG 305 Globalization: Geographies of Economic Change (4)
Geographic examination of the world’s economy. Topics include global patterns of production and distribution, economic development, transportation, location analysis, and the globalization of the world’s economic systems. Offered: Spring, on rotation.

GEOG 311 Directed Teaching Experience (1-4)
Involves student participation as an undergraduate teaching assistant for a geography course under the supervision of a geography faculty member. May be repeated for a maximum of 8 credits. Grading is pass/fail. Prereqs: Minimum 3.5 GPA in geography courses, minimum 3.0 GPA overall, 12 hours of completed geography coursework, and permission from the supervising faculty member and the geography department chair. Offered: Fall and Spring.

GEOG 350 Coastal and Marine Geography: Modern Marine Science (4)
Overview of the world’s oceans and the role they play in global geologic, climatologic, and biologic systems. The course investigates current ocean science and technologies, patterns of environmental change, and coastal dynamics. Co-listed with MARS 350. Offered: Spring, on rotation.

GEOG 360 Urban Geography: The North American City (4)
Geographic perspective of the past, present, and future of the American city. Topics include the historic roots of cities, development of the U.S. urban system, transportation, and the shaping of cities; social, political, and economic dynamics of urban areas; urban growth, decline, and revitalization; suburbanization; and challenges facing cities in the twenty-first century. Co-listed as POLS 360 and SOCI 360. Offered: Spring, on rotation.

GEOG 370 Suburban Nation: Gates, Golf Courses, and Ghettos (4)
Addresses the fundamental questions: How did the United State become such a suburban nation? How has this pervasive suburban landscape changed over time, both in design and meaning? Using a variety of sources (film, fiction, an historical essays), the course considers the evolution of the suburban landscape from the colonial to the contemporary era. Co-listed with HIST 370 and SOCI 370. Offered: Fall, on rotation.

GEOG 391 Exploring North American Landscapes: From Wilderness to Walt Disney World (4)
Exploration of the human and physical geographies of the United States and Canada. Drawing from diverse texts, the course explores the evolution of the North American landscape. Topics to be covered include: conversion of the New World wilderness, frontier mythologies, the evolution of the American city, and the cultural impact of suburbia. Co-listed as HIST 391. Offered: On rotation.

GEOG 392W Geographies of Africa (4)
Presents a geographical exploration of Africa, focusing primarily on cultural issues. A broad range of topics will be investigated including: African stereotypes, environmental crises, social geographies of gender and religion, legacies of colonialism, and the impact of development policies throughout the region. Co-listed as POLS 392W. Offered: On rotation.

GEOG 395 Giants of Asia: China and India in the 21st Century (4)
Focuses on exploring these two giant countries and understanding their emergence as important world powers in the 21st century. The course investigates the physical environment, history, culture, economy, and politics that help shape these two countries. Co-listed as HIST 395 and POLS 395. Offered: Fall, on rotation.

GEOG 397 Andes to Amazon: Physical Landscapes of Latin America (4)
Study of the geographical forces that influence the landscapes of Latin America and how they change over time. This course is organized by substantive topics rather than by country. Topics include regional specific plate tectonics, weather systems, oceanographic systems, and river systems. Co-listed with POLS 397. Offered: Fall, on rotation.

GEOG 460 Geography Internship (1-4)
Practical work experience outside the department. Placement may be with government agencies, non-profits, industry, or other organizations. May be repeated for a maximum of 8 credits, but only 4 of the 8 can count towards the major. Grading is pass/fail only. Prereqs: GEOG 101, 150, and 216; declaration of a geography major or minor; and permission of the department. Offered: Fall and Spring.

GEOG 490 Special Topics in Geography (4)
Special topics in geography that are not normally examined in depth in the regular course offerings. Focus on research interests of faculty members, newly emerging areas of interest in geography, or current events. Courses may be offered by visiting faculty or as experimental advanced courses by departmental faculty. Prereq: Junior class standing or permission of department chair.

GEOG 499W Senior Seminar (4)
Specialized course intended as a synthesizing experience for the major. Course is required for graduation and consists of an independent research project in a subfield specialty involving a research component, a writing component, and a public, oral presentation of research results. A minimum grade of C is required to pass this course. Offered: Fall.