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DEPARTMENT OF GEOGRAPHY (GY)
Chairperson: Professor Luoheng Han,
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 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 "Academic Policies" 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).
M.S. in geography,
thesis option. This option requires a total of 30 credit hours including 3 of
program requirements and 6 for thesis research. A minimum of 12 credit hours must
be taken from coursework in human geography, physical geography, and/or planning.
The remaining 9 credit hours may consist of courses from any area of departmental
offerings including geographic techniques, planning, human geography, and physical
geography, or be selected from those courses offered in other disciplines with departmental
approval.
M.S. in applied
geography, nonthesis option. This option requires a total of 39 credit hours
including 3 of program requirements and 3 for nonthesis projects. Students selecting
this option must take a minimum of 8 hours of geographic techniques, but may count
up to 15 credit hours of such coursework toward their programs. A minimum of 18
credit hours must be taken in physical geography, human geography, and/or planning.
With departmental approval, this option allows students to include up to 6 hours
of coursework in other disciplines or 6 hours of experiential courses in their programs.
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 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 508 Advanced Climatology. Three hours.
An examination of the interaction of climate and basic climatic elements
with their environmental processes and particularly human activities.
GY 510 Water Resources. Three hours.
Examination of the resource characteristics of water, including its natural
occurrence, uses, history of development, allocation law, management and
planning, and quality.
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 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 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 539 Natural Resource and Environmental Planning. Three hours.
An examination of human activities that directly affect the physical
environment, and of environmental constraints imposed on human activities.
Major topics include natural resource administration and policy, problems in
environmental planning, and environmental impact assessment.
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 547 Environmental Modeling and Mapping. Four hours.
Focuses on the principles and applications of environmental modeling using
geographic information technologies.
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 571 Special Studies in Planning. 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 573 Settlement History of the South. Three hours.
Explores topics and themes in the historical settlement of the U.S. South,
with particular emphasis on the 18th and 19th centuries.
GY 574 Cartography Practicum. Three hours.
Individual work experience in cartography supervised by the faculty and
staff of the University.
GY 575 Cartography Internship. Three hours.
Individual work experience in cartography, supervised by the staff of an
off-campus agency.
GY 576 GIS Practicum. Three hours.
Individual work experience in GIS supervised by the faculty and staff of the
University.
GY 577 GIS Internship. Three hours.
Individual work experience in GIS supervised by the staff of an off-campus
agency.
GY 578 Planning Practicum. Three hours.
Individual work experience in planning supervised by the faculty and staff
of the University.
GY 579 Planning Internship. Three 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 587 Biogeography. Three hours.
Examination of ecological and historical factors influencing the geographic
distribution of plants and animals.
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. Three hours.
GY 599 Thesis Research. One to twelve hours.
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