GEOGRAPHY 1000
Introduction to Physical Geography
The nature of geography and a systematic study of environment-people relationships. The physical earth, weather and climate, soils, vegetation, the earth's waters and land forms. The relationship between preservation of natural environment and human activities.
The course is organized around major world regions. It introduces students to the process of global integration and provides insights into the functional relations that characterize this integration. Environmental concerns, global population and resources, the emergence of trading blocs and growing dependency are covered within the framework of the regional organization.
Introduction to the atmosphere. Global circulation and the role of energy exchange. Structure and behaviour of world and regional weather systems. Synoptic meteorology. Bioclimatology. Climate variation and cycles.
Prerequisite: Geography 1000.
The scientific study of landforms comprising a spectrum of approaches from both historical and functional conceptual bases. Basic concepts covered in landform description and analysis are uniformity, evolution, complexity and systems.
Prerequisite: Geography 1000.
Survey of the principal themes in human geography. Topics will be selected from among: population, migration and environmental stress; gender, race and the cultural landscape; spatial distribution of agriculture and industry; urbanization and settlement systems; geography and regional development.
Neoclassical and contemporary perspectives on the geography of urban and economic activities. Topics covered include central place hierarchies, industrial location, agricultural and urban land use, transportation, spatial interaction and regional economic development.
Prerequisite: Geography 2200.
A survey of urban, regional, resource and land use planning, history of urban design and planning concepts, legal and institutional framework for urban and regional planning, the planning process, contemporary planning issues at the community, metropolitan and regional scale. A one-day field trip will be scheduled on a Saturday.
Physical environments, resources, economics and settlements of the regions of Canada.
Introduction to quantitative methods and statistical problem-solving in geography. Unique features of geographical data. Introductory methods for analysis and description of areal and point data. Central tendency, dispersion and shape of distributions. Classification methods. Use of Normal, Binomial, and Poisson distributions in geographical analysis. Bivariate correlation and regression analysis. Computer applications in statistical problem-solving. Introduction to Geographical Information Systems (GIS) for geographic data visualization, analysis, and presentation.
Prerequisite: Geography 1000 or 2200.
Interpretation of physical and cultural features, including human-environmental relationships, for a broad range of local, national and international regions, using maps and air photos. Various conventions in map production, their uses and limitations. Emphasis on development of interpretation skills.
Prerequisite: Geography 1000.
Note: Students will not receive credit for Geography 2710 if they have received credit for Geography 3710 or 3720 prior to enrolling in Geography 2710.
A study of landforms and deposits created by running water. Aspects of drainage basin development, the measurement of drainage basin processes, concepts of drainage basin hydraulics and flood frequency analysis will be illustrated with field and computer-based laboratory exercises. The watershed will serve as the basic unit of study with emphasis on western Canadian river basins.
Prerequisite: Geography 2030.
The study of perennial snow and ice and the effects of glaciers in the development of landforms. A one-day field trip will be scheduled on a Saturday.
Prerequisite: Geography 2030.
The relationships of natural extremes, global environmental change and human systems. A key emphasis is identification of natural and human-induced global environmental change. Case studies demonstrating societal vulnerabilities to potential hazards and disasters.
Prerequisites: One of Geography 2015, 2030 or Geology 2060, and third-year standing (a minimum of 60.0 credit hours).
This course considers the theory and methods of environmental assessment, adaptive management, and issues in resource analysis, allocation and development.
Prerequisite: Environmental Science 2000.*
Note: * Students with credit for Biology 2050 or Geography 2060 will satisfy this prerequisite requirement. Credit is not allowed for Environmental Science 2000 and either Biology 2050 or Geography 2060.
Credit is not allowed for Geography 3075 and Geography 3850 (Environmental and Resource Management).
An examination of the nature and spatial complexion of agricultural systems in advanced, market economics. The course will focus on various physical, economic, social and institutional forces which influence the geography of agriculture. Examples and case studies will be drawn mainly from North America and Western Europe. A one-day field trip (or two half-days) will be scheduled on a Saturday.
Prerequisite: Geography 2210, or Agricultural Studies 1000 and a previous course (3.0 credit hours) in Geography.
Industrial geography is concerned with the location of industrial activity at local, continental and global scales of analysis. The course explores locational patterns and behaviour of small, medium-sized and transnational manufacturing firms with special emphasis on locational dynamics over time. By taking a geographical perspective, the course links the spatial behaviour of firms with economic development issues at the local, regional and global scales. A one-day field trip will be scheduled.
Prerequisite: Geography 2210 or Management 2030 (3030).
Internal social geography of cities. Classical and contemporary approaches to the study of neighbourhood and community differentiation, social inequalities in the city, social segregation, social polarization, and urban social structure. Intra-urban variations in morphology, land use, crime, housing, deprivation, well-being, community conflict and community organizations. A full-day field trip may be scheduled on a weekend.
Prerequisite: Geography 2200.
Quantitative methods applied to regional problems in both human and physical geography. Population projection, cohort survival methods, shift and share forecasts, gravity models and time series analysis will be included using local data sets. A four-hour field trip will be scheduled.
Prerequisites: Statistics 1770 or Geography 2700, and third-year standing (a minimum of 60.0 credit hours).
A theoretical examination of the spatial and temporal patterns of urbanization in developing countries. Topics include urban structural characteristics, urban-rural relations, regional disparities, housing, employment, and relationships between urbanization and development processes.
Prerequisites: Geography 2200 and third-year standing (a minimum of 60.0 credit hours).
Note: Credit is not allowed for Geography 3245 and Geography 3850 (Third World Urbanization).
This course provides an overview of tourism with an emphasis on socially and environmentally sustainable tourism. Topics covered include the nature and scope of tourism, public policy, tourism and economic development, tourism marketing, tourism impacts, aboriginal tourism, and ecotourism.
Prerequisite: Third-year standing (a minimum of 60.0 credit hours).
Theoretical principles and practical aspects of cartography. The course will cover the history of cartography; map projections; geographic data processing and generalization; cartographic design and symbolization; computer mapping.
Prerequisite: Geography 2700.
Mapping, recording and analysis of physical and cultural features in the southern Alberta landscape. Practical work to illustrate field research methodologies. Study projects will be carried out individually and in groups. Weekly field trips will be scheduled during the afternoon and may run as much as two hours beyond the lab period, especially where a considerable amount of travel time is required.
Prerequisites: Geography 2700 or 2710, and Geography 2030 or Geology 2060.
Principles of earth resources analysis using airborne and satellite imagery. Fundamentals of energy interactions with the earth and atmosphere, the electromagnetic spectrum, aerial photography and photogrammetry, remote sensing systems, digital image analysis and airborne mission planning. Applications in the physical and social sciences with examples of environmental and landuse change. Laboratory work will involve air photo interpretation and image analysis.
Prerequisite: Geography 2700.
An introduction to statistical methods of spatial analysis, including techniques for description, sampling, comparison, relationships and trends.
Prerequisite: Geography 2700.
This course deals with the nature of geographic data, geographic modelling, data structures, Geographic Information Systems functions and implementation. Exercises in the course will make use of computer hardware and software designed for these tasks.
Prerequisite: Geography 2700.
An applied introduction to GIS in Canadian human geography. Students will be exposed to the Canadian census of population, agricultural census, and other spatial data products. Manipulation of variables, interpretation of spatial patterns and trends and hypothesis testing using these data within GIS software.
Prerequisites: Geography 2200 and 2700.
Note: Credit is not allowed for Geography 3750 and Geography 3850 (GIS in Human Geography).
The hydrological cycle. Interactions of the atmosphere, surface and subsurface water systems. Hydrological modelling using geographical information systems will be a major component of lectures and laboratory exercises.
Prerequisites: Geography 2015 and 3740.
Management of watersheds considering natural supply and demands; and natural and human-induced change. Modelling watershed processes using GIS and basic programming is a key objective of the course. Holistic management considers upstream and downstream interactions, and the interactive role of hydrology, hydraulics, ice processes, temperature, sediment, biota and land cover. Discussions address physical, chemical and biological components in natural and altered streams. A one-day or overnight field trip through a major watershed in Alberta is typically included.
Prerequisite: Geography 3740.
Physical, chemical, biological properties of soils; soil formation, classification and distribution, insights into the uses and abuses of soils, role of soil agronomy in resource development. A one-day field trip will be scheduled on a Saturday.
Prerequisite: Geography 2030 or Geology 2060, or admission to the Post-Diploma B.A. or B.Sc. in Agricultural Studies program or the Post-Diploma B.Sc. in Environmental Science program.
A project-based course in which students pursue a theoretically-informed research question of their own choosing. Class will collaborate on the construction of a survey instrument, which will be administered by the class at about the mid-point in the course. Results of data analysis will be presented in research seminars and a written report. One Saturday will be devoted to field work and data collection.
Prerequisite: Geography 3210.
Seminar presentation of contemporary problems in economic geography.
Prerequisite: Geography 3225.
Seminar presentation of contemporary problems in urban geography.
Prerequisite: Geography 3230.
Advanced planning courses instructed by faculty or experienced planning professionals.
Prerequisite: Geography 2535; other courses may be specified.
Advanced topics and concepts in analytical and computer cartography. Development, analysis and integration of multisource geographical data and databases. Algorithms for computer mapping and visualization of geographical phenomena. Laboratory work will develop applications using computer mapping software and spatial data.
Prerequisite: Geography 3700.
Digital image analysis of aerial and satellite data for earth observation and studies of environmental and landuse change from local to global scales. Computer graphics and image processing in spatial, spectral and time dimensions. Data integration, classification, predictive models and fundamentals of spectroradiometry. Laboratory work will focus on digital image analysis software and applications.
Prerequisite: Geography 3720.
This course is a continuation of Geographic Information Systems. The course deals with advanced topics such as modelling languages, visualization, data integration, decision-making, system implementation and new directions. A great deal of emphasis is placed on problem solving and projects.
Prerequisite: Geography 3740.
The use of models for improved understanding of spatial patterns and variability. Analysis, prediction and diffusion through geographic space and time. Selected applications and case studies will be drawn from the physical and social sciences.
Prerequisite: One of Geography 3700, 3720, 3730 or 3740.
Trends in Geographical Information Systems for spatial analysis using information technology. Theoretical and computer-based approaches to spatial pattern analysis and database management systems. Applications and future directions will be emphasized.
Prerequisite: Geography 3740.
Contemporary issues in remote sensing and image analysis. Advanced approaches to classification, modelling, change detection and scaling. The role of remote sensing science in integrated studies of global change. Research and new directions.
Prerequisite: Geography 3720.
Management and conservation of agricultural soils including effects of different crop management systems on soil properties. Topics include: soil fertility; soil and plant testing; commercial fertilizer; manure management; soil quality in both irrigated and dryland crop production systems; identification and management of problem soils; environmental concerns. Practical field experience is included. Two eight-hour field trips will be scheduled on Saturdays near the beginning of the fall semester for field study of different soil types.
Prerequisite: Geography 4050.
Irrigation as a contemporary agricultural practice. Studies of global, regional and local irrigation developments, soil-water-plant relationships for consumptive use of water, on-farm irrigation techniques and applications. Design of water conveyance systems, pipe and channel hydraulics. Water supplies for irrigation. Environmental concerns and opportunities.
Prerequisite: Geography 2015.
History and theory of geography from the Greeks to the present. Current status of geography in major nations of the world.
Prerequisite: Three courses (9.0 credit hours) in Geography.
This is a research-oriented course in which students will conduct empirical research, submit a report in the form of an undergraduate thesis which will be made publicly available, and report orally on the work. In consultation with their Thesis Supervisor, students will define a research problem and formulate a research plan.
Prerequisites: Fourth-year standing (a minimum of 90.0 credit hours) with a cumulative GPA of 3.30 or higher.
Completion of an Independent Study (3990) in Geography or Geology.
Note: See Part 7 - Arts and Science, Sections 4.c., 5.c. and 6.c., pp. 84-87.