Geography (GEOG) 201

Introductory Human Geography (Revision 4)

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Revision 4 is closed for registrations, replaced by current version

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Delivery Mode: Individualized study online

Credits: 3

Area of Study: Social Science

Prerequisite: None

Faculty: Faculty of Humanities & Social Sciences

Human Geography Studies home page

GEOG 201 has a Challenge for Credit option.

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Overview

Geography 201: Introductory Human Geography is a foundation course for students enrolled in geography, global studies, and environmental studies programs, and is also suitable for those who wish simply to further their understanding of the fundamentals of human geography.

Human geographers investigate the location of people and activities throughout the world and seek to understand the reasons for their distribution. They ask questions about where things are, why they are there, and what the geographic significance of their distribution is. In this course you will examine a number of subject areas, including globalization, culture and identity, political geography, urban geography, agricultural geography, industrial geography, development, inequality, and human impacts on the natural environment.

The course is designed for students with little or no previous university experience.

Outline

Part I: The Geographer’s Toolkit

  • Introduction
  • The History of Geography
  • Philosophy, Conceptualization, and Methods
  • Geographies of Globalization

Part II: Cultural Geography

  • Unit 5: Language and Religion
  • Unit 6: Culture, Identity, and Difference

Part III: Social Geography

  • Unit 7: Political Geography
  • Unit 8: Urban Geography

Part IV: Economic Geography

  • Unit 9: Agricultural Geography
  • Unit 10: Industrial Geography

Part V: Developmental Geography

  • Unit 11: A Changing Environment
  • Unit 12: A Growing and Unequal World
  • Unit 13: Where Does Geography Go from Here?

Evaluation

Evaluation of students in GEOG 201 is based on two essay/presentation assignments, two essay assignments, participation in three discussion forums, and a final exam. You must achieve a grade of at least “50” per cent on the final examination and a course composite grade of at least “D”(50 percent) to receive credit for this course.

Assignment 1: Essay/Presentation Assignment 2: Essay/Presentation

Assignment 3: Essay

Assignment 4: Research Essay Discussion Forums Final Exam Total
10% 15% 15% 20% 10% 30% 100%

To learn more about assignments and examinations, please refer to Athabasca University's online Calendar.

Course Materials

Textbooks

Stanford, Quentin H., ed. 2009. Canadian Oxford World Atlas, 6th ed. Don Mills, ON: Oxford University Press.

Norton, William. 2013. Human Geography, 8th ed. Don Mills, ON: Oxford University Press.

Other Materials

All other materials are available online.

Challenge for Credit Course Overview

The Challenge for Credit process allows students to demonstrate that they have acquired a command of the general subject matter, knowledge, intellectual and/or other skills that would normally be found in a university level course.

Full information for the Challenge for Credit can be found in the Undergraduate Calendar.

Challenge Evaluation

To receive credit for the GEOG 201 challenge registration, you must achieve an overall course grade of “D” (50 percent) or greater to pass.

Assignment 1 Exam Total
40% 60% 100%

Undergraduate Challenge for Credit Course Registration Form

Athabasca University reserves the right to amend course outlines occasionally and without notice. Courses offered by other delivery methods may vary from their individualized-study counterparts.

Opened in Revision 4, July 16, 2014.

View previous syllabus