Required Texts:
Paul Knox and Sallie Marston, Places and Regions in Global Context: Human Geography (2nd edition)
Occasional handouts and maps (handouts)

Course Description:
After successfully completing Geography 1302 students should have a working knowledge of the major cultures found throughout the world.  They should be able to understand the concept of culture, how cultures differ throughout the world, and learn the distinguishing characteristics of culture such as religion, language, ethnicity, political systems, and economic activities.  Finally, students should be able to understand the relationship between culture and physical geography.

Prerequisites:
There are no prerequisites for this course.

Class Attendance:
Students are expected to attend all classes.  An accurate record of each student’s attendance will be kept.  It is the student’s responsibility to officially drop the class if he or she is no longer attending.  To officially drop a class the student must obtain a class withdrawal form from the admissions office, complete the form, secure the required signatures, and then return the completed form to the admissions office by the drop date.  Students are not assessed absences while representing Blinn College.  A student on scholastic or disciplinary probation should not have any unexcused absences.

Evaluation of Student Performance (how you determine your grade):

I. Major Exams:  Three major exams will be given.  The test dates (subject to change) are Thursday February 7, Thursday March 7, and Tuesday April 9.  Each exam will have three parts: an objective section (60%), a map section (20%), and an identification section (20%).  The objective section of each exam will consist of multiple choice, matching, true-false, and fill in the blank questions.  Questions from the map section will come from maps (handouts) distributed by me prior to the exam date (that means you will need to come to class to get the maps and handouts).   In the identification section of each exam, you will be given a list of terms of geographic significance.  From that list you will choose several of those terms, and in 4-5 sentences each, define that term and explain its geographical significance.  Questions from the objective and identification sections will be based upon class lectures and the assigned readings (handouts and text).  THE GOOD NEWS: Although three major exams will be given, only the two highest of these grades will count toward your final grade… the lowest of these three exam grades will be discarded.  In essence, each of your two highest exam grades will count for 1/3 of your final grade.

II. Final Exam: A final exam will be given during finals week, and this exam will constitute the other 1/3 of your final grade (meaning: the average of your two highest major exams and your one final exam will determine your final grade in this course).  The final exam will be comprehensive, though it will cover material primarily from the final unit of the semester.  Unlike the major exams, however, the final exam may not be dropped, even if it is your lowest grade.  It will count toward your final average.

III. Attendance: Good attendance may also have an effect on your final grade for the semester, by adding or subtracting points to your final average.  Here is the breakdown:
Number of Absences    Points added
0-2                                         +2
3                                             +1
4 or more                        no adjustment

IV. Make-ups:  Make-up exams will only be given to those students who have legitimate excuses.  These excuses include severe medical emergency, a death in the family, a court appearance (not jury duty – which you are exempt from as a student), or official university business.   A written explanation from an authoritative third party (doctor, court clerk, etc.) must be presented before a make-up exam will be given.  All make-up exams will consist of identification questions (see description above).

V. Extra-Credit: Students will have the opportunity to earn extra credit points by reading up to two of the articles on reserve at the library, and writing short (1 ½ to 2 pages) reviews of the articles.  In your review, you should answer the following questions: 1) What is the topic of the article? 2) What is the author (or main subject) of the article trying to say about the topic (his or her perspective or argument) 3) Taking into consideration what you already know (or have learned this semester) about the topic, what is your opinion of the author’s (or subject’s) viewpoint, and why?  When answering question #2 be sure to include relevant examples from the article to back up the author’s assertions.  Each review typed and turned in by Tuesday April 30 (the last regular class period of the semester) will be worth 2 points added to your final semester average.  Therefore, a student with an 86% average who turns in two reviews will earn a 90% (an “A”) for the semester rather than an 86% (a “B”).  Be sure to attach your photocopied article to the end of your review, and be sure you read the articles for GEO 1302.

Reading Assignments for Units/Exams:

Unite One: Humans and their environment
From Chapter One: Geography Matters
- “Studying Human Geography,” pages 24-25
- “Basic Tools,” page 25-26
-  “Fundamental Concepts of Spatial Analysis,” pages 35-49
From Chapter Three: Geographies of Population
- “The Demographer’s Toolbox,” pages 100-103
- “Population Distribution and Structure,” page 103
- “Population Distribution,” pages 103-105
- “Population Density and Composition,” pages 106-109, 112-115, 118-119
- “3.2 Geography Matters: The Baby Boom and its Impact,” pages 116-118
- “Population Movement and Migration,” pages 127-137
From Chapter Four: Nature, Society, and Technology
- “The Transformation of Earth by Ancient Humans,” pages 159-164
- “European Expansion and Globalization,” pages 164-169
- “Human Action and Recent Environmental Change,” pages 169-184
Exam Date: February 7

Unit Two: Language and Religion
From Chapter Five: Mapping Cultural Identities
- Introduction to chapter on page 189
- “Culture as a Geographical Process,” pages 190-191
- “Building Cultural Complexes,” pages 191-196
- “Cultural Systems,” pages 197-207
- “Cultural Nationalism,” pages 207-213
- “Culture and Identity,” pages 213-219
- “Culture and the Physical Environment,” pages 219-223
From Chapter Six: Interpreting Places and Landscapes
- “Landscape as a Human System,” pages 233-236
- “Place Making/Place Marketing,” pages 236-249
- “Coded Spaces,” pages 249-257
- “6.1 Visualizing Geography: Place Marketing and Economic Development,” pages 246-247
Exam Date: March 7

Unit Three: Agricultural and Economic Development
Chapter Seven: The Geography of Economic Development
Chapter Eight: Agriculture and Food Production
- Introduction to chapter on page 321
- “Traditional Agricultural Geography,” pages 322-331
- “Agricultural Revolution and Industrialization,” pages 331-337
- “8.1 Geography Matters: A Look at the Green Revolution,” pages 338-340
Exam Date: April 9

Unit Four: Political and Urban Geographies
Chapter Nine: The Politics of Territory and Space
- Introduction to chapter on page 356
- “The Development of Political Geography,” pages 357-363
- “9.1 Geography Matters: Imperialism, Colonization, and the Dismantling of Apartheid in South Africa,” pages 380-382
Chapter Ten: Urbanization
- “Urban Geography and Urbanization,” pages 401-403
- “World Urbanization Today,” pages 413, 416-26
- “10.1 Visualizing Geography: Shock Cities: Manchester and Chicago,” pages 414-415
Chapter Eleven: City Spaces – Urban Structure
- “Urban Trends and Problems,” pages 465, 470-85
- “11.1 Visualizing Geography: The 100-Mile City,” pages 466-467
- “11.2 Visualizing Geography: Shock City: Lagos,” pages 468-469
Exam Date: Finals Week