Catastrophic Environmental Events (CCE) that are becoming more common i this time of global environmental change and it is essential that today's students be equipped with the knowledge and skills to be leaders as we, as a society, understand the upheaval that these CCEs are causing. Students will examine how CEEs shape human society and ecosystem from the interdisciplinary perspective afforded by the field of Geography. Students will use the latest geographic science concepts and techniques in exploring these events.

Introduction to technical methods used in gathering, analyzing, and presenting geospatial information, addressing the needs of geospatial analysis, such as environmental monitoring, situational awareness, disaster management, and human systems. Topics include basics of locational reference systems, map projections, satellite and airborne remote sensing, global positioning systems, geographic information systems, cartography, and introductory statistics and probability. The course is a gateway to more advanced technical classes in geoinformatics.

Introduction to technical methods used in gathering, analyzing, and presenting geospatial information, addressing the needs of geospatial analysis, such as environmental monitoring, situational awareness, disaster management, and human systems. Topics include basics of locational reference systems, map projections, satellite and airborne remote sensing, global positioning systems, geographic information systems, cartography, and introductory statistics and probability. The course is a gateway to more advanced technical classes in geoinformatics.

A systematic introduction to the processes and associated forms of the atmosphere and earth's surfaces emphasizing the interaction between climatology, hydrology and geomorphology.

Purpose: increase student knowledge of professional development opportunities in Geography through classroom activities and invited speakers, and to build awareness of career development tools and strategies. The main focus of the class is to prepare students to use the tools needed to pursue professional opportunities, including internships, jobs, and graduate school. Special emphasis will be on résumé building, cover letter writing, communication skills, and job, internship, and graduate school research.

Essentials in the quantitative analysis of spatial and other data, with a particular emphasis on statistics and programming. Topics include data display, data description and summary, statistical inference and significance tests, analysis of variance, correlation, regression, and some advanced concepts, such as matrix methods, principal component analysis, and spatial statistics. Students will develop expertise in data analysis using advanced statistical software.

Principles of managing scarce resources in a world where everyone faces tradeoffs across both time and space. Focuses on the relationship between globalization processes and changing patterns of locational advantages, production, trade, population, socioeconomic and environmental grace and sustainability. (Human Geography)

Characteristics and organization of geographic data; creation and use of digital geospatial databases; metadata; spatial data models for thematic mapping and map analysis; use of geographic information system in society, government, and business. Practical training with use of advanced software and geographic databases. (Technical)

To develop an understanding of the geographic contexts of Sub-Saharan Africa, including an overview of the physical,
bioclimatic, historical, cultural, political, demographic, health and economic geographies of Sub-Saharan Africa. Students will ‘fill in the map’ of Africa by studying the spatial distribution within each of these geographic domains. In addition to an overview of geography South of the Sahara, the Congo will be taken as a more intensive case study through additional readings, lectures and discussions. (Integrated Geography)

This course will provide an introduction to modern econometric techniques in general and spatial econometrics in particular. It is designed for senior and graduate students of geography department who may have relatively limited background in statistics, mathematics, and econometrics but are keen to learn this ‘difficult’ subject. This course will use the popular open source statistical computer language R. Its focus is on using statistical computing to produce analytical reports for real-world applications, research papers, and dissertations.

Biogeographical topics of global significance, including a consideration of measurement techniques, and both descriptive and mechanistic modeling. Topics may include: scale in biogeography, climate and vegetation, global carbon cycle, biodiversity, interannual variability in the biosphere, land cover, global biospheric responses to climate change, NASA's Mission to Planet Earth and Earth Observation System. (Physical Geography)

Advanced skills of computer mapping using more sophisticated software packages. Map projection evaluation and selection, coordinate system conversion, techniques of quantitative thematic mapping, map design and generalization, hypermedia and animated cartography. Emphasis on designing and making cartographically sound sophisticated thematic maps. (Technical)

Biogeographical topics of global significance, including a consideration of measurement techniques, and both descriptive and mechanistic modeling. Topics may include: scale in biogeography, biodiversity, carbon geography, climate and vegetation, interannual variability in the biosphere, land cover, global biospheric responses to climate change, NASA's Mission to Planet Earth and Earth Observation System. The class focuses on both natural and athropogenic controls, impacts of biography on climate and ecosystem services and different methods in biogeography.

This course covers how to create, test, and publish mobile GIS applications that work across multiple platforms (Android, iOS, and Black Berry Tablet OS) and adapt to a smartphone or tablet display.

This course covers the statistical modeling of spatial data and data analysis that are most useful to geographers and others who use spatial data. It provides the student with more advanced methods with an emphasis on practical techniques for problem solving. Home assignments are designed to help the student understand the fundamental concepts and principles in depth and allow the student to gain experience in the use of S-Plus statistical software and two powerful extensions of ArcGIS: Spatial analyst, and Geostatistical analyst. There is a $40.00 lab fee for this course.

Provide foundations and understanding on various issues related to modeling and simulation in GIS context. It will addresses the concepts, tools, and techniques of GIS modeling, and presents modeling concepts and theory as well as provides opportunities for hands-on model design, construction, and application. The focus will be on raster-based modeling. This course is also application-orientated, particularly in these fields such as terrain modeling, LULC modeling, hydrological modeling, suitability modeling, etc.

Detailed examination of land remote sensing instruments, observatories and resultant measurements in the optical portion of the EM spectrum. Includes computer-based exercises that examine the importance of data geo-registration and radiometric calibration in land measurements.

This course will provide an introduction to modern econometric techniques in general and spatial econometrics in particular. It is designed for senior and graduate students of geography department who may have relatively limited background in statistics, mathematics, and econometrics but are keen to learn this ‘difficult’ subject. This course will use the popular open source statistical computer language R. Its focus is on using statistical computing to produce analytical reports for real-world applications, research papers, and dissertations.

Contact Department for Details

Each student must undertake a project as a demonstration of his/her competence in geospatial science and technologies. The data and materials for this project can originate from an internship (internal or external to the department), or from relevant work experience at the student's current employer. The Department of Geographical Sciences will work with each student individually to determine the best mechanism for obtaining the necessary data and experience.