GEO 100 - Introduction to Geography

3 credit hours - Three hours weekly; one term.
This course meets the Social and Behavioral Sciences General Education Requirement.

Focus on the geographer’s view of the interaction of people with their physical and human environments.

Prerequisite(s): Eligibility for ENG 111 or ENG 115 or ENG 121 .

Course Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

Describe basic concepts of geography
- Distinguish between absolute location and relative location.
- Differentiate between formal, functional and vernacular regions.
- Describe the main elements of a spatial distribution.
- Describe the process of spatial diffusion.
Describe the main visual tools of geography
- Describe the earth grid of latitude and longitude.
- Distinguish between maps and globes.
- Differentiate between large-scale and small-scale maps.
- Identify the main types of map projections.
- Describe the types of map symbols.
- Discuss GIS as a technological tool.
Describe weather and climate as main elements of physical geography
- Discuss temperature as a main weather element.
- Describe moisture as a main weather element.
- Describe pressure and circulation as a main weather element.
- Describe air masses and storms as a main weather element.
- Discuss climate change.
- Identify major global climate patterns.
Discuss landform forces as a main element of physical geography
- Distinguish between endogenic and exogenic landform processes.
- Discuss the theory of plate tectonics.
- Describe the process of volcanism.
- Describe the process of diastrophism.
- Describe weathering and erosion as gradational forces.
Discuss the biosphere as part of the earth system
- Describe the components of the hydrological cycle.
- Identify the components of the water budget.
- Discuss main features of ecosystem.
- Describe important properties of soils.
- Describe global patterns of vegetation.
Evaluate population as a main element of human geography
- Identify global population distribution and density patterns.
- Describe the components of natural population change.
- Describe the process of migration.
- Evaluate important populations issues.
Discuss culture as a main element of human geography
- Describe cultural concepts and change.
- Distinguish between folk and popular culture.
- Describe features of ethnic groups and their patterns.
- Identify important language concepts.
- Describe global patterns of language.
- Describe global patterns of religion.
Discuss resources and energy
- Identify the main factors that affect resources.
- Distinguish between renewable and non-renewable resources.
- Evaluate energy quality and energy efficiency.
- Evaluate the pros and cons of fossil fuels.
- Evaluate the pros and cons of synthetic fuels.
- Evaluate the pros and cons of nuclear fuels.
- Evaluate the pros and cons of renewable fuels.
Discuss important aspects of global pollution
- Describe important examples of air pollution.
- Describe important examples of water pollution.
- Evaluate the process of deforestation.
- Describe the process of desertification.
Discuss urban geography as a main element of human geography
- Identify important urban concepts.
- Describe the urban economy.
- Discuss urban settlement hierarchies.
- Describe urban internal structure and growth.
- Evaluate important urban issues.
Discuss political territories as a main element of human geography
- Identify important forms of political territoriality.
- Discuss the concept of geopolitics.
- Distinguish between centripetal and centrifugal forces.
- Identify important state shapes and boundaries.
- Discuss the process of gerrymandering.
- Identify important supranational organizations.
- Evaluate essentials of global terrorism.
Discuss economic geography as a main important element of human geography
- Describe the process of economic development.
- Identify economic, social and demographic indicators of development.
- Distinguish between types of economic systems.
- Identify the stages of economic growth.
- Evaluate industrial location factors.
- Evaluate the links between population and economic development.

Core Competencies
Core 1 Communication Core 2 Technology Fluency Core 3 Information Literacy Core 5 Self Management Core 6 Scientific Reasoning Core 7 Quantitative Reasoning Core 8 Social and Civic Responsibility Core 9 Global Perspective Core 10 Innovative and Critical Thinking