| Disclaimer: The course
information below is current as of October 30, 2003, is intended for
informational purposes only, and does not constitute a legal contract
between the University of Utah and any person or entity.
This Web document is updated twice a year, on or about the first day of
registration for Fall and Spring semesters.
1000 Global Change and Mountain West Environments
(3) Fulfills Physical/Life Science Exploration.
Changing climates, mountains, deserts, glaciers, lakes, rivers, oceans,
and living things interact globally and locally, long-term and short-term
with human populations. Course explores recent theories, research methods,
and data sources used to study geographical and historical patterns, future
trends, and human impacts. Case studies probe past and ongoing environmental
change in Wastach-Great Salt Lake region and western North America. Hands-on
laboratory component introduces state-of-the-art environmental mapping (GIS,
GPS, remote sensing).
1100 Measuring Global Change from Space (3)
Fulfills Physical/Life Science Exploration.
A diverse fleet of Earth orbiting satellites, many launched in the last
decade, is providing us with a first ever look at motion and change of the
external Earth system, and our species' influence on this system. In this
planetarium style course, satellite images and time-lapse movies are used to
demonstrate global human impacts in the context of global rhythms in the
atmosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere and solid Earth.
1200 Earth System Science and Global Change
(3) Fulfills Physical/Life Science Exploration.
Explores many of the theories, research methods, and types of data that
are fundamental to a responsible appreciation of the geographical and
historical variation of earth's interconnected atmosphere, hydrosphere,
cryosphere, lithosphere, and biosphere systems, with human implications at
scales from local to global and intra-annual to millennial.
1400 Humans in an Uncertain World (3) Fulfills
Social/Behavioral Science Exploration.
The world is becoming more volatile and uncertain. Critical questions
facing the world in the 21st century include food security, rapid population
change, human disease, energy use/environmental pollution, continuing
disparities between rich and poor regions, sustainable transportation/urban
development, and geopolitical fragmentation. Human geography, as the study
of the interrelationships between people, the places they inhabit and the
spaces that comprise the global environments, provides a powerful lens for
examining these critical issues. This course examines the relationships
between humans and the Earth, including topics in environment and humanity,
agriculture in a growing world, population dynamics, the geography of
culture, cities and urbanization, patterns of economic development and
geopolitical conflict.
1500 The Geography of Cyberspace (4) Fulfills
Physical/Life Science Exploration.
'Cyberspace' or the information world created by the Internet, World Wide
Web (WWW), Virtual Reality (VR) and other information and immersive
technologies is having a profound impact on culture, society and economics.
It is also having a profound impact on the way we view and use geography.
Cyberspace can collapse space and time, making geography meaningless for
activities such as shopping, correspondence and social interaction. But at
the same time, cyberspace can also enhance geography by increasing our
knowledge of places and improving the competitive advantage of 'wired'
cities and regions. At the extreme, cyberspace can actually replace real
geography by creating virtual worlds through increasingly powerful VR
environments. This course examines the complex interactions between
cybergeography and real geography and the potential impacts on society and
the global economy. Students will have opportunities to explore these issues
through traditional lectures, reading and discussions as well as WWW-based
projects and web-enhanced instruction.
1600 World Regional Geography (3) Fulfills
Social/Behavioral Science Exploration.
Study of major world regions emphasizes current activities and problems.
Cultural, economic, political, and environmental considerations.
1900 Disaster Preparedness and Response (3)
Administrative roles and responsibility. Federal regulations, state and
local government functions.
3000 Geo-Excursions in Utah (4)
Utah landscapes in prehistoric and historic times with emphasis on costal
landscapes of Great Salt Lake, including rapidly vanishing geoantiquities.
One-day field excursions to the North, South, East, and West shores of the
lake, with weekly classromm discussions.
3020 Geographical Analysis (3) Prerequisite:
MATH 1030, 1050, or equivalent. Fulfills Quan Reason (Stat/Logic) & Quant
Intensive BS.
Emphasizes the spatial point of view and presents techniques of spatial
analysis applicable to all fields of geography. Introduction to the use of
multiple correlation and regression techniques in geographic research with
special attention addressing problems in the use of these techniques with
spatial data.
3040 Principles of Cartography (3)
Prerequisite: MATH 1030, 1050, or equivalent.
Fundamental principles of cartography including perception,
visualization, topographic and thematic map interpretation, field mapping
techniques (including GPS), and creating computer-based maps in weekly labs.
Principles include direction, scale, grids, projections, and spatial
transformations, spatial data analysis, data manipulation decisions, color
theory and application, and principles of cartographic design and critical
evaluation.
3110 The Earth from Space: Remote Sensing of the
Environment (3) Fulfills Physical/Life Science Exploration.
The extraordinary increase in the number, variety and availability of
Earth images from satellites and airborne sensors is generating a growing
number of Remote Sensing applications in a diverse set of disciplines.
Remote sensing data are currently used in anthropology, civil engineering,
environmental sciences, geography, geology, hydrology, natural resources,
meteorology, and urban planning. This course adopts an interdisciplinary
approach applicable to those fields through various techniques involving the
interaction of light with the environment, image processing of satellite and
airborne data, and computer-based laboratory activities. 'Hands-on'
interaction with the data using currently evolving software illustrates the
concepts and applications presented in lecture. Local field procedures will
demonstrate the concept and necessity of ground truth.
3140 Introduction to Geographic Information
Systems (GIS) (3) Prerequisite: GEOGR 1800 or MATH 1030 or MATH 1050 or
equivalent. Fulfills Quantitative Intensive BS.
A recent increase in the use of digital geographic information in many
fields has created the need for experts with the knowledge to use this
information to society's benefit. Geographers, engineers, environmental
scientists, planners, social scientists, computer scientists and many other
profesionals will encounter digital geographic information in some form in
their future careers. This course introduces students to issues that arise
in using this information in scientific and decision-making arenas. Topics
include: applications of geographic information; modeling geographic
reality; spatial data collection; geographic analysis; accuracy and
uncertainty; visualization; and legal, economic, and ethical issues
associated with the use of geographic information.
3170 GPS Essentials with GIS (3)
Meets with GEOGR 5170. The course covers fundamental GPS theory, GPS
accuracy, mission planning, data dictionaries, post-processing, and basic
geodesy in a non-mathematical way. Students apply the fundamentals and
collect positional data in the field using map-grade GPS equipment. The
course emphasizes GPS as a mapping tool, integrating the GPS data into a
Geographical Information System.
3200 Geomorphology: Mountains, Rivers, Deserts
(4) Prerequisite: GEOGR 1000. Fulfills Physical/Life Science Exploration.
Why does Utah look different than Kansas? How did the Grand Canyon form?
This course explores Earth's surface systems to see how landforms are
created and modified over time. These systems include mountain building, and
erosion and deposition by rivers, glaciers, landslides, wind, and shoreline
processes. Analysis of landforms and processes will be directed towards
understanding how the surface of the Earth got to be the way it is, and how
it is changing. Comparison of different landforms will be used to illustrate
how different processes operate. For example, mountain valleys carved by
glaciers are significantly different than those carved by rivers. This
course offers explanations for differences such as this, and explores
reasons for changes that take place in landforms. Field trips will provide
an opportunity to see local examples of different processes and their
resulting landforms.
3210 Global Climate Change (3) Recommended
Prerequisite: GEOGR 1000. Fulfills Physical/Life Science Exploration.
Meets with GEOGR 5210. The Earth's physical environment is continually
changing, and life has responded to these changes. In the very recent past,
humans have emerged and rapidly and dramatically affected Earth's
environments. This course examines both natural and anthropogenic (human)
change to the Earth's environments during the Quaternary (the last 2.5-2.6
million years). Questions considered include: 1) what evidence exists that
climate has changed? 2) what causes climate change? 3) how have ecosystems
responded to these changes in the past? 4) how has past climate change
affected human evolution and cultures? 5) is recent climate warming the
result of humand or natural factors? 6) how would increased temperatures
affect Earth's ecosystems?
3220 Snow and Ice (3)
This course provides a survey of topics on snow and ice from a physical
geography prospective. The formation, physical characteristics and spatial
distribution of land cover types such as seasonal-snow, glaciers and sea ice
will be investigated. Special attention will be given to mountain snow
environments. A half-day Saturday morning field trip in the canyons along
the Wasatch Front will provide local examples of snow pack stratigraphy,
wind redistribution, avalanche paths, and landscape morphology shaped by
previous glaciations.
3250 Weather and Climate (3)
Spatial and temporal distributions of controls and elements of climate,
climatic regimes, and climate influences on society.
3260 Introduction to Soil Science (3)
Prerequisite: GEOGR 1000.
Lectures, laboratories, and field trips on the origin/genesis nature and
properties of soils, and their classification.
3270 Life Through Time on Planet Earth (4)
Recommended Prerequisite: GEOGR 1200. Fulfills Comm/Wrtg & Phys/Life Sci
Exploration.
Biogeography is concerned with the living planet. In particular,
biogeographers are interested in the global patterns of life. Student
discussions focus on important biogeographical topics, such as biodiversity,
conservation, the evolution of life and the impacts of global change to life
on our planet. One field trip.
3290 Hydrogeography (3) Prerequisite: GEOGR
1000.
What do Wasatch powder days, 100-year floods, and declining water quality
have in common? This class will explore the hydrologic cycle as a system
that responds to external inputs. The seasonal snowpack in the Wasatch Front
will be used to examine this system on a micro scale, while lectures,
readings, and field trips will be used to understand the hydrologic cycle on
a larger scale. Based on our understanding of how systems are affected by
external forces, the class will examine the effect of human interaction, for
example water resource management and water pollution.
3310 Introduction to Natural Hazards (3)
Prerequisite: MATH 1030 or 1050 or an equivalent.
Is your house on the Wasatch Fault? Is it likely to be flooded, or buried
by a landslide? This course examines the physical principles of naturally
occurring geologic processes, methods of investigating hazards, techniques
for assessing risk, and methods of mitigation. Course focuses on landslides,
earthquakes, floods, and debris flows. Lectures will draw on Utah examples
of these hazards, and present current understanding of the magnitude of the
hazard, areas at risk, recurrence intervals, and mitigative measures. Field
trips and projects will be directed towards identifying local areas where
hazards exist.
3330 Urban Environmental Geography (3)
Fulfills Physical/Life Science Exploration.
Climate, hydrology, and erosion in urban areas; interrelations between
urban growth and physical environment.
3340 Modern Natural Disasters (3)
Well-known natural disasters are examined in terms of threat, risk,
vulnerability, impact, human consequence and change. Students monitor global
disasters and become familiar with the extremes of nature. Disaster analysis
concepts are applied to current and historic disaster situations. Internet
laboratories assist students in monitoring global disasters.
3341 Modern Technological Hazards (3)
Introduces students to the scope and variety of technological
hazards in today's society including the exacerbating role of populations
growth, demographics, and geography. Topics include nuclear waste shipment,
terrorism, weapons of mass destruction, and the role of Homeland Security in
countering these threats. Students will learn the concepts and mechanics of
threat and risk analysis in the context of readiness, response, and recovery
for technological events.
3350 Resource Conservation and Environmental
Management (3) Fulfills Social/Behavioral Science Exploration.
Geographic perspective on environmental principles, problems, and
solutions. Water, soil, air, mineral, biotic, energy, and scenic resources,
roles of modern technology and human populations, local to global
environmental issues emphasized. Role of GIS, remote sensing and other
geographic approaches to resource management. Field trips or projects
required.
3400 Population Geography (3)
Spatial distribution of world population. Importance of migration and
urbanization and consequences of population growth for economic planning.
3420 Political Geography (3)
How do the physical and human characteristics of a region affect its
power relationships with other regions? This and associated questions are
the focus of investigation for this course on geopolitics.
3440 Economic Geography (3) Fulfills
Social/Behavioral Science Exploration.
Meets with GEOGR 5440. Students who register for GEOGR 5440 will be held
to higher standards and/or more work. Classic theories of the location of
production, distribution, and transportation systems with critical
discussion and empirical evidence.
3460 Military Geography (3)
Geography in military plans and operations. How geography affects
strategic and tactical issues in national defense planning. Influence of
overseas base structures on current and future military matters.
3480 Urban Geography of the Developed World
(3) Fulfills Social/Behavioral Science Exploration.
External relationships, functions, and internal spatial organization of
cities in the developed world.
3481 Urban Geography of the Third World (3)
Fulfills Quant Intensive & Soc/Beh Science Exploration.
Study in comparative Third World (developing and less developed) urban
development. Development and urban patterns, processes, and problems as a
response to one of the most important phenomena in world history, that is,
the extraordinary growth of cities around the world, both in number and
population size. This growth is especially apparent in the newly independent
nations of the world which emerged from the European colonial empires of
post-WWII era.The course covers Latin America, Sub-Saharan Africa, Middle
East, North Africa, South Asia, Southeast Asia, and East Asia. In each of
these regions the following themes are explored: Evolution of urban systems
and settlements, internal structure and models of cities, major distinctive
or representative urban centers, linkages of the region to the world system,
contemporary major urban problems and solutions, and analytical approaches
of examining urban growth.
3600 Geography of Utah (3) Fulfills
Social/Behavioral Science Exploration.
In the tradition of Orwell's pigs, this course contends that all places
are equal, but some places (like Utah) are more equal than others. Readings
mainly from nonacademic sources provide a profile of Utah--both its physical
character andits cultural distinctiveness. Although the readings form the
backbone of the course, class periods feature a blend of mini-lectures,
videos, and group discussions. Topics covered include: landscape,
environment, history, settlement, population, agriculture, resources,
economy, politics, and situation.
3620 Geography of North America (3) Fulfills
Diversity.
With attention primarily to the United States and secondarily to Canada
and Mexico. North America is examined from three different points of view:
its physical character, the human societies occupying it, and the
distinctive sub-regions of which it is comprised. The physical geography
emphasizes geomorphology and climatology whereas the human geography
stresses political and economic characteristics. The study of sub-regions
identifies locally distinctive attitudes, values, and cultural practices.
3630 Geography of Western Europe (3)
Problems and prospects of Western Europe in a physical, human, historic,
economic, and political context. The place of Western Europe in an
interdependent global system is explored, as are Western Europe's
relationships within the European community, with Eastern Europe and Russia,
Africa, the Arab world, United States, and Japan.
3640 Geography of East Asia/Southeast Asia (3)
Characterizing and differentiation features of East Asia and Southeast
Asia. Profiles Japan, Korea, China, and main Southeast Asian countries:
physical background, population growth, urbanization, agricultural,
industrial, and political development.
3650 Geography of the Middle East (3) Cross
listed as MID E 3765.
The dry zone of the world, the heartland of Islam, the gatekeeper of
overland trade, the storehouse of global oil reserves, the inventor of
civilization, the incubator of monotheism--such themes as these form the
basis of this course on the physical and human geography of the Middle East.
At the same time, special attention is given to the significance of physical
and cultural variations within the region.
3670 Geography of Latin America (3)
An exploration of modern Latin America's development, problems, and
issues in a physical, human, historic, economic, and political context. The
place of Latin America in today's global economic and geopolitical system is
also examined; that is to say, Latin America's relationships with North
America and Europe as well as its association with the World Bank, the
International Monetary Fund, and other economic organizations.
3963 Special Topics (1 to 5)
Lecture, special topics. Generally offered on a one-time basis depending
on faculty/instructor availability and interests. Different topics and
titles.
4999 Honors Thesis/Project (3)
Restricted to students in the Honors Program working on their Honors
degree.
5100 Aerial Photo Interpretation (3)
Prerequisite: 1200 or Instructor consent.
Meets with GEOGR 6100. Graduate students should register for GEOGR 6100
and will be held to higher standards and/or more work. For majors and
nonmajors. Interpretation of aerial photographs to obtain quantitative and
qualitative information about the earth's surface, its physical and cultural
landscape.
5110 Environmental Analysis Through Remote Sensing
(3) Prerequisite: GEOGR 3110.
High-resolution multispectral data, coupled with expanding computing
power and increasingly sophisticated image processing software, provides a
large set of quantitative, graphic and science visualization tools for
solving science-based environmental problems using remote sensing data. The
theory and application of image-processing techniques such as: data
corrections, enhancements, trnsformations, and classification are aimed at
specific environmental problems in the natural and human domains. Hands-on
experience is gained through image processing laboratory techniques,
field-based measurements and real-world science projects. Geography graduate
students should take GEOGR 6110 and will be held to higher standards and/or
more work.
5130 Advanced Remote Sensing Applications (3)
Prerequisite: GEOGR 5110.
Meets with GEOGR 6130. Geography graduate students should take GEOGR 6130
and will be held to higher standards and/or more work. Project-based science
applications; project objectives, selection of alternative procedures,
planning, execution, evaluation, and publication.
5140 Methods in Geographic Information Systems
(4) Prerequisite: GEOGR 3140. Co-requisite: GEOGR 410 -- Introductory Visual
Basic for ArcGIS, or equivalent programming course.
Geography graduate students should take GEOGR 6140 and will be held to
higher standards and/or more work. This course explores the practice of
using a geographic information system (GIS) to support geographic inquiry
and decision making. Students will strengthen their technical knowledge of
the common tasks that a geographic analyst faces in applying a GIS to a
variety of spatial problems. The lab sections offer an opportunity to gain
hands-on experience using a leading commercial GIS to complete a series of
real-world projects.
5150 Spatial Data Design GIS (4) Prerequisite:
GEOGR 5140 & 6140
Meets with GEOGR 6150. Geography graduate students should take GEOGR 6150
and will be held to higher standards and/or more work. Digital spatial data
is widespread due to the global positioning system (GPS), satellite-based
remote sensing, intelligent transportation systems and other geographic
information technologies. Spatial data is important and useful due to
geographic information systems (GIS) and other spatial applications such as
Internet map serving and location-based services. However, spatial data
involves complex objects and relationships that cannot be accommodated
easily by standard database management systems. This course reviews the
fundamentals of database design and data management to support GIS and other
spatial applications. Topics include modeling spatial data, spatial database
design, spatial query languages, spatial database storage and indexing, and
spatial query optimization.
5160 Spatial Modeling with GIS (3)
Prerequisite: GEOGR 5140 & 6140
Meets with GEOGR 6160. Graduate students should take GEOGR 6160 and will
be held to higher standards and/or more work. The power to model complex
environmental systems in a geo-spatial framework is one of the great assets
of GIS. This course places the fundamental operations and software of
spatial analysis and GIS in a modeling framework. The course addresses
advanced concepts and techniques in map algebra, cartographic modeling and
descriptive and predictive spatial modeling. The course has both lecture and
required lab components.
5170 GPS Essentials with GIS (3)
Meets with GEOGR 3170. The course covers fundamental GPS theory, GPS
accuracy, mission planning, data dictionaries, post-processing, and basic
geodesy in a non-mathematical way. Students apply the fundamentals and
collect positional data in the field using map-grade GPS equipment. The
course emphasizes GPS as a mapping tool, integrating the GPS data into a
Geographical Information System.
5180 Advanced Applications in GIS (3)
Prerequisite: GEOGR 5140. Recommended Prerequisite: GEOGR 5150 and 5160.
Graduate students should take GEOGR 6180 and will be held to higher
standards and/or more work. Integrative course that encompasses geographic
data inputs, processing, and analyses directed toward objects of scientific
investigation.
5210 Global Climate Change (3) Recommended
Prerequisite: GEOGR 1000.
Meets with GEOGR 3210. The Earth's physical environment is continually
changing, and life has responded to these changes. In the very recent past,
humans have emerged and rapidly and dramatically affected Earth's
environments. This course examines both natural and anthropogenic (human)
change to the Earth's environments during the Quaternary (the last 2.5-2.6
million years). Questions considered include: 1) what evidence exists that
climate has changed? 2) what causes climate change? 3) how have ecosystems
responded to these changes in the past? 4) how has past climate change
affected human evolution and cultures? 5) is recent climate warming the
result of humand or natural factors? 6) how would increased temperatures
affect Earth's ecosystems?
5220 Land-Use Planning (3) Cross listed as
URBPL 5220. Prerequisite: URBPL 3100 or 3250 or instructor consent.
Graduate students should take GEOGR 6220 and will be held to higher
standards and/or more work. Land-use concepts, activities, problems, and
techniques for land-use planning.
5240 Locational Analysis (3) Prerequisite:
GEOGR 3440.
Meets with GEOGR 6240. Graduate students should take GEOGR 6240 and will
be held to higher standards and/or more work. Classical theories and modern
techniques for modeling the location of economic activities, with
application to practical locational problems and planning.
5260 Snow Dynamics and Avalanche Studies (4)
Field sessions require clothing and equipment that allow students to
participate in outdoor activities. Students must be able to ski or snowshoe,
climb steep terrain, and safely ski back down. Two lectures or discussions
weekly combined with one full afternoon in field. Second lecture meets at
Alta Town Library before field session. Provides thorough background in
technical avalanche forecasting procedures. Study of conditions leading to
snow avalanches, broader aspects of snow in all its phases.
5280 Quaternary Stratigraphy (3) Prerequisite:
GEOGR 3200.
Graduate students should take GEOGR 6280 and will be held to higher
standards and/or more work. Explores many of the evolving theories,
methodological advances, and societal applications of Quaternary studies,
which seeks to provide increasing temporal and spatial resolution, and
increasing explanation, of environmental change that occurred during the
youngest period of geologic history.
5300 Advanced Natural Hazards (3)
Prerequisite: GEOGR 1000 or 3200.
Graduate students should take GEOGR 6300 and will be held to higher
standards and/or more work. Includes field trips. Field techniques,
quantitative analysis, and modeling. Projects emphasizing landslides,
seismic activity, floods, and debris flows.
5330 Wasatch Hazards (3) Prerequisite: GEOGR
1000 or 3200.
Natural hazards affecting urban areas and alternative methods of dealing
with them. Specific Wasatch Front hazards including earthquakes (faulting,
shaking, ground failure), river and lake flooding, landslides and debris
flows, shallow ground water, avalanches, fog, blizzard, and drought. Aerial
photo, topographic map, and field interpretation, and project mapping.
5340 Managing the Nation's Disasters (3) Cross
listed as URBPL 5440.
Hazards risk reduction approached from governmental standpoint, including
cost reduction through mitigation. Development of awareness and expertise in
public safety aspects of hazards-reduction planning and implementation.
Relationship between levels of government involving laws, agreements, and
developing organizations and programs, as influenced by changing
philosophies in legal and financial liability.
5350 Public Lands and Environmental Policy (3)
Cross listed as URBPL 5350. Prerequisite: GEOGR 3350 or instructor consent.
Meets with URBPL 6350. Graduate students should take URBPL 6350 and will
be held to higher standards and/or mor work. A review of environmental
impact assessment, focusing on the policies, requirements, methods, and
examples from the National Environmental Policy Act, with a review of state
and local approaches to environmental impact assessment.
5370 System Dynamics and Environmental Policy
(3)
Environmental policy design requires an understanding of human
interactions with environmental systems. It requires an accounting of the
complexities of behavior, context and policy. These complexities often
produce indirect and unanticipated consequences. They yield unexpected
patterns and counter-intuitive results.
5371 Practicum in Environmental Systems
Sustainability (3) Cross listed as URBPL 5371.
Meets with CVEEN 6661, GEO 6341, GEOG 6371, and POL S 6324. Using actual
clients and a systems thinking approach, multi-disciplinary student teams
resolve real world problems in environmental sustainability. Student teams
define system structures, feedback loops, counter-intuitive relationships
and the unintended consequences of policy decisions. Students having
completed 'System Dynamics and Environmental Policy' get to apply their
experience in systems modeling in support of team efforts in full-scale,
practical problem solving. Possible topics include: urban growth, drinking
water, energy resources, air/water quality and environmental justice. Meets
with GEO 6341, CVEEN 6661, GEOGR 6371, POL S 6324.
5440 Economic Geography (3)
Students registered for GEOGR 5440 will be held to higher standards
and/or additional work. Classic theories of the location of production,
distribution, and transportation systems with critical discussion and
empirical evidence.
5480 Advanced Metropolitan Geography (3)
Offered once every three years. In-depth readings and discussions of
national and international literature on changing trends in urban systems.
5660 Regions of Africa: North, East, West and
South (3)
Offered every two years. Problems and prospects of modern Africa in a
physical, human, historic, economic, and political context.
5700 Teaching Methods in Geography (3)
In-service teachers welcome. Acquaints secondary and elementary teachers
of geography and social studies with recent national curriculum materials
and strategies. Inquiry-oriented, practical, and participatory.
5770 Paleobiogeography (3) Recommended
prerequisite: GEOGR 3260.
Meets with GEOGR 6770. Graduate students should take GEOGR 6770 and will
be held to higher standards and/or more work. Class consists of lectures and
field trips. A detailed examination of current methods and theories in plant
geography. Plant geography, or phytogeography, is the study of the
distribution of plants in both space and time. Lectures will focus on some
of the techniques, including historical, tree ring, and pollen analysis,
used to study past and present distributions of individual plant species and
plant communities (vegetation). Current issues in plant geography will be
discussed.
5810 Field Seminar (4)
Graduate students should take GEOGR 6810 and will be held to higher
standards and/or more work. Repeatable for credit. One or more field trips.
Student responsibile for selected aspects of cultural and/or environmental
patterns and processes.
5880 Paleolimnology (4) Recommended
Prerequisite: GEOGR 3270.
Geography graduate students should take GEOGR 6880 and will be held to
higher standards and/or more work. Paleolimnology is the reconstruction and
interpretation of past environments from the physical, chemical, and
biological information contained in lake sediments. In the last decade the
field of paleolimnology has enjoyed rapid expansion. This course is a
detailed examination of current methods and theories in paleolimnology.
Lectures will focus on current issues in paleolimnology and labs will
examine the most recent paleolimnological techniques. There will be one or
two Saturday field trips.
5940 Internship in Geography (1 to 5)
Undergraduate geography students are responsible for finding a faculty
member in the department who is willing to work independently with the
student. An independent study form must be filled out and signed by student
and faculty member. Forms are available in the department office.
5950 Individual Projects (1 to 5)
Undergraduate geogrphy students are responsible for finding a faculty
member in the department who is willing to work independently with the
student. An independent study form must be filled out and signed by student
and professor. Forms are available in the department office.
5951 Directed Readings (1 to 5)
Undergraduate geography students are responsible for finding a faculty
member in the department who is willing to work independently with the
student. An independent study form must be filled out and signed by student
and profesor. Forms are available in the department office.
5963 Special Topics (1 to 5)
Generally offered on a one-time basis depending on faculty/instructor
availability and interests.
6000 Advanced Multivariate Statistics (3)
Prerequisite: GEOGR 3020.
Mechanics, rationale, and use of advanced multivariate dependence and
classification techniques in geographic research; with special attention
addressed to problems in the use of these techniques with geographical data.
6010 Geocomputation (4) Prerequisite: GEOGR
410 -- Intriductory Visual Basic for ArcGIS, or equivalent programming
course. Recommended Prerequisite: MATH 1210 or equivalent knowledge of basic
calculus.
The increasing volume and complexity of available digital geographic data
overwhelms traditional analytical modeling methods. Alternatively, we can
exploit the increasing power of computational environments to analyze
geographic phenomena with a minimum of simplifying assumptions. This course
is a high-level introduction to the use of computational intelligence
methods for exploring, analyzing, modeling and simulating geographic
phenomena. Techniques discussed include heuristic search in spatial
optimization, pattern recognition and machine learning techniques and
simulating complex spatio-temporal systems.
6100 Aerial Photo Interpretation (3)
Prerequisite: GEOGR 1000.
Meets with GEOGR 5100. Graduate students should register for this course
only and will be held to higher standards and/or additional work. For majors
and nonmajors. Interpretation of aerial photographs to obtain quantitative
and qualitative information about the Earth's surface, its physical and
cultural landscape.
6110 Environmental Analysis Through Remote Sensing
(3) Prerequisite: GEOGR 3110.
High-resolution multispectral data, coupled with expanding computing
power and increasingly sophisticated image processing software, provides a
large set of quantitative, graphic and science visualization tools for
solving science-based environmental problems using remote sensing data. The
theory and application of image-processing techniques such as: data
corrections, enhancements, trnsformations, and classification are aimed at
specific environmental problems in the natural and human domains. Hands-on
experience is gained through image processing laboratory techniques,
field-based measurements and real-world science projects.
6130 Advanced Remote Sensing Applications (3)
Prerequisite: GEOGR 5110.
Meets with GEOGR 5130. Graduate students should take GEOGR 6130 and will
be held to higher standards and/or more work. Project-based science
applications; project objectives, selection of alternative procedures,
planning, execution, evaluation, and publication.
6140 Methods in Geographic Information Systems
(4) Prerequisite: GEOGR 3140. Co-requisite: GEOGR 410 -- Introductory Visual
Basic for ArcGIS, or equivalent programming course.
Geography graduate students should take GEOGR 6140 and will be held to
higher standards and/or more work. This course explores the practice of
using a geographic information system (GIS) to support geographic inquiry
and decision making. Students will strengthen their technical knowledge of
the common tasks that a geographic analyst faces in applying a GIS to a
variety of spatial problems. The lab sections offer an opportunity to gain
hands-on experience using a leading commercial GIS to complete a series of
real-world projects.
6150 Spatial Database Design for GIS (4)
Prerequisite: GEOGR 5140 & 6140
Meets with GEOGR 5150. Geography graduate students should take GEOGR 6150
and will be held to higher standards and/or more work. Digital spatial data
is widespread due to the global positioning system (GPS), satellite-based
remote sensing, intelligent transportation systems and other geographic
information technologies. Spatial data is important and useful due to
geographic information systems (GIS) and other spatial applications such as
Internet map serving and location-based services. However, spatial data
involves complex objects and relationships that cannot be accommodated
easily by standard database management systems. This course reviews the
fundamentals of database design and data management to support GIS and other
spatial applications. Topics include modeling spatial data, spatial database
design, spatial query languages, spatial database storage and indexing, and
spatial query optimization.
6160 Spatial Modeling with GIS (3)
Prerequisite: GEOGR 5140 & 6140
Meets with GEOGR 5160. Graduate students should take GEOGR 6160 and will
be held to higher standards and/or more work. The power to model complex
environmental systems in a geo-spatial framework is one of the great assets
of GIS. This course places the fundamental operations and software of
spatial analysis and GIS in a modeling framework. The course addresses
advanced concepts and techniques in map algebra, cartographic modeling and
descriptive and predictive spatial modeling. The course has both lecture and
required lab components.
6180 Advanced Applications in GIS (3)
Recommended Prerequisite: GEOGR 5140 and 5150 and 5160.
Graduate students should take GEOGR 6180 and will be held to higher
standards and/or more work. Integrative course that encompasses geographic
data inputs, processing, and analyses directed toward objects of scientific
investigation.
6220 Land Use Planning (3)
Graduate students should take GEOGR 6220 and will be held to higher
standards and/or more work. Concepts, activities, problems, and techniques
for land-use planning.
6240 Locational Analysis (3) Prerequisite:
GEOG 3440/5440
Meets with GEOGR 5240. Graduate students should take GEOGR 6240 and will
be held to higher standards and/or more work. Classical theories and modern
techniques for modeling the location of economic activities with application
to practical locational problems and planning.
6280 Quaternary Stratigraphy (3) Prerequisite:
GEOGR 3200 or instructor consent.
Graduate students should take GEOGR 6280 and will be held to higher
standards and/or more work. Explores many of the evolving theories,
methodological advances, and societal applications of Quaternary studies, a
multidiscipline that seeks to provide increasing temporal and spatial
resolution, and increasing explanation, of environmental change that
occurred during the youngest period of geologic history.
6300 Advanced Natural Hazards (3)
Prerequisite: GEOG 1200 or 3200.
Graduate students should take GEOGR 6300 and will be held to higher
standards and/or more work. Includes field trips. Field techniques,
quantitative analysis and modeling. Projects emphasizing landslides,
seismic, floods, and debris flow.
6340 Managing Nations Disasters (3)
Meets with GEOGR 5340 and URBPL 5440. Hazard risk reduction approached
from a governmental standpoint, including cost reduction through midigation.
Development of awareness and expertise in public safety aspects of
hazards-reduction planning and implementation. Relationship between levels
of government involving laws, agreements, and developing organizations and
programs, as influenced by changing philosophies in legal and financial
liability.
6370 System Dynamics and Environmental Policy
(3)
Environmental policy design requires an understanding of human
interactions with environmental systems. It requires an accounting of the
complexities of behavior, context and policy. These complexities often
produce indirect and unanticipated consequences. They yield unexpected
patterns and counter-intuitive results. Students from many academic fields
learn user-friendly software (STELLA) to do environmental policy simulation
without proficiency in advanced mathematics. Students use computer
simulations to sort out environmental complexities; transform group
perceptions into simulation models; apply principles of environmental
management; test policy effects and define possible pathways for future
policy change.
6371 Practicum in Environmental Systems
Sustainability (3)
Using actual clients and a systems thinking approach, multi-disciplinary
student teams resolve real world problems in environmental sustainability.
Student teams define system structures, feedback loops, counter-intuitive
relationships and the unintended consequences of policy decisions. Students
having completed 'System Dynamics and Environmental Policy' get to apply
their experience in systems modeling in support of team efforts in
full-scale, practical problem solving. Possible topics include: urban
growth, drinking water, energy resources, air/water quality and
environmental justice.
6770 Paleobiogeography (3) Recommended
Prerequisite: GEOGR 3270.
Meets with GEOGR 5770. Graduate students should take GEOGR 6770 and will
be held to higher standards and/or more work. Lectures and field trips. A
detailed examination of current methods and theories in plant geography.
Plant geography, or phytogeography, is the study of the distribution of
plants in both space and time. Lectures will focus on some of the
techniques--ncluding historical, tree ring, and pollen analysis--used to
study past and present distributions of individual plant species and plant
communities (vegetation). Current issues in plant geography will be
discussed.
6810 Field Seminar (4)
Graduate students should take GEOGR 6810 and will be held to higher
standards and/or more work. One or more field trips. Students are
responsibile for selected aspects of cultural and/or environmental patterns
and processes.
6880 Paleolimnology (4) Recommended
Prerequisite: GEOGR 3270.
Geography graduate students should take GEOGR 6880 and will be held to
higher standards and/or more work. Paleolimnology is the reconstruction and
interpretation of past environments from the physical, chemical, and
biological information contained in lake sediments. In the last decade the
field of paleolimnology has enjoyed rapid expansion. This course is a
detailed examination of current methods and theories in paleolimnology.
Lectures will focus on current issues in paleolimnology and labs will
examine the most recent paleolimnological techniques. There will be one or
two Saturday field trips.
6900 Research Practicum (1 to 5)
For master's degree students. Critical reviews of current student,
faculty, and external research by small groups of participants with related
research interests.
6920 Research Colloquium (1)
Students present results of their thesis research.
6930 Teaching Practicum: Master's (1 to 5)
Degree candidates must complete at least one credit hour under
supervision of an approved faculty member.
6940 Internship in Geography (1 to 5)
For master's degree students. Students are responsible for finding a
faculty member in the department willing to work independently with the
student. An independent study form must be filled out and signed by student
and professor. Forms are available in the department office.
6950 Individual Projects (1 to 5)
For master's degree students. Students are responsible for finding a
faculty member in the department willing to work independently with the
student. An independent study form must be filled out and signed by student
and professor. Forms are available in the department office.
6951 Directed Readings (1 to 5)
For master's degree students. Students are responsible for finding a
faculty member in the department willing to work independently with the
student. An independent study form must be filled out and signed by student
and professor. Forms are available in the department office.
6960 Seminar in Geographic Problems (3)
Selected geographic problems. Faculty research specializations in which
seminars may be offered include biogeography, climate variability,
counterurbanization, field and laboratory methods in remote sensing,
geographic information systems (GIS), mathematical methods, quaternary field
studies, reconstructing historical environments, remote sensing theory and
applications, soils, theories of development, urban trends, and regional
analysis.
6961 Seminar in Geographic Thought and Inquiry
(3)
History of the discipline from ancient to modern times; geography's
relationship to major trends in Western thought and current methodological
debates; exploration of the contemporary literature in selected geographic
sub-fields and an introduction to research design and writing
6963 Special Topics (1 to 5)
For master's degree students. Generally offered on a one-time basis
depending on faculty/instructor availabillity and interests.
6970 Thesis Research: Master's (1 to 10)
6974 Technical Report Research: Master's (1 to
10)
6981 Faculty Consultation (3)
7900 Research Practicum (1 to 5)
For Ph.D. students. Critical reviews of current student, faculty, and
external research by small groups of participants with related research
interests.
7920 Research Colloquium (1)
Students present the results of their dissertation research.
7930 Teaching Practicum: Ph.D. (1 to 5)
Degree candidates must complete at least one credit hour under
supervision of an approved faculty member.
7940 Internship in Geography (1 to 5)
For Ph.D. students. Students are responsible for finding a faculty member
in the department willing to work independently with the student. An
independent study form must be filled out and signed by student and
professor. Forms are available in the department office.
7950 Individual Projects (1 to 5)
For Ph.D. students only. Students are responsible for finding a faculty
member in the department willing to work independently with the student. An
independent study form must be filled out and signed by student and
professor. Forms are available in the department office.
7951 Directed Readings (1 to 5)
For Ph.D. students only. Students are responsible for finding a faculty
member in the department willing to work independently with the student. An
independent study form must be filled out and signed by student and
professor. Forms are available in the department office.
7960 Seminar in Geographic Problems (1 to 5)
Selected geographic problems. Faculty research specialization's in which
seminars may be offered include: biogeography, climate variability,
counterurbanization, field and laboratory methods in remote sensing,
geographic information systems (GIS) mathematical methods, quaternary field
studies, reconstructing historical environments, remote sensing theory and
applications, soils, theories of development, urban trends, and regional
analysis.
7963 Special Topics (1 to 5)
For Ph.D. students. Generally offered on a one-time basis depending on
faculty/instructor availability and interests.
7970 Dissertation Research: Ph.D. (1 to 10)
7981 Faculty Consultation (3)
7990 Continuing Registration: Ph.D. (0)
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