Approved by Faculty Senate.

University Studies Course Approval

Program: Geography

Course Number: 110

Semester Hours: 3

Frequency of offering: every semester

Course Title: World Regional Geography

Catalog Description: A survey of the physical and cultural aspects of world regions including landforms; climate; levels of economic development; cultural diffusion; attitudes toward the land; the social structure and values.

This is an existing course previously approved by A2C2: Yes

This is a new course proposal: No

Proposal Category: Arts & Science Core: Social Science

Departmental Contact: Jerry Gerlach, ext 5432

Email: Jgerlach@winona.edu

 

Approval/Disapproval Recommendation form attached

 

Social Science Outcomes

 

 

  1. Understanding humans as individuals and as parts of larger social systems.

    2. World Regional Geography is designed to understand people as individuals, groups, and as parts of larger social systems. The course is to make clear the relationships between people, places, and environments.

  2. Understand the historical context of social science.

    3. The course allows students to understand the historical development of the geographic analysis of places. The varying spatial relationship between places is thus stressed. The development of various geographic techniques of analysis is assessed.

  3. Identify problems on frame research questions relating to humans and their experience.

    4. Problems of human use of the various regions of the globe are assessed by noting the differing uses of similar and dissimilar environments as spatial viewpoints are stressed.

  4. Become familiar with the process of theory-building and theoretical framework used by the social sciences.

    5. The study of the spatial viewpoint is emphasized as it relates to developing theories of analysis. This is particularly important in examining the characteristics and distribution of environments and peoples.

  5. Understand research methods used in the social sciences.

    6. In the course, the research methods stress the development of the world in spatial terms. This notes places and regions, physical systems, human systems, environment and society, and the uses of geography.

  6. Describe and detail discipline-specific knowledge and its application.

    7. The detail discipline-specific knowledge includes the use of maps as tools of analysis. This includes the use of mental maps to organize information about people, places, and environments in a spatial context. Also this includes how to analyze the spatial organization of people, places, and environments on the earth’s surface.

  7. Understand differences of commonalities across humans and their experiences.

Differences and commonalities of human population in the regions of the earth are studied. These include the study of demographic characteristics, cultural traits, economic traits, political traits, and how these are like and unlike in various environments.

 

Syllabus

Geography 110 – World Regional Geography

University Studies Course

(Arts & Science Core: Social Science)

 

 

Instructor: Jerry Gerlach E-mail: jgerlach@winona.edu

 

Office: Minné 327 Office Phone: 457-5432 (voice mail)

Office Hours: M,W,F, 10-11 am; 1-2 pm; M 5-5:30 pm; and by appointment

 

 

Course Description

A survey of the physical and cultural aspects of world regions including landforms; climate; levels of economic development; cultural diffusion; attitudes toward the land; the social structure and values.

 

 

Course Goals

University Studies: Social Science Outcome (US:SSO in Syllabus outline) are used to explain course content, areas covered, and assessment of the student.

 

 

Course Objectives

To describe and analyze the spatial distribution of the world’s people and their cultures. To provide the student with the necessary background to analyze and compare these cultural components noting similarities and differences they share and how they are related. Activities in class may include lecture, discussion, student presentation, and in- and out-of-class papers.

 

University Social Science Outcomes

(US:SSO in Syllabus Outline)

 

 

  1. To understand humans as individuals and as parts of larger social systems.
    1. Goal

The student will understand the relationships between people, places, and environments. The geographic concepts of location, site, situation, and scale are stressed.

  1. To understand the historical context of the social science.
    1. Goal

The varying spatial relationships between places are studied. The changes over time and place are observed.

  1. To identify problems of frame research questions relating to humans and their experience.
    1. Goal

Students will note how human uses of the globe have varied over time and space. Stressing of different uses of similar environments is brought forward. Theories of population growth cycles are noted in time and place (region).

  1. To become familiar with the process of theory-building frameworks used by the social sciences.
    1. Goal

The study of the spatial viewpoint of analysis is used to examine three theories of development; Environmental Determinism, Cultural Determinism, and Possibilism.

  1. To understand research methods used in the social sciences.
    1. Goal

To study research methods as they have applied to geographic problems. Included in this will be research as it applies to population growth, economic growth, development methods, and varying environmental approaches.

  1. To describe and detail discipline-specific knowledge and its applications.
    1. Goal

To acquaint students with the use of maps and tools of analysis. Students are encouraged to think spatially and use mental maps to organize information about people, places, and environments and to compare these.

 

  1. To understand differences and commonalities across humans and their experience.
    1. Goal

To study he demographic, economic, cultural, political, and physical traits of the various areas of the world and to note how they are alike and unalike in similar and and unsimilar environments.

 

 

Required Text

Essentials of World Geography by Salter, Hobbs, 3rd Ed.

 

 

Attendance Policy

Attendance is mandatory at all classes. A student is allowed two unexcused absences. For every unexcused absence, two points will be subtracted from the student’s final numerical grade. Valid excuses are those accepted by the Dean of the College. All make-up tests, if excused, will be given on the last day of the semester.

 

 

Grading Policy

The final grade will be determined by the grades the student has earned on the exams. The exams include material covered in the lecture and the text. Four 100-point exams will be given.

90 plus = A

80 plus = B

70 plus = C

60 plus = D

 

 

Course Outline – The University Studies Social Sciences are integrated into each unit studied.

  1. Introduction
    1. World patterns – Ch 1 & 2

US:SSO 1 through 7

  1. Europe – Ch 2, 3, 4

    2. YS:SSO 1 through 7

  2. Former Soviet Union – Ch 6, 7

    3. US:SSO 1 through 7

  3. Anglo America – Ch 22, 23, 24

    4. US:SSO 1 through 7

  4. Japan – Ch 14

    5. US:SSO 1 through 7

  5. Latin America – Ch 19, 20, 21

    6. US:SSO 1 through 7

  6. Africa South of the Sahara – Ch 17, 18

    7. US:SSO 1 through 7

  7. Middle East – Ch 8, 9

    8. US:SSO 1 through 7

  8. Monsoon Asia – Ch 10, 11, 12, 13

US:SSO 1 through 7