|
6.10 DEPARTMENT
OF GEOGRAPHY (GY)
Interim
Chairperson: Professor Bobby Wilson, Office: 202 Farrah Hall
The department
offers a program leading to the master of science degree in
geography. Study in geography prepares students to work in a broad
range of positions related to foreign area analysis, land-use
management, planning, urban and economic development, environmental
analysis, and geographic information techniques including computer
cartography, geographic information systems, and remote sensing.
These positions are found in federal, state, and local governments,
as well as in private industry. Among several
close associations with other disciplines, the graduate program in
geography has traditionally been closely related to regional and
urban planning. The program has assisted various city and regional
planning agencies throughout the state, providing expertise in
computer graphics, geographic information systems, remote sensing,
land-use planning, redistricting, and urban-industrial location
analysis.
Admission Requirements
Applicants must
submit an acceptable score on the Graduate Record Examination in
support of the application. General admission requirements are
outlined in the
Admission Criteria section of this catalog.
Degree Requirements
The graduate
program in geography includes a thesis or a nonthesis option. Under
both options, the student has considerable latitude to design a
program to fit particular needs. All entering students must specify
one of the two options during the second semester of academic work.
Both options have prerequisite courses, including two introductory
courses in physical geography, an introductory course in human
geography, a course in world regional geography, a course in map
interpretation, and a basic statistics course.
All graduate
geography students are required to pass a comprehensive examination
for admission to candidacy (after having taken a minimum of 18 hours
of graduate-level courses).
Additional information is in the
Degree Requirements section of this catalog.
MS in
Geography, Thesis Option
This option requires a total of 30 credit hours including 3
hours of program requirements and 6 hours for thesis research. A
minimum of 12 credit hours must be taken from courses in one of the
areas of concentration including physical geography; regional,
environmental and urban planning; human geography; or geographical
information sciences. The remaining 9 credit hours may consist of
courses from any of the other three areas of concentration
and/or be selected from related courses offered in other disciplines
with departmental approval (up to 6 of the 9 credit hours). The
thesis option may be selected on approval by the student’s program
advisor.
MS in
Applied Geography, Nonthesis Option
This option requires a total of 39 credit hours including 3 hours of
program requirements and 3 hours for non-thesis research projects.
Students selecting this option must take a minimum of 8 hours of
geographic techniques, and may count up to 15 credit hours of such
coursework towards their Master program. A minimum of 15 credit
hours must be taken from courses in one of the areas of
concentration including physical geography; regional, environmental
and urban planning; human geography; or geographical information
sciences. The remaining 10 credit hours may consist of courses from
any of the other three areas of concentration, related
courses in other disciplines with departmental approval (up to 6 of
the 10 credit hours); and/or experiential courses (up to 3 of the 10
credit hours).
Course
Descriptions
GY 500 Research Traditions and
Methodology in Geography. Three hours.
An investigation of the historical development of geography,
including its changing philosophies and prominent contributors.
Students are also introduced to various approaches for conducting
research in geography and must develop a written research proposal
in an area of their interest.
GY 502
Climatology. Three hours.
Review of
atmospheric processes as they relate to global and regional climate
patterns in the boundary layers of the earth’s environment.
GY 504 Physical Geography of the
Southeastern United States. Three hours.
A study of the physical landscapes in the southeastern United
States. Emphasis is on the geological setting, geomorphic features,
climate, soils, and vegetation, and the interrelationships of these
conditions that shape the landscape in this region.
GY 505 Directed Research: Physical
Geography. Variable credit.
GY 506 Directed Research: Human
Geography. Variable credit.
GY 507 Boundary Layer Climates. Three hours.
This course is designed to introduce the nature of the atmosphere
near the ground and the interactions these processes have with the
physical, biological, and human systems on Earth.
GY 512 Hydroclimatology. Three hours.
Introduces the
nature of the atmosphere near the ground and the interactions these
processes have with the physical, biological, and human systems on
Earth.
GY 520 Remote Sensing I. Four
hours.
Focuses on basic principles behind remote sensing physics,
techniques, and technology and introduces new sensor systems and
digital image processing. Major topics include electromagnetic
radiation principles, airborne remote sensing, microwave remote
sensing, satellite remote sensing, and digital image processing.
GY 523
Quantitative Methods. Three hours.
This course
introduces several quantitative methods used by geographers to
analyze and interpret geographic data and solve geographic problems.
Topics include: Data formatting and organization, descriptive
statistics, sampling, hypothesis formulation and testing, and
parametric and non-parametric statistical procedures through factor
analysis.
GY 530 Introduction to Geographic
Information Systems. Four hours.
Introduces the basic concepts of GIS, including definition and
components of GIS, spatial data structures, data sources, data
input, manipulation and analysis, applications of GIS, and managing
GIS.
GY 532 Special Research in Geography. Two to four hours.
GY 534 GIS
Internship. Three to six hours.
Individual work experience in GIS supervised by the staff of an
off-campus agency.
GY 535 Remote Sensing II. Four
hours.
Focuses on the quantitative analysis of non-photographic remote
sensor data, providing students with hands-on experience using a
digital image processing software package. Topics include
preprocessing, image enhancement, classification, digital change
detection, and remote sensing and GIS.
GY 536 Advanced Geographic
Information Systems. Four hours.
Focuses on the analytical use of spatial information as well as GIS
applications. Topics include spatial aspects of geographic
information, attribute data structure, error and uncertainty,
spatial analysis theories, GIS modeling, and GIS design.
GY 538 Application Issues in GIS. Four hours.
Provides an in-depth discussion on various topics in the application
and technical issues of geographic information systems.
GY 540 Community Facilities Planning. Three hours.
A study of concepts and processes that underlie (a) the provision of
public goods and services and (b) the spatial organization of
publicly owned facilities. Topics range from theory to practical
methods of conflict resolution.
GY 541 Land Use Regulations. Three hours.
The course explores the legal standards by which land is regulated
and controlled in the U.S. It is designed for students who wish to
become actively involved or exposed to land management and the
planning profession.
GY 544 Field Studies in Africa. Six hours.
Experiential learning course. It explores how different cultural
groups in Africa relate to the natural environment.
GY 552 Environmental Decision Making. Three hours.
Designed to help students develop both the tools and the personal
philosophy necessary to analyze and manage scarce resources. A
review of current environmental topics is followed by a survey of
different paradigms and techniques that contribute to environmental
decision making.
GY 553 Environment and Society. Three hours.
Explores the linkages between the biophysical environmental and
human social systems. Public-policy implications are viewed from a
social science perspective.
GY 558 Urban Analysis Planning. Three hours.
A thorough examination of the literature in economics, political
science, and sociology that is relevant to the geographical study of
contemporary urban structure, power, and conflict.
GY 560 Environmental Management. Three hours.
Introduces students to the impact of humans on the planet and the
patterns of human behavior necessary to preserve and manage the
environment in a self-sustaining manner. Emphasis is on writing and
speaking.
GY 561 Social Impact Assessment. Three hours.
Focuses on the theories, philosophies, and methodologies of
assessing the social consequences of environmental change.
GY 565 Regional Planning and
Analysis. Three hours.
Principles and processes of regional planning and the analytical
methods appropriate for solving regional planning problems. Case
studies and the role of the planner in the regional planning process
are discussed.
GY 566 Regional and Urban
Transportation Systems. Four hours.
Examines location and function of the multimodal North American
transportation system, the urban transport planning process, and the
political and environmental contexts of transport systems, including
impacts of continued reliance on the automobile.
GY 567 Topics in Global Environmental
Change. Three hours.
Review and discussion of natural and human-induced changes in the
physical environment with emphasis on deforestation, changing land
use, and recent climate change.
GY 570 Special Studies in Geography. Three hours.
GY 572 Soil Science. Four hours.
Introduction to the scientific study of soils. Covers soil physical
properties, morphology, development, classification, environmental
functions and uses, and resource degradation.
GY 574 Cartography Practicum. Three to six hours.
Individual work experience in cartography supervised by the faculty
and staff of the University.
GY 575 Cartography Internship. Three to six hours.
Individual work experience in cartography, supervised by the staff
of an off-campus agency.
GY 576 GIS Practicum. Three
to six hours.
Individual work experience in GIS supervised by the faculty and
staff of the University.
GY 578 Planning Practicum. Three
to six hours.
Individual work experience in planning supervised by the faculty and
staff of the University.
GY 579 Planning Internship. Three
to six hours.
Individual work experience in planning supervised by the staff of an
off-campus planning agency.
GY 586 Drainage Basin Dynamics. Three hours.
An examination of the physical operation of drainage basins
(watersheds), focusing on surface water hydrology, erosion, and
sedimentation.
GY 588 Planning and Government. Three hours.
Examines the role
of planning as a governmental function, and the legal means
available to local governments to carry out this important function.
GY 589 Forest Ecology and Vegetation
Analysis. Three hours.
A study of the relationship of trees to the environment, and the
interrelationship of organisms that compose the forest community.
GY 590 Internship. Three hours.
Individual work experience with agency involved in geographical
research, analysis, and reporting.
GY 598 Nonthesis Research. One to
three
hours.
GY 599 Thesis Research. One to
twelve hours.
|