Mar 28, 2024  
Undergraduate/Graduate Catalog 2015-2016 
    
Undergraduate/Graduate Catalog 2015-2016 [ARCHIVED CATALOG] See drop-down menu above to access other catalogs.

Course Descriptions


Note: See Catalog Addenda  as that information supersedes the published version of this catalog.

The course descriptions include all courses that are taught for academic credit at the university. They are arranged in alpha-numerical sequence by course subject code. At present, the majority of the 500-600 level courses are offered in the evening hours. Students should be aware that not all courses are offered in the evening or every semester.

Students who are only able to enroll in classes 4 pm or after should consult the appropriate department chairperson for information about the availability of evening sections of courses required in a specific major, concentration and/or minor. Students are urged to consult “Available Course Sections” through the InfoBear link each semester to determine when specific courses are offered.

Click here  for information on how to read course descriptions.

 

 

English

  
  • ENGL 497 - Seminar: World Literatures and Cultures

    (3 credits)
    Prerequisite: ENGL 102 and ENGL 203 and 12 additional credits in the major
    The seminar gives advanced English majors the opportunity for an in-depth study of selected authors and topics in world literatures and cultures. Students are expected to demonstrate a proficiency in interpretation and literary analysis as well as a familiarity with critical theory and major scholarship relating to the seminar topic through close reading, class discussion, oral presentations, and at least one carefully documented scholarly paper. May be taken for graduate-level credit. (CWRM)

  
  • ENGL 498 - Internship in English

    (3-15 credits)
    Prerequisite: ENGL 102 and consent of the department; formal application required
    This internship provides non-classroom work-study experience in areas related to the expanding discipline of English, such as editing, journalism, media, public relations and technical writing. A maximum of three credits may be included in the 18 elective credits required in the major. This course may be repeated for a maximum of 15 credits.

  
  • ENGL 499 - Directed Study in English

    (1-3 credits)
    Prerequisite: ENGL 102 and consent of the department; formal application required
    Directed study is open to juniors and seniors who have demonstrated critical and analytical abilities in their studies and who wish to pursue a project independently. This course may be taken twice for a maximum of six credits.

  
  • ENGL 500 - Introduction to Graduate Study in English

    (3 credits)
    This course will examine the backgrounds and techniques of literary scholarship. Some acquaintance with critical approaches to literature, as well as comprehensive experience in the major genres and periods of English and American literature, will be assumed. Required of MA and MAT candidates in English.

  
  • ENGL 502 - Research or Creative Writing Project

    (3 or 6 credits)
    Prerequisite: Consent of the department; formal application required
    Original research or creative writing project undertaken by the graduate student in a specific field. For details, consult the paragraph titled “Directed or Independent Study” in the “College of Graduate Studies” section of this catalog. This course may be repeated for different topics for a maximum of six credits.

  
  • ENGL 503 - Directed Study

    (1-3 credits)
    Prerequisite: Consent of the department; formal application required
    Directed study is designed for the graduate student who desires to study selected topics in a specific field. For details consult the paragraph titled “Directed or Independent Study” in the “College of Graduate Studies” section of this catalog. This course may be repeated for a maximum of six credits.

  
  • ENGL 511 - Special Topics in Writing

    (3 credits)
    Addresses special topics of current relevance in research and instruction in writing. This course may be taken more than once, as different topics are offered.

  
  • ENGL 513 - Theories of Writing

    (3 credits)
    This course focuses on current theories of composition from theoretical, historical, and professional perspectives. Students will examine how such theories of writing present a kind of professional history of the field of composition and rhetoric and explore the ways they inform educational policy. Students will read, write, and present on these and various related topics.

  
  • ENGL 514 - Linguistics for TESOL

    (3 credits)
    This course introduces students to the formal study of language as a uniquely human system of communication. Students examine major approaches in such subfields of linguistics as phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, pragmatics and sociolinguistics. The focus of the course is on exploring how the systematic study of language informs best practices for teaching English as a second language.

  
  • ENGL 516 - Theories of Second Language Acquisition

    (3 credits)
    This course will introduce students to a variety of theoretical approaches in the field of second language acquisition, including Universal Grammar, Monitor Theory, Sociocultural Theory, Cognitive Theory and Critical Applied Linguistics. Special attention will be paid to the role of individual learner factors, gender, ethnicity, social class and education context in the process of second language acquisition. Students will examine both the processes and the effects of acquiring a second language in childhood and in adulthood in terms of identity construction, social justice, and individual and community linguistics rights.

  
  • ENGL 517 - Critical Approaches to TESOL Methods

    (3 credits)
    This course will introduce students to a variety of methodological approaches in the field of Teaching English to Students of Other Languages (TESOL). Students will explore each method within its historical context and examine it at the level of underlying second language theories, design and procedures. The course is built upon a critical awareness that there is not one best method to discover and apply, but that teachers need to develop their own philosophy and practices of teaching that are specific to their educational contexts and the needs of learners. The course will be useful to students new to the field of TESOL and experienced teachers interested in current postmodern pedagogies.

  
  • ENGL 518 - Issues in Second Language Writing

    (3 credits)
    Drawing from landmark and contemporary research on language writers in high school, college, outside of the curriculum, online and in the workplace, this course focuses on issues related to second language writing, examining such topics as second language writing development; written accent; contrastive rhetoric; biliteracy as a resource for writing; identity in second language writing; and inclusive and equitable writing pedagogy and assessment.

  
  • ENGL 519 - Language and Power

    (3 credits)
    This course will focus on the many sociolinguistic issues which relate to TESOL, such as the politics of bilingual education, world englishes, ownership of English, English as a colonizing force and the myth of monolingualism in U.S. classrooms.

  
  • ENGL 520 - Studies in Shakespeare and the Renaissance

    (3 credits)
    Students will analyze selected plays by Shakespeare with special emphasis in each play on the received tradition and on the relationship among the significant aspects of the language, the characters, and the structures. In addition, attention will be given to the use of source material and to the philosophical, social and scientific currents of the age. Finally, students will be examining traditional and contemporary critical views of the plays.

  
  • ENGL 521 - Special Topics in TESOL

    (3 credits)
    Examples of topics include “Introduction to Bilingualism,” “Cross-Cultural Rhetorics,” “Research Methods in Second Language Writing,” ”Sociolinguistics in the Second Language Classroom,” “Writing in a Second Language: Contemporary Bilingual Voices” and “Second Language Writers and Speakers in Contemporary Film and Literature.” This course may be repeated for different topics.

  
  • ENGL 527 - Studies in Seventeenth-Century English Literature


  
  • ENGL 542 - Studies in Victorian Literature


  
  • ENGL 552 - Contemporary American Fiction

    (3 credits)
    This course intensively examines two or more major American writers from 1945 to present. This course defines postmodern fiction, while emphasizing innovative narrative structures and textures in the work of Nabokov, Hawkes, Barth, Barthelme, Pynchon, Morrison and others.

  
  • ENGL 562 - Studies in Modern Drama

    (3 credits)
    Reading and discussion of significant works from among such key writers as Shaw, Jarry, Strindberg, Chekhov, Appollonaire, Pirandello, Cocteau, Lady Gregory, Yeats, Schitzler, Synge, O’Neil, O’Casey, Odets, Lorca, Sartre, Anouilh, Eliott, Brecht, Miller, Williams, Beckett, Ionesco, Pinter, Stoppard, Mamet, Carol Churchill and Guare, as well as such earlier writers as George Buchner (1813-1837) whose work remained unknown until the twentieth century. Also studied may be such contributors to theatre aesthetic as Gordan Craig, Kenneth MacGowan and Robert Edmund Jones, Sheldon Cheney, Julian Beck and Judith Malina, and Robert Wilson.  

     

  
  • ENGL 565 - Modern Critical Theory

    (3 credits)
    This course will focus on the major American and European schools of criticism that have influenced literary studies in the past forty years. Attention will be given to formalist, structuralist, phenomenological, post-structural, reader-response, Marxist, psycho-analytical, hermenuetic, feminist and new historical schools of criticism.

  
  • ENGL 570 - Graduate Seminar in American Literature

    (3 credits)
    A particular author, group of authors, or theme in American literature will be studied in depth. Topics will change from year to year.

  
  • ENGL 580 - Graduate Seminar in English Literature

    (3 credits)
    A particular author, group of authors, or theme in English literature will be studied in depth. Topics will change from year to year. This course may be repeated for different topics.

  
  • ENGL 590 - Graduate Seminar in World Literature

    (3 credits)
    A particular author, group of authors, or theme in world literature will be studied in depth. Topics will change from year to year. This course may be repeated twice for a maximum of nine credits for different topics.

  
  • ENGL 592 - Fiction Writing Workshop

    (3 credits)
    This course offers graduate students an intense study of the art and craft of creative fiction writing. Students submit fiction for peer critique and read works of published writers. This course may be repeated for credit.

  
  • ENGL 593 - Poetry Writing Workshop

    (3 credits)
    This course offers graduate students an intense study of the art and craft of poetry writing. Students submit creative poetry for peer critique and read works of published writers. This course may be repeated for credit.

  
  • ENGL 595 - Creative Nonfiction Writing Workshop

    (3 credits)
    This course offers graduate students an intense study of the art and craft of creative nonfiction writing. Students submit creative nonfiction for peer critique and read works of published writers. This course may be repeated for credit.

  
  • ENGL 599 - Internship

    (3-6 credits)
    Prerequisite: Consent of department chairperson
    The internship provides practical professional experience in areas related to the discipline of English, such as editing and journalism. Some internship credit may be applicable to the creative writing concentration requirements and repeatable for credit.


English as a Second Language

  
  • ENSL 101 - English as a Second Language I

    (3 credits)
    An introduction to syntactic, semantic, phonetic and paralinguistic structures is offered. Pertinent everyday cultural concepts are discussed. Relevant comparison and contrast with the native language is treated. Functional communication in the second language in a controlled academic environment is the principal objective of the course. (Formerly LAEN 101) Note: See the “Departmental Foreign Language Policy” in the “Foreign Languages” section of this catalog. (CGCL; CHUM)

  
  • ENSL 102 - English as a Second Language II

    (3 credits)
    Prerequisite: ENSL 101; or see the “Departmental Foreign Language Policy” in the “Foreign Languages” section of this catalog
    The further study of syntactic, semantic, phonetic and paralinguistic structures is offered. Pertinent everyday cultural concepts are discussed. Relevant comparison and contrast with the native language is treated. Functional communication in the second language in a controlled academic environment is the principal objective of the course. (Formerly LAEN 102) (CGCL; CHUM)

  
  • ENSL 151 - Intermediate English as a Second Language

    (3 credits)
    Prerequisite: ENSL 101; and ENSL 102 or ESL IV (high school); or consent of instructor
    The course is designed to accommodate the linguistic needs of ESL students who have successfully completed ENSL 102 or ESL IV in high school and would like to continue with their systematic learning of English. The course emphasizes English Language skills necessary for academic reading, writing, listening and speaking. Students are introduced to aspects of American culture, participate in systematic laboratory practice and utilize a variety of media resources. Offered fall semester. (Formerly LAEN 151) (CGCL; CHUM)

  
  • ENSL 199 - First Year Seminar

    (3 credits)
    Prerequisite: Open to all freshmen with a writing placement score of 3 or above or a SAT score of 500 or above. Students with 24 or more transfer credits will have this requirement waived.
    First Year Seminars (FYS) are writing-intensive, topic courses that introduce students to academic thought, discourse and practices. FYS courses prepare and orient students toward productive and fulfilling college careers by actively engaging them in a specific academic area of interest. Students will improve their writing, reading, research and basic information and technology skills while learning to work both collaboratively and independently. These courses will fulfill the First Year Seminar requirement and may fulfill other requirements for the core curriculum. Each course may fulfill different requirements and topics may change each semester. Only one FYS course may be taken for credit. (CFYS)

  
  • ENSL 298 - Second Year Seminar (Speaking Intensive)

    (3 credits)
    Prerequisite: _ _ _ _ 199; Open to all sophomores and juniors who have completed ENGL 101, and the speaking skills requirement. Students with 54 or more transfer credits will have this requirement waived. Cannot be taken if _ _ _ _ 298 or _ _ _ _ 299 are taken for credit.
    Second Year Seminars (SYS) are speaking-intensive, topic courses that build on the academic skills and habits introduced in the First Year Seminar. SYS courses engage students in a specific academic area of interest and provide them with the opportunity to reinforce, share and interpret knowledge. Students will improve their speaking, reading, research and basic information and technology skills while building the connections between scholarship and action that are required for lifelong learning. These courses will fulfill the Second Year Seminar requirement and may fulfill other requirements for the core curriculum. Each course may fulfill different requirements and topics may change each semester. Only one SYS course may be taken for credit. (CSYS)

  
  • ENSL 299 - Second Year Seminar (Writing Intensive)

    (3 credits)
    Prerequisite: _ _ _ _ 199; Open to all sophomores and juniors who have completed ENGL 101 and ENGL 102. Students with 54 or more transfer credits will have this requirement waived. Cannot be taken if _ _ _ _ 298 or _ _ _ _ 299 are taken for credit.
    Second Year Seminars (SYS) are writing-intensive, topic courses that build on the academic skills and habits introduced in the First Year Seminar. SYS courses engage students in a specific academic area of interest and provide them with the opportunity to reinforce, share and interpret knowledge. Students will improve their writing, reading, research and basic information and technology skills while building the connections between scholarship and action that are required for lifelong learning. These courses will fulfill the Second Year Seminar requirement and may fulfill other requirements for the core curriculum. Each course may fulfill different requirements and topics may change each semester. Only one SYS course may be taken for credit. (CSYS)


French

  
  • LAFR 101 - Elementary French I

    (3 credits)
    An introduction to elementary syntactic, semantic, phonetic and paralinguistic structures is offered. Pertinent everyday cultural concepts are discussed. Relevant comparison and contrast with the native language is treated. Functional communication in the second language in a controlled environment is the principal objective of the course. Note: See the “Departmental Foreign Language Policy” in the “Foreign Languages ”section of this catalog. (CGCL; CHUM)

  
  • LAFR 102 - Elementary French II

    (3 credits)
    Prerequisite: LAFR 101; or see the “Departmental Foreign Language Policy” in the “Foreign Languages” section of this catalog
    The further study of elementary syntactic, semantic, phonetic and paralinguistic structures is offered. Pertinent everyday cultural concepts discussed. Relevant comparison and contrast with the native language is treated. Functional communication in the second language in a controlled environment is the principal objective of the course. (CGCL; CHUM)

  
  • LAFR 199 - First Year Seminar

    (3 credits)
    Prerequisite: Open to all freshmen with a writing placement score of 3 or above or a SAT score of 500 or above. Students with 24 or more transfer credits will have this requirement waived.
    First Year Seminars (FYS) are writing-intensive, topic courses that introduce students to academic thought, discourse and practices. FYS courses prepare and orient students toward productive and fulfilling college careers by actively engaging them in a specific academic area of interest. Students will improve their writing, reading, research and basic information and technology skills while learning to work both collaboratively and independently. These courses will fulfill the First Year Seminar requirement and may fulfill other requirements for the core curriculum. Each course may fulfill different requirements and topics may change each semester. Only one FYS course may be taken for credit. (CFYS)

  
  • LAFR 298 - Second Year Seminar (Speaking Intensive)

    (3 credits)
    Prerequisite: _ _ _ _199; Open to all sophomores and juniors who have completed ENGL 101, and the speaking skills requirement. Students with 54 or more transfer credits will have this requirement waived. Cannot be taken if _ _ _ _ 298 or _ _ _ _ 299 are taken for credit.
    Second Year Seminars (SYS) are speaking-intensive, topic courses that build on the academic skills and habits introduced in the First Year Seminar. SYS courses engage students in a specific academic area of interest and provide them with the opportunity to reinforce, share and interpret knowledge. Students will improve their speaking, reading, research and basic information and technology skills while building the connections between scholarship and action that are required for lifelong learning. These courses will fulfill the Second Year Seminar requirement and may fulfill other requirements for the core curriculum. Each course may fulfill different requirements and topics may change each semester. Only one SYS course may be taken for credit. (CSYS)

  
  • LAFR 299 - Second Year Seminar (Writing Intensive)

    (3 credits)
    Prerequisite: _ _ _ _199; Open to all sophomores and juniors who have completed ENGL 101 and ENGL 102. Students with 54 or more transfer credits will have this requirement waived. Cannot be taken if _ _ _ _ 298 or _ _ _ _ 299 are taken for credit.
    Second Year Seminars (SYS) are writing-intensive, topic courses that build on the academic skills and habits introduced in the First Year Seminar. SYS courses engage students in a specific academic area of interest and provide them with the opportunity to reinforce, share and interpret knowledge. Students will improve their writing, reading, research and basic information and technology skills while building the connections between scholarship and action that are required for lifelong learning. These courses will fulfill the Second Year Seminar requirement and may fulfill other requirements for the core curriculum. Each course may fulfill different requirements and topics may change each semester. Only one SYS course may be taken for credit. (CSYS)


Geography

  
  • GEOG 121 - Physical Geography

    (4 credits)
    This course is an introduction to physical geography phenomena (landforms, climate, oceans, soils) in which human-land relationships are central. The focus is on understanding the processes at work in the environment and on their interrelationships. Three hours of lecture and one two-hour laboratory period weekly. Offered either semester. (CNSL)

  
  • GEOG 122 - Global Physical Systems

    (3 credits)
    This course uses a regional-based approach for studying interactions among the physical components of ecosystems. The course content will center around three distinct but interrelated units of physical geographic study (i.e., climate and climate change, biogeography, soils) and application on regional projects. Offered either semester. (CNSN)

  
  • GEOG 130 - Environmental Geography

    (3 credits)
    The spatial aspects of the interaction between humans and their physical environment are examined through the analysis of selected problems from resource capacity to pollution. The perceptions of environmental hazards of human settlements are examined to illuminate environmental decision-making. Offered either semester. (CNSN)

  
  • GEOG 135 - Freshman Honors Colloquium

    (1 credit)
    Prerequisite: Consent of instructor for students in Commonwealth Honors Program and/or Departmental Honors
    Freshman Honors Colloquia allow honors students to explore challenging topics in discussion-based small classes; specific topics vary by semester and instructor. This course may be repeated twice for a maximum of three credits.

  
  • GEOG 136 - Freshman Honors Colloquium

    (1 credit)
    Prerequisite: Consent of instructor for students in Commonwealth Honors Program and/or Departmental Honors
    Freshman Honors Colloquia allow honors students to explore challenging topics in discussion-based small classes; specific topics vary by semester and instructor. This course may be repeated twice for a maximum of three credits.

  
  • GEOG 151 - Human Geography

    (3 credits)
    An inquiry into the theoretical and empirical approaches to the study of human spatial analysis is presented. The major topics covered include population, race, language, religion, politics, urbanization and economics. (CGCL; CMCL; CSOC)

  
  • GEOG 171 - Geography of the Developing World

    (3 credits)
    This course in human geography introduces the geographical study of the current cultural and social systems in the non-Western world (in Africa, Asia and Latin America). Emphasis is placed on the diversity of cultural frameworks and their strategies for dealing with problems. Offered fall semester. (CGCL; CMCL; CSOC)

  
  • GEOG 172 - Regional Geography of the Global North

    (3 credits)
    The study of regional geography of the developed world (including Anglo-America, Europe and the Soviet Union, Australia and Japan) investigates how humans have used the resources available to them to obtain a high standard of living in different physical and cultural milieux. This high standard of living is reflected in land-use patterns that are similar in their broad outlines but different in detail. Offered spring semester.

  
  • GEOG 199 - First Year Seminar

    (3 credits)
    Prerequisite: Open to all freshmen with a writing placement score of 3 or above or a SAT score of 500 or above or who have completed ENGL 101. Students with 24 or more transfer credits will have this requirement waived.
    First Year Seminars (FYS) are writing-intensive, topic courses that introduce students to academic thought, discourse and practices. FYS courses prepare and orient students toward productive and fulfilling college careers by actively engaging them in a specific academic area of interest. Students will improve their writing, reading, research and basic information and technology skills while learning to work both collaboratively and independently. These courses will fulfill the First Year Seminar requirement and may fulfill other requirements for the core curriculum. Each course may fulfill different requirements and topics may change each semester. Only one FYS course may be taken for credit. (CFYS)

  
  • GEOG 211 - Cartography

    (4 credits)
    Maps are valuable tools for displaying, interpreting and analyzing patterns of human-environment interactions. This course introduces the basic concepts and procedures necessary to design, construct, interpret and update straightforward and effective maps. Students will learn the process and methods of map design, including: digitizing, creating maps with computer-aided drawing software, manipulating data with a spreadsheet, and using specialized mapping software to visualize and analyze geographically distributed data. This course provides a background for applied mapping courses in geographic information systems (GIS). Three hours of lecture and one two-hour laboratory weekly.

  
  • GEOG 213 - Introduction to Geographic Information Systems

    (4 credits)
    Maps are valuable tools for displaying, interpreting and analyzing patterns of human-environment interactions. This course introduces the basic concepts and procedures necessary to design, construct, interpret, update and present straightforward and effective maps using computer techniques. Students will practice skills of georeferencing and digitizing raster-based images at various scales to produce vector-based map layers for integration into geographic information systems (GIS). This course provides the necessary background for more advanced courses in GIS. Three hours of lecture and one, two-hour laboratory weekly.

  
  • GEOG 221 - Meteorology

    (4 credits)
    Prerequisite: Any 100-level natural science (BIOL, CHEM, GEOG, GEOL, PHYS) course or AVSC 107 or AVSC 110
    This course introduces the basic atmospheric processes and important properties of the Earth’s surface that create changeable patterns. Students will use state-of-the-art instrumentation to practice observing weather and learn the essentials of reading and forecasting with weather maps. Lectures and laboratoreis will focus on energy transfer, clouds, wind patterns, fronts, jet streams, precipitation, and various types of weather with impacts on society ranging from thunderstorms to hurricanes. Three hours of lecture and one two-hour laboratory period weekly. Offered fall semester. (CNSL; CQUR)

  
  • GEOG 222 - Climatology

    (3 credits)
    Prerequisite: GEOG 121 or GEOG 122 or consent of instructor
    This course introduces students to regional climate classifications and factors controlling past, current and future climate on Earth. How changes in land use and emissions of greenhouse gases affect weather and the consequences for water resources, health, economy and energy consumption are covered. This course will provide an understanding of the connections between air, water, ice, living things and the solid Earth which help determine changes in the climate system. Students will learn how the climate system works through discussions of current issues, observation with weather instruments, data and map interpretation and team-oriented debates. Offered spring semester. (CNSN)

  
  • GEOG 286 - Sophomore Honors Colloquium

    (1 credit)
    Prerequisite: Consent of instructor for students in Commonwealth Honors Program and/or Departmental Honors
    Sophomore Honors Colloquia allow honors students to explore challenging topics in discussion-based small classes; specific topics vary by semester and instructor. This course may be repeated twice for a maximum of three credits.

  
  • GEOG 287 - Sophomore Honors Colloquium

    (1 credit)
    Prerequisite: Consent of instructor for students in Commonwealth Honors Program and/or Departmental Honors
    Sophomore Honors Colloquia allow honors students to explore challenging topics in discussion-based small classes; specific topics vary by semester and instructor. This course may be repeated twice for a maximum of three credits.

  
  • GEOG 290 - Introduction to Geographic Analysis

    (3 credits)
    Prerequisite: For majors or minors in geography only; GEOG 121 or GEOG 151
    This course provides a survey of spatial techniques that geographers use to define, research and analyze geographic issues and phenomena. Students will learn to identify real-life geographic problems at a range of spatial scales, from the local to the global. Instructional methods will emphasize hands-on exposure through local field problems and field trips, access to library resources and journals, instrumentation, basic surveying, and professional presentation skills. Offered spring semester.

  
  • GEOG 295 - Study Tour: Geography of Coffee

    (3 credits)
    Prerequisite: Consent of the Office of Study Abroad
    This course is a study tour that examines the human, physical and environmental geography of coffee production and trade. The tour includes direct involvement with coffee-growing communities, including meals and overnight stays with farm families. Group meetings and student writing are used to integrate the lessons about geography that arise from readings and the travel experience.  May be repeated once for credit when offered in a different country. This course usually takes place in Nicaragua during the winter break.

  
  • GEOG 298 - Second Year Seminar (Speaking Intensive)

    (3 credits)
    Prerequisite: _ _ _ _ 199; Open to all sophomores and juniors who have completed ENGL 101, and the speaking skills requirement. Students with 54 or more transfer credits will have this requirement waived. Cannot be taken if _ _ _ _ 298 or _ _ _ _ 299 are taken for credit.
    Second Year Seminars (SYS) are speaking-intensive, topic courses that build on the academic skills and habits introduced in the First Year Seminar. SYS courses engage students in a specific academic area of interest and provide them with the opportunity to reinforce, share and interpret knowledge. Students will improve their speaking, reading, research and basic information and technology skills while building the connections between scholarship and action that are required for lifelong learning. These courses will fulfill the Second Year Seminar requirement and may fulfill other requirements for the core curriculum. Each course may fulfill different requirements and topics may change each semester. Only one SYS course may be taken for credit. (CSYS)

  
  • GEOG 299 - Second Year Seminar (Writing Intensive)

    (3 credits)
    Prerequisite: _ _ _ _ 199; Open to all sophomores and juniors who have completed ENGL 101 and ENGL 102. Students with 54 or more transfer credits will have this requirement waived. Cannot be taken if _ _ _ _ 298 or _ _ _ _ 299 are taken for credit.
    Second Year Seminars (SYS) are writing-intensive, topic courses that build on the academic skills and habits introduced in the First Year Seminar. SYS courses engage students in a specific academic area of interest and provide them with the opportunity to reinforce, share and interpret knowledge. Students will improve their writing, reading, research and basic information and technology skills while building the connections between scholarship and action that are required for lifelong learning. These courses will fulfill the Second Year Seminar requirement and may fulfill other requirements for the core curriculum. Each course may fulfill different requirements and topics may change each semester. Only one SYS course may be taken for credit. (CSYS)

  
  • GEOG 314 - Satellite Image Processing Applications to the Environment

    (3 credits)
    Prerequisite: Any GEOG course; familiarity with computers recommended
    The acquisition of information for intensive environmental monitoring is increasingly done through remote sensing, which permits a rapid, efficient manner for analysis and decision making by environmental researchers and resource managers. This course will explore techniques to analyze remotely sensed data using a variety of image-analysis systems. Principles of acquisition and interpretation of data collected by imaging sensor such as radar, thermal and multispectral scanners are discussed. Digital-image-processing techniques such as rectification and restoration (processing), image enhancement, image classification and data merging are covered. The course is taught as a combination of lectures and computer laboratory time with hands-on use of one of the remote-sensing softwares. Offered alternate years, fall semester.

  
  • GEOG 315 - Quantitative Geography

    (3 credits)
    Prerequisite: MATH 110/110E
    Geographers use statistical techniques to measure, describe, classify, analyze, and display information (data) in search of spatial patterns and trends. Geographers make comparisons and examine relationships to answer questions, solve problems and make wise decisions that support a particular objective. This course introduces and applies statistical techniques and computer and model building methodology to analyze various spatial phenomena. (CQUR)

  
  • GEOG 321 - Applied Meteorology

    (3 credits)
    Prerequisite: GEOG 221
    Students will build and use autonomous weather instruments to study impacts of daily weather patterns on conditions near the ground. Combining their observations with data from professional weather networks, satellite images, and numerical modeling output, students will explore and report on geographical applications including: transportation, renewable energy, recreation, agriculture and natural resources. The course includes field trips to professional meteorological agencies and observatories. Offered alternate spring semesters.

  
  • GEOG 322 - Biogeography

    (4 credits)
    Prerequisite: GEOG 121 or BIOL 121
    This field- and lab-based course presents the scope of biogeography as currently practiced in North America. In addition to the academic underpinnings of evolution, disturbance, ecology, and conservation, we explore the key topics of biomes, biodiversity, and animal and plant migration. Organisms vary greatly over space and over time, and thus are a prime topic of study for the geographer. Offered alternate fall semesters.

  
  • GEOG 323 - Water Resources

    (4 credits)
    Field and laboratory investigations provide hands-on experiences with key aspects of water in the human environment. Three hours of lecture and one two-hour laboratory period weekly. Offered alternate spring semesters.

  
  • GEOG 324 - Earth Surface Processes

    (4 credits)
    Process is the action produced when a force induces a change. The experiences in this course will introduce the student to the physical processes that create landforms on the earth’s surface: mountains, river valleys, caves, dunes, coastlines, glaciers. Field work and laboratory techniques used in modern physical geography will help us analyze problems associated with current challenges in the earth’s changing surface. Offered alternate fall semesters.

  
  • GEOG 331 - Geography of Environmental Problems

    (3 credits)
    Prerequisite: GEOG 121 or GEOG 122 or GEOL 100
    Environmental problems are considered in this course from the geographer’s point of view –  problems such as population density and distribution; balanced land use and its philosophic, aesthetic, and scientific basis; the circulation of goods and people; and a comparison of levels of development. Offered spring semester.

  
  • GEOG 332 - Land Protection

    (3 credits)
    Prerequisite: Junior standing
    Students in this course learn principles and practices that relate to the protection of land resources in the United States, with particular emphasis on New England. The course integrates the physical geography of forest ecology and the human geography of economic, financial and legal factors that affect open space. Offered fall semester.

  
  • GEOG 333 - Geography of Environmental Justice

    (3 credits)
    Prerequisite: Any GEOG course or consent of instructor
    This course describes problems of environmental justice as they affect disadvantaged populations. The course reviews the history of this social movement in the U.S. It then examines studies that link the environmental and civil rights movements in recent years and that describe the major problems of identifying environmental injustice both in categorical terms and as a spatial issue. Special attention is given to spatial measurement issues. Offered alternate years, fall semester.

  
  • GEOG 340 - Geography Materials and Methods

    (3 credits)
    Prerequisite: Any GEOG course
    This course is focused on the maps, globes, and other geographic learning material that are used in developing and extending geographic knowledge and insight. Current techniques and alternative frameworks in the field of geographic education are emphasized. The course details an examination of the strategies, texts, materials and media that can be used to enhance the teaching and learning of geography within our schools. It closely integrates geographic content and teaching methods so that a truly geographic view of the world can be developed in the classroom. Offered alternate fall semesters.

  
  • GEOG 350 - Economic Geography

    (3 credits)
    Prerequisite: Any GEOG or ECON course or consent of instructor
    The geographical analysis of the distribution of economic activities such as production, exchange and consumption is presented in this course. Here we examine the principles underlying spatial variations in land use and economic development at the local, national and international levels. Offered fall semester.

  
  • GEOG 353 - Urban Geography

    (3 credits)
    Prerequisite: Any GEOG course or consent of instructor
    The geographic aspects of the city including location, function, land-use patterns and interaction. Fieldwork focuses on current problems facing urban life. Offered fall semester.

  
  • GEOG 355 - Political Geography

    (3 credits)
    Prerequisite: Any GEOG or POLI course
    The course examines the variation of politically organized areas and their relationships to each other. The focus is on the interaction of geographical factors (distance, location and distribution) and political process. Emphasis is on both state and non-state agents in the political arrangement of space. Offered fall semester.

  
  • GEOG 365 - Geography of Transportation

    (3 credits)
    Prerequisite: Any GEOG course or consent of instructor
    This course will provide a spatial understanding of the role of transportation and interaction. It will provide an analysis of the importance of location relative to economic activities, development of distribution systems, flow analysis, effectiveness of distribution systems and the impact of transport systems on economic development.

  
  • GEOG 374 - Geography of the Middle East

    (3 credits)
    This course provides a survey of the regional geography of the Middle East including the physical setting, environmental issues, economic development and the evolution of the Middle Eastern landscape and cultures. Special emphasis will be placed on current geopolitical issues in the region. Offered alternate fall semesters. (CGCL; CMCL; CSOC)

  
  • GEOG 375 - Geography of South Asia

    (3 credits)
    This course provides a survey of the physical and human geography of South Asia, particularly India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Maldives, and Sri Lanka. This course emphasizes the region’s major environmental, economic and cultural geography patterns, processes and issues. Problems related to religious, ethnic and linguistic diversity are examined in the context of modernization and economic development. Interrelationships between South Asian nations will also be explored. (CGCL; CMCL; CSOC)

  
  • GEOG 376 - Geography of East Asia

    (3 credits)
    This course offers a study of the physical and human geography of East Asia, in context of the interrelationships between East Asian countries, their neighbors, and the world. This course will investigate major political, economic, social and environmental geography patterns, processes, and issues of China, Taiwan, Japan, Korea, Vietnam and Malaysia.

  
  • GEOG 381 - Geography of Latin America

    (3 credits)
    Prerequisite: GEOG 121 or GEOG 122 or GEOG 151
    Physical and cultural patterns of selected countries of South America. Emphasis on current economic and political problems. (CGCL; CMCL; CSOC; CWRT)

  
  • GEOG 383 - Geography of the United States

    (3 credits)
    Prerequisite: GEOG 151
    The land and people of the United States intertwine to form a vast, complex, ever-changing fabric. As one of the great economic powers in the world, the U.S. must meet the challenges of governing a huge country of pronounced regionalisms, while living next door to the economic and political questions marks of Mexico and Canada. Students will explore such diverse topics as ancient mountain systems, environmental and resource issues, urban and rural immigrant populations and their historic and current distributions, regional cuisines and America’s appeal to the traveler. Offered alternate spring semesters.

  
  • GEOG 386 - Geography of Canada

    (3 credits)
    Prerequisite: GEOG 121 or GEOG 122 or consent of instructor
    The geography of environment, resources and population is examined in relation to history, economic and regional land patterns of Canada. Offered alternate years, spring semester. (CSOC; CWRT)

  
  • GEOG 388 - Geography of Africa

    (3 credits)
    Prerequisite: Any 100 level GEOG course
    The physical and cultural features of the African continent with special reference to the emerged political and regional patterns. Offered spring semester. (CGCL; CSOC)

  
  • GEOG 395 - Field Study Tour in Geography

    (1-3 credits)
    Through travel, one is able to apply critical thinking skills and link demography, social, cultural, economic and/or political systems. Students will personally experience the changing business and socio-cultural environment in different geographic regions of that country and gain insights into the distinctive nature of the existing opportunities and challenges in diverse realms and regions. This course may be repeated for six credits. (CGCL; CMCL; CSOC)

  
  • GEOG 400 - Special Topics in Geography

    (3 credits)
    Prerequisite: Junior standing or consent of instructor
    This course entails vigorous analysis of various topics of special interest. May be taken for credit more than once with change of topic. Offered on an occasional basis.

  
  • GEOG 413 - Applications in Geographic Information Systems

    (4 credits)
    Prerequisite: GEOG 213 or consent of instructor
    This course offers a solid background in the fundamentals of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to explore the analytical capabilities of GIS and apply them to real-world situations. Application of GIS techniques to problems in a variety of fields, including land-use planning, natural resource management, transportation, and urban and regional planning will be examined. Students develop their own projects and work at a more advanced level solving spatial problems with GIS. Students will have the practical experience of using GIS programming skills to solve real-world problems in a customized fashion. Three hours of lecture and one, two-hour laboratory weekly. Offered spring semester.

  
  • GEOG 422 - Online Weather Studies

    (3 credits)
    In this meteorology course, which is designed and serviced by the American Meteorological Society (AMS), students will access and work with current weather maps delivered via the Internet, and will coordinate these maps with learning activities keyed to the day’s weather. This study of the atmosphere includes weather systems from local to global scales, severe weather and current weather applications. The course meets three times per semester for evaluation. All other activities are executed solely on the Internet, with the faculty mentor guiding the student in understanding the basic principles of meteorology and analyzing real-time weather data. Offered spring semester. May be taken for graduate-level credit.

  
  • GEOG 431 - Environmental Regulations

    (3 credits)
    Prerequisite: GEOG 130 or GEOG 331 or consent of instructor
    This course examines environmental regulation as a significant aspect of environmental geography, which is the study of spatial aspects of the interaction between humans and the natural world. In the United States, much of that interaction is mediated through environmental regulations, which in turn arise from a series of landmark environmental laws, including the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, the Resources Conservation and Recovery Act and Superfund. Students will learn about the origins of these acts, how they give rise to regulations, and how enforcement of regulations is articulated at the federal, state and local levels. Innovations such as toxic reduction will be discussed in a regulatory context, as will the implications of regulatory programs for non-government organizations, consultants and private industry. Offered alternate spring semesters.

  
  • GEOG 441 - Geographic Frameworks

    (3 credits)
    Prerequisite: GEOG 290 or consent of instructor
    This course enables undergraduate students majoring in primary or secondary education to develop a detailed understanding of the discipline of geography. State, national and international framework documents are examined, with particular attention to current Massachusetts frameworks. The course is organized around such fundamental geographic concepts as place, scale, regions and human-environment interaction. It demonstrates how geographers use these concepts to develop a greater understanding of the world. Offered alternate spring semesters.

  
  • GEOG 462 - Principles of Urban Planning

    (3 credits)
    Prerequisite: GEOG 213 and GEOG 290; or consent of instructor
    An introduction to the process of planning which deals with the interrelationships of resources, facilities, activities, and people over time and space. Offered alternate years, spring semester. May be taken for graduate-level credit.

  
  • GEOG 463 - Applications in Urban Planning

    (3 credits)
    Prerequisite: GEOG 462
    This course is intended for students with a strong interest in urban and regional planning. The course examines past cases and future proposals for a variety of land use and zoning decisions. The focus is on applying good growth management practices that allow communities to sustain their economic health, foster diversity, and promote sense of place. Students will analyze current trends in population, employment and housing in order to construct an example master plan that relates these factors to land use and development choices that promote smart growth. Offered alternate years, spring semester.

  
  • GEOG 465 - Geotechnology Applications

    (3 credits)
    Prerequisite: GEOG 121 or consent of instructor
    This course offers students an overview of several aspects of geospatial technologies and provides a solid foundation on individual topics that combine Global Positioning Systems (GPS), Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Remote Sensing Applications. This course also explores recent developments in real world geotechnology tools, applications and its future. Offered either semester.

  
  • GEOG 472 - Topographic Surveying and CAD

    (3 credits)
    Prerequisite: GEOG 121 or consent of instructor
    This course will cover fundamental and advanced aspects of GPS and LiDAR as applied to land surveying and field data collection and processed in the CAD environment. This course teaches the basics of GPS and LiDAR technology, common hardware, surveying methods, survey design, planning and observing, as well as real-time kinematics and DGPS. Offered either semester.

  
  • GEOG 485 - Honors Thesis

    (3 credits)
    Prerequisite: Consent of instructor for students in Commonwealth Honors Program and/or Departmental Honors
    The Honors Thesis is the culmination of a student’s work in the Honors Program, and consists of one or two semesters’ pursuit of an advanced student-generated project. The student meets regularly with his or her thesis advisor, and the thesis is read for approval by the department Honors Committee or its designees. This course may be repeated for a maximum of six credits.

  
  • GEOG 490 - Seminar in Geography

    (3 credits)
    Prerequisite: Open to geography majors in their final year
    The historical development of methods and techniques used in geographic research. Preparation of a research paper on a problem selected from one of the subdivisions of geography. This course serves as a capstone for geography majors. May be taken for graduate-level credit. (CWRM)

  
  • GEOG 495 - Field Experience in Geography

    (1-3 credits)
    Prerequisite: GEOG 290 with a minimum grade of “C-“; or consent of instructor
    Students will have the opportunity to gain first-hand field experience in particular specialties of geography. The experience is designed for a broad range of field and laboratory-oriented courses of special interest to geography majors and minors. Emphasis on depth or breadth of a selected topic will depend on the objectives of the instructor offering the course. Students will be required to review the background and methods of selected topics and then to design projects to study problems or issues within the scope of the class. Students will be exposed to a range of field techniques including sampling and the use of various types of measurement equipment. Students will work independently and as part of teams. Typically, classes will meet every week for one hour with one credit for a single weekend field expedition and three credits for experiences requiring weekly fieldwork or laboratory experiments throughout the semester. This course is repeatable for up to six credits for different field experiences.

  
  • GEOG 497 - Undergraduate Research in Geography

    (3 credits)
    Prerequisite: Junior or senior standing and acceptance by the supervising faculty member
    Students who are accepted by a faculty member as a participant in an undergraduate field or laboratory research project enroll in this course. Projects entail research in the faculty member’s subdiscipline and are publicized as they become available. Students are extensively involved in experimental planning, execution, analysis and reporting, and present their results to the department.

  
  • GEOG 498 - Internship in Geography or Planning

    (3-6 credits)
    Prerequisite: Consent of the department; formal application required
    Student internships in local planning department or agency. The purpose of this internship is to provide a student with experience in various aspects of his/her planning interest. This course may be taken twice for a maximum of six credits. Offered either semester.

  
  • GEOG 499 - Directed Study in Geography

    (1-3 credits)
    Prerequisite: Consent of the department; formal application required
    Directed study is open to juniors and seniors who have demonstrated critical and analytical abilities in their studies and who wish to pursue a project independently. This course may be taken twice for a maximum of six credits. Offered either semester.

  
  • GEOG 502 - Research


  
  • GEOG 503 - Directed Study


  
  • GEOG 520 - Special Topics in Geography

    (1-3 credits)
    Prerequisite: May be specified depending on the nature of the topic
    Special topics of current relevance to geography will be offered from time to time. The topic to be offered will be announced prior to registration. This course may be taken more than once for different topics.

  
  • GEOG 550 - Contemporary Issues in Geography



Geological Sciences

  
  • GEOL 100 - Physical Geology

    (4 credits)
    This course is an introduction to the processes that formed and continue to shape the earth. Lecture topics include continental drift, rock and mineral forming processes, and the effects of agents of erosion such as glaciers, streams and waves. The laboratories develop skill in rock identification and map interpretation. Three hours of lecture and one two-hour laboratory period weekly. Offered either semester. (CNSL)

  
  • GEOL 101 - Historical Geology

    (4 credits)
    Prerequisite: GEOL 100
    This course is an introduction to the origin and evolution of the earth. Topics include the development and transformation of continents, ocean basins, the atmosphere and life over geologic time. An emphasis is placed on modeling earth’s evolution from observations of the rock record. The laboratory fosters development of field and quantitative skills. Three hours of lecture and one two-hour laboratory weekly. Offered spring semester. (Formerly EASC 101)

 

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