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Courses

The faculty has approval to offer the following courses in the academic years 1998-1999 and 1999-2000; however, all courses are not taught each semester or summer session. Students should consult the Course Schedule to determine which courses and topics will be offered during a particular semester or summer session. The Course Schedule may also reflect changes that have been made to the courses listed here since this catalog was printed.

A full explanation of course numbers is given in General Information. In brief, the first digit of a course number indicates the semester hour value of the course. The second and third digits indicate the rank of the course: if they are 01 through 19, the course is of lower-division rank; if 20 through 79, of upper-division rank; if 80 through 99, of graduate rank.

Freshman Seminar

Freshman Seminar: F S

Lower-Division Course

301. Freshman Seminar.
Restricted to first-semester freshmen. Small-group seminar involving reading, discussion, writing, and oral reports. Introduction to University resources, including libraries, computer and research facilities, and museums. Several sections are offered each semester, with various topics and instructors. Two lecture hours and one discussion hour a week for one semester.

Department of Geography

Unless otherwise stated in the description below, each class meets for three lecture hours a week for one semester.

Geography: GRG

Lower-Division Courses

301C. The Natural Environment.
Geomorphic processes that shape the earth's surface; origin and evolution of landforms. Groundwater and water resources. Pedogenesis and soil properties. Three lecture hours and one and one-half laboratory hours a week for one semester, and a one-day field trip. May be counted toward the Area C requirement for the Bachelor of Arts, Plan I.

301K. Weather and Climate.
A survey of meteorological phenomena and climatological processes of the earth. May be counted toward the Area C requirement for the Bachelor of Arts, Plan I.

305. This Human World: An Introduction to Geography.
Introductory survey of the human geography of the earth; major cultural divisions and selected regions and countries. Three lecture hours and one laboratory hour a week for one semester.

308. Computer Cartography.
An introduction to the computer languages, equipment, and techniques employed in modern automated cartography.

309. Topics in Geography.
May be repeated for credit when the topics vary.

312. Maps and Map Interpretation.
History of maps and mapping; types and uses; chief sources; reading and interpretation. Three lecture hours and two laboratory hours a week for one semester.

315. The City: An Introduction to Urban Geography.
Cities in history; international cities; urbanism in the United States: architecture, ethnicity, transportation, finance, housing, environmental impact. Self-paced.

319. Geography of Latin America.
Same as Latin American Studies 319. Adaptations to population growth and spatial integration in cultural landscapes of great natural and ethnic diversity; problems of frontiers and cities. Geography 319 and Latin American Studies 310 (Topic: Geography of Latin America) may not both be counted. Prerequisite: Ability to use the World Wide Web.

119S, 219S, 319S, 419S, 519S, 619S, 719S, 819S, 919S. Topics in Geography.
This course is used to record credit the student earns while enrolled at another institution in a program administered by the University's Study Abroad Office. Credit is recorded as assigned by the study abroad adviser in the Department of Geography. University credit is awarded for work in an exchange program; it may be counted as coursework taken in residence. Transfer credit is awarded for work in an affiliated studies program. May be repeated for credit when the topics vary.

Upper-Division Courses

320K. Land and Life: The American Southwest.
Historical geography of the southwestern United States, emphasizing the ways of life of American Indian, Spanish, mestizo, and Anglo cultures. Prerequisite: Upper-division standing and familiarity with accessing the World Wide Web; students must have an e-mail address.

323K. Geography of South America.
Same as Latin American Studies 330 (Topic 3: Geography of South America). Ecological, cultural, and political challenges of the densely populated margins and sparsely populated interior frontier of South America; appropriate development and conservation pathways. Prerequisite: Upper-division standing.

324. Cultural Geography of North America.
The culture regions and cultural landscapes of the United States and Canada, with particular attention to ethnicity, diffusion, and adaptation. Prerequisite: Upper-division standing.

325. Geography of Texas.
Texas as an environmental and cultural borderland: as a transition zone between plains and mountains, humid and arid, South and West, Anglo-America and Latin America. Prerequisite: Upper-division standing.

326. Regions and Cultures of Europe.
Spatial patterns in Europe, with emphasis on cultural, historical, and political geography. Prerequisite: Upper-division standing.

326K. Feast or Famine? Food Supplies in a Crowded World.
Food as a necessity, a commodity, and a bond of community; planetary production potential; and the challenges of population growth, climate change, land degradation, and food politics. Prerequisite: Upper-division standing.

327. Geography of the Former Soviet Union.
The land and peoples of the former Soviet Union, with an examination of such problems as ethnic tension, economic restructuring, and the quality of life. Geography 327 and Russian 330 (Topic 2: Geography of the Former Soviet Union) may not both be counted. Prerequisite: Upper-division standing.

328. Geography of the Middle East.
Same as Middle Eastern Studies 322K (Topic 3: Geography of the Middle East). Major elements of physical and social environment in the region extending from Egypt to Afghanistan. Prerequisite: Upper-division standing.

328C. Pathways toward Extinction.
Past and present patterns and causes of animal extinction and habitat transformation; avenues toward restoration. Prerequisite: Upper-division standing.

129S, 229S, 329S, 429S, 529S, 629S, 729S, 829S, 929S. Topics in Geography.
This course is used to record credit the student earns while enrolled at another institution in a program administered by the University's Study Abroad Office. Credit is recorded as assigned by the study abroad adviser in the Department of Geography. University credit is awarded for work in an exchange program; it may be counted as coursework taken in residence. Transfer credit is awarded for work in an affiliated studies program. May be repeated for credit when the topics vary.

331. Geography of Asia.
Same as Asian Studies 331. Natural regions and cultural landscapes of Asia, excluding the former Soviet Union. Asian Studies 361 (Topic: Geography of Asia) and Geography 331 may not both be counted. Prerequisite: Upper-division standing.

331K. Cultural Ecology.
Same as Anthropology 324L (Topic 17: Cultural Ecology). Demography, settlement, resource opportunities, and adaptation in human ecosystems; application of past experience in dealing with contemporary and future problems. Prerequisite: Upper-division standing.

334. Conservation, Resources, and Technology.
Analysis of the relationship between the human population and its resource base, with particular emphasis on current problems in environmental resource management. Prerequisite: Upper-division standing.

334C. Environmental Hazards.
Natural and human impact on the earth's atmosphere, biota, and physical environment. Prerequisite: Upper-division standing and six semester hours of physical geography or natural sciences.

334K. Soils.
Morphology, genesis, properties, and distribution of world soils. Factors of soil formation. May be counted toward the Area C requirement for the Bachelor of Arts, Plan I. Prerequisite: Upper-division standing; and six semester hours of physical geography or natural sciences, or the equivalent.

335C. Historical Geomorphology.
Reconstruction of Quaternary geomorphic landscapes based on principles and applications of geochronology and paleoclimatology. Geography 335C and 385C may not both be counted. Prerequisite: Upper-division standing and six semester hours of physical geography, natural sciences, or archaeology.

335K. Mountain Geoecology.
Geological evolution of mountains. Physical geography of mountains: climates, soils, vegetation, landforms and geomorphic processes. May be counted toward the Area C requirement for the Bachelor of Arts, Plan I. Prerequisite: Upper-division standing and six semester hours of physical geography or natural sciences.

336. Contemporary Cultural Geography.
Recent theoretical developments in cultural geography--landscape, culture area, ecosystem, and environmental perception. Prerequisite: Upper-division standing.

337. The Modern American City.
Same as Architecture 350R (Topic 1: The Modern American City). Issues facing residents of U. S. cities, such as transportation and housing, poverty and crime, metropolitan finance, environmental and architectural design; historical/comparative urban evolution. Prerequisite: For architecture majors, Architecture 328; for others, upper-division standing.

339. Process Geomorphology.
Analysis of geomorphic processes and their effects on landform development. May be counted toward the Area C requirement for the Bachelor of Arts, Plan I. Prerequisite: Upper-division standing; and Geography 301C, Geological Sciences 401, or the equivalent.

339K. Environment, Development, and Food Production.
Assessment of various types of nonmechanized agriculture with regard to environmental factors and management techniques. Geography 339K and 390S may not both be counted. Prerequisite: Upper-division standing.

341K. Geography of Mexico and Caribbean America.
Same as Latin American Studies 330 (Topic 2: Geography of Mexico and Caribbean America). The natural regions and cultural landscapes of Mexico, Central America, the West Indies, and portions of Colombia and Venezuela. Prerequisite: Upper-division standing.

342C. Rural Development in the Third World.
Same as Asian Studies 342C. Prospects for expanding goods and services available to the rural poor in developing countries. Asian Studies 361 (Topic: Rural Development in the Third World) and Geography 342C may not both be counted. Prerequisite: Upper-division standing.

346. The Human Use of the Earth.
The state of the world from an ecological perspective. Case studies are drawn from a wide range of ecological settings and involve both traditional and modern societies. Prerequisite: Upper-division standing.

347K. The Spanish Background of Hispanic America.
Same as Anthropology 322M (Topic 9: The Spanish Background of Hispanic America) and Latin American Studies 330 (Topic 1: The Spanish Background of Hispanic America). Prehistoric and Roman origins of Mediterranean land use and settlement; late medieval economy and institutions; conquest and the transformation of Spanish culture in the New World, with emphasis on colonial Mexico. Prerequisite: Upper-division standing.

348C. Geography of South Asia.
Same as Asian Studies 348C. Natural regions and cultural landscapes of South Asia. Agriculture, urban structure, issues of environment and development. Asian Studies 361 (Topic: Geography of South Asia) and Geography 348C may not both be counted. Prerequisite: Upper-division standing.

350L. The English Landscape.
A study of the interplay of natural resources and human activity acting to transform an environment. Prerequisite: Upper-division standing.

351. Mankind and Nature.
Major ideas about nature in Western thought that underlie efforts to formulate an environmental ethic and improve environmental quality. Prerequisite: Upper-division standing.

356. Topics in Environmental Geography.
Topics include environmental assessment methods and techniques, the conservation movement, and climate and people. May be repeated for credit when the topics vary. Prerequisite: Upper-division standing.

356T. Topics in Geography.
May be repeated for credit when the topics vary. Prerequisite: Varies with the topic and is given in the Course Schedule.

357. Medical Geography.
Same as American Studies 357. The geographic distribution, expansion, and contraction of the infectious diseases that have the greatest influence in shaping human societies today: malaria, AIDS, and others. American Studies 321 (Topic: Medical Geography) and Geography 357 may not both be counted. Prerequisite: Upper-division standing.

358. Cities in Developing Countries.
Same as Asian Studies 358. Comparative analysis of demographic, social, economic, and political features of cities in Latin America, the Middle East, Asia, and Africa; emphasis on regional imbalance, migration, occupational and social stratification, housing the poor, and suburbanization. Possibilities for individual research. Asian Studies 361 (Topic: Cities in Developing Countries) and Geography 358 may not both be counted. Prerequisite: Upper-division standing.

358E. Geography and Religion.
Same as Humanities 350 (Topic 3: Geography and Religion) and Middle Eastern Studies 322K (Topic 15: Geography and Religion). Ideas about the relationships among the natural world, myth, and ritual; principal focus on Christianity, Islam, and Judaism and their offshoots and antagonists in the Western world. Geography 356T (Topic: Geography and Religion) and 358E may not both be counted. Prerequisite: Upper-division standing.

859. The Geographer's Craft.
A comprehensive introductory survey of research techniques used in contemporary geography. The course uses the problem-solving approach to teach technical skills and concepts drawn from cartography, remote sensing, geographical information systems, spatial statistics, and maps and map interpretation. Three lecture hours and at least one and one-half laboratory hours a week for two semesters. Laboratory hours are arranged during the first week of class. Prerequisite: For 859B, Geography 859A or consent of instructor.

360G. Geographic Information Systems.
An introduction to the creation and use of geographic information systems. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor.

360L. Spatial Analysis.
Application of statistical techniques to spatial problems: research and experimental design, hypothesis testing and sampling, with reference to spatial patterns and areal associations. Prerequisite: Upper-division standing.

362K. Remote Sensing of the Environment.
The use of electromagnetic energy to sense objects in the natural environment; interpretation and recognition of patterns detected by sensors. Three lecture hours and one and one-half laboratory hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Upper-division standing.

366K. Biogeography.
Contemporary patterns of plant and animal distribution, and the environmental and historical processes affecting them. May be counted toward the Area C requirement for the Bachelor of Arts, Plan I. Prerequisite: Upper-division standing and six semester hours of physical geography or natural sciences.

367K. Vegetation Ecology.
Plant autecology and synecology. Ecological factors and processes of plant communities. Vegetation geoecology, succession, and dynamics. Prerequisite: Upper-division standing and six semester hours of physical geography or natural sciences.

372K. Proseminar in Environmental Geography.
Applied geographical analysis of environmental and resource issues in the context of specific field problems. Prerequisite: Upper-division standing and at least twelve semester hours of upper-division coursework in geography, including Geography 334 and 351.

373F. Field Techniques.
For geography majors and students seeking a secondary school teaching certificate with geography as the second teaching field. Introduction to the collection and mapping of environmental and cultural data, involving both classroom lectures and outdoor exercises. Three lecture hours a week for one semester, with additional field laboratory hours to be arranged. Geography 356 (Topic 1: Field Techniques in Environmental Geography) and 373F may not both be counted. Prerequisite: Upper-division standing, consent of instructor, and ability to use the World Wide Web; students must have an e-mail address.

374. Frontiers in Geography.
Restricted to geography majors and students seeking a secondary school teaching certificate with geography as the second teaching field. Current concerns and methodology in the field of geography; an introduction to theory and research in geography. The equivalent of three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Upper-division standing and consent of the undergraduate adviser.

679HA. Honors Tutorial Course: Thesis Reading.
For honors candidates in geography. Individual readings in selected works, with conferences. Conference course. Prerequisite: Admission to the Geography Honors Program no later than two semesters before expected graduation. A University grade point average of at least 3.00 and a grade point average in geography of at least 3.50 are required for admission to the program.

679HB. Honors Tutorial Course: Thesis Writing.
For honors candidates in geography. Writing of a thesis based on readings in selected works, with conferences. Conference course. Prerequisite: Geography 679HA.

379K. Conference Course.
Supervised individual study of selected problems in geography. May be repeated for credit. Prerequisite: Six semester hours of upper-division social or natural sciences and consent of instructor.

379L. Practicum: Internships in Applied Geography.
Research and staff experience working in an appropriate government agency or private business. At least six but no more than nine hours of work a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Completion of at least seventy semester hours of coursework, including twelve semester hours of geography, and consent of the undergraduate adviser.

Contents  |  Next File  |  Previous File

Undergraduate catalog

Contents  |  Chapter 1  |  Chapter 2  |  Chapter 3  |  Chapter 4
Chapter 5  |  Chapter 6  |  Chapter 7  |  Chapter 8  |  Chapter 9
Chapter 10  |  Chapter 11  |  Chapter 12  |  Chapter 13
Texas Common Course Numbering System (Appendix A)
Appendix B

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