SOCIAL SCIENCE COURSES

The following courses may be used to fulfill part of the Social Science component of the General Education Requirements. No course can meet more than one General Education Requirement.

GEO 101. World Human Geography.
Cr. 3. A topical introduction to the many themes and subfields of human geography, especially population, economic, cultural, urban, and political geography. Examples highlighting these themes draw from relevant contemporary events in both the industrialized and developing worlds. May be used to partially fulfill the Social Science component of the General Education requirements. 

GEO 102. Globalization and Development.
Cr. 3. A regional survey of the developing countries, with an emphasis on their economic, social, and political development in the context of growing global interconnectedness. The course will explore issues of colonization, cultural change, ethnic conflict, and environmental modification. May be used to fulfill the Cultural Diversity course component of the General Education Requirements or to partially fulfill the Social Science component of the General Education requirements.

GEO 200. American Ethnic Geography.
Cr. 3. An analysis of the rich ethnic diversity of the United States, including the immigration and regional settlement of each of the major cultural groups and their physical expression on the North American Landscape. Topical themes include language, religion, politics, and urban imprints. May be used to fulfill the Cultural Diversity course component of the General Education Requirements or to partially fulfill the Social Science component of the General Education requirements.

GEO 201. Economic Geography.
Cr. 3. An analysis of the location of economic activities as parts of a system. May be used to partially fulfill the Social Science component of the General Education requirements. Prerequisite: sophomore standing or above.

GEO 274. North American Indian on Film.
Cr. 3. Through history, plays, novels, and film, this course helps us to understand distinctive features of Native American life as understood by Native Americans. It dispels common myths about Native Americans, examines the struggle of different tribes to maintain their identities, and provides insights into their values and religious beliefs. May be used to fulfill the Cultural Diversity course component of the General Education Requirements or to partially fulfill the Social Science component of the General Education requirements.

GEO 280. Geography of Cyberspace.
Cr. 3. A course exploring the geographical dimensions of the Internet, media, and telecommunications. Includes consideration of urban telecommunication, online community, and virtual spaces. May be used to partially fulfill the Social Science component of the General Education requirements.

GEO 301/501. Regional Geographies of the World.
Cr. 3. A geographic interpretation of the environmental, cultural, political, and economic patterns of one of the world's major regions, such as the United States and Canada, Latin America, Europe, Asia, or Africa. May be repeated for credit when the regional offering is different. Certain regional offerings may be used to fulfill the Cultural Diversity course component of the General Education Requirements or may be used to partially fulfill the Social Science component of the . Prerequisite: junior standing or consent of the Chair.

GEO 320. Urban Geography.
Cr. 3. A course treating urban settlements as distinct geographic units. Topics covered include the history of urban settlement, economic classification of cities and patterns of urban land use. Field trip. May be used to partially fulfill the Social Science component of the General Education requirements. Prerequisite: junior or senior standing.

GEO 321. Urban and Regional Planning.
Cr. 3. A course treating the nature, purposes and objectives of modern community planning for the promotion of social and economic well-being. Field trip. May be used to partially fulfill the Social Science component of the General Education requirements. Prerequisite: junior or senior standing.

GEO 420. Rural Geography.
Cr. 3. This course examines the changing geography of rural areas. Topics include globalization and the transformation of rural economies, agriculture, rural environmental issues, tourism, rural cultures and identities, and the geography of country music. May be used to partially fulfill the Social Science component of the General Education requirements. Prerequisite: junior or senior standing.

GEO 470/570. Political Geography.
Cr. 3. An investigation of the relations among political activities and organizations and the geographic conditions within which they develop. Political power is discussed in terms of spatial, human, cultural, and ethnic geography. May be of interest to political science majors. May be used to partially fulfill the Social Science component of the General Education requirements.

GEO 474/574. Historical Geography of the United States.
Cr. 3. A regional treatment of the exploration, colonization, territorial expansion, migration, transportation, settlement and economic development of our country in relation to the physical environment. Course is primarily designed for students majoring in one of the social sciences. May be used to partially fulfill the Social Science component of the General Education requirements. Prerequisite: junior or senior standing. May be of particular interest to history majors.

GEO 475/575. Culture, Nature, Landscape.
Cr. 3. An advanced course in cultural geography exploring the integration of culture and nature in both material landscapes and their representation in art, literature, or other media. The examination of culture includes consideration of race, ethnicity, gender, and nationality. Field trip. May be used to partially fulfill the Social Science component of the General Education requirements. Prerequisite: junior or senior standing.

ENVIRONMENTAL AND GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SCIENCE COURSES

GEO 104. Introduction to Geomorphology.
2+4, Cr. 4. The scientific analysis of natural processes and human impacts affecting the development of landscapes on the earth and other planets. Emphasis is on the interrelationships of geologic, climatic, hydrologic and biological cycles in creating and reshaping landforms. Field trips. May be used to partially fulfill the Natural Science component of the General Education Requirements. Prerequisite: MATH 110 or placement higher than MATH 110 on the math placement examination.

GEO 204. National Parks.
Cr. 3. A study of geographic concepts, both physical and cultural, of many national park areas, including all of the 55 national parks, many national monuments, and other areas controlled by the park system. Required four-day field trip during the fall break to Mammoth Cave National Park.

GEO 210. Current Themes in Geography.
Cr. 1-3. This course is designed to examine current geographic topics. These may include American minority settlement patterns and communities, cultural ecology, geographic techniques, travel and tourism, medical geography, and problems associated with the physical environment. May be repeated when the topic is different. The three-credit course extends throughout the semester, the two-credit course for seven weeks.

GEO 215. Introduction to Geographic Information Systems.
2+2, Cr. 3. An introduction to the theory and practical use of geographic information systems. These powerful research tools combine computer mapping and databases to provide diverse combinations of spatial information and modeling capabilities to enhance decisionmaking processes and planning. GIS usage is also highly multidisciplinary; the class may be of interest to students of several other programs such as civil engineering, biology, business, health sciences.

GEO 225. Digital Cartography and GPS.
2+2, Cr. 3. An introduction to computer-assisted mapping techniques for the effective communication of information. Design, layout, typography, color, symbolization, and statistical methods for mapping of geographic data will be discussed. Acquisition of location data using global positioning (GPS), and applied mapping techniques relevant for public health, engineering, business, environment, and society will also be introduced.

GEO 230. Introduction to Remote Sensing.
Cr. 3. An introduction to the fundamentals of earth analysis in geography and meteorology using digital and photographic data acquired by a variety of aircraft and satellite sensors. Topics include fundamentals of light interaction with earth features, visual image interpretation, photogrammetry, environmental monitoring, change analysis, and introduction to digital image processing. May be of interest to students in biology, environmental science, and civil engineering.

GEO 260. Environmental Conservation.
Cr. 3. A study of American and International resource problems and environmental issues, the institutions and attitudes involved, and solutions for correcting them.

GEO 285. Natural Hazards.
2+2, Cr. 3. An investigation of the physical causes, geographic distribution, and human threats of a wide range of environmental hazards, including earthquake, volcano, tsunami, landslide, hurricane, tornado, and flood disasters. The course will make abundant use of GIS and remote sensing technology.

GEO 318. Field Study in European Geography.
Cr. 3. Overseas Study Program only.

GEO 365. Biogeography.
Cr. 3. This course introduces students to an important interdisciplinary bridge between biology and geography. Biogeography is the study of inferring ecological and evolutionary relationships between living organisms and their physical environment from the analysis of their spatial and temporal distribution patterns. Students will learn to assess patterns of variation across physical gradients such as latitude, climate, elevation, and isolation in relation to the distribution of plant and animal species on the earth. The course will also discuss human activities such as domestication, habitat alteration, species introduction and extinctions, and global environmental changes.

GEO 385/585. Field Study.
0+4, Cr. 1-3. A course designed to develop methods and techniques of geographic field work. May include a week of intensive work at a field site at a time when University is not in session, possibly in late summer. Additional fees may be charged to cover expenses. Prerequisite: consent of the Department Chair.

GEO 404/504. Advanced Geomorphology.
2+4, Cr. 4. A study of the principles and analysis of complex geomorphic processes and the resulting landforms. Students will enhance their knowledge of physiographic processes and topographic forms through laboratory exercises and a required 4-day field trip. Prerequisite: GEO 104 and consent of the instructor.

GEO 415/515. Advanced Geographic Information Systems.
Cr. 3. A course in research design and execution using GIS. Students will enhance their knowledge of GIS packages and advanced operations while researching a topic or problem. Individual and/or class projects will also focus on designing research for GIS. Prerequisite: GEO 215.

GEO 430. Advanced Remote Sensing.
Cr. 3. This course focuses on advanced data processing methods for extracting earth information from satellite and air borne digital imagery. Students will also gain knowledge of the remote sensing process by conducting a semester-long project on an approved research topic. Prerequisite: GEO 230 or consent of the instructor.

GEO 460/560. Data Analysis.
Cr. 3. (Also offered as MET 460.) This course will examine the analysis methods used in the geosciences, with a focus on environmentally collected data sets. The course emphasizes visualization of data, as well as applications ranging from basic model building to regression and introductory time series analysis. The primary tool for analysis is R, an open source software package that runs on virtually any platform. Prerequisites: consent of instructor, or at least junior standing in Meteorology or Geography programs.

GEO 486. Internship in Geography.
Cr. 1-6. Students gain experience by working in public or private agencies, such as planning firms, national parks and map companies. Prerequisites: geography major or minor and consent of internship coordinator. S/U grade only.

GEO 490/590. Selected Topics in Geography.
Cr. 1-3. Advanced studies in geography. Such topics as landform analysis, human environmental impact, biogeography, environmental management, and international business are considered. May be repeated when the topic is different. Prerequisite: junior or senior standing.

GEO 492 (formerly GEO 361). Research in Geography.
Cr. 1-3. Students working individually or as part of a research group conduct original research in geography under the direction of a faculty member. Students collect and analyze data and report their results in both writing and in an oral presentation. Open to all students regardless of class standing. S/U grade. Prerequisite: consent of the instructor.

GEO 495. Independent Study.
Cr. 1-4. Individual research readings on a topic in geography agreed upon by a student and a faculty member of his/her choice from the Department. Prerequisites: junior or senior standing and consent of the Chair of the Department.

GEO 497. Honors Work in Geography.
Cr. 3. See Departmental Honors Work in the Catalog, the Honors Work Website, and Geography Specific Honors Information

GEO 498. Honors Candidacy in Geography.
Cr. 3. See Departmental Honors Work in the Catalog, the Honors Work Website, and Geography Specific Honors Information