Geographic Perspectives on International Development
The focus of this course is the development process in the non-Western World. We will examine why there has been a need for "development"; what is the relationship of "development" to "underdevelopment"; and whether this relationship has resulted in dependence, independence, or interdependence. We will focus on the contribution of development to progress of the non-Western World, on the one hand, and to its stagnation, on the other. We will examine specific issues like food, population, the environment, the rural scene, the urban scene, and the general political and economic scenes. We will question the underlying assumptions of development, examine the role and the possibilities of development from within, and maintain a critical view of Western development. 3 hrs. lect.

Political Geography
Political relations within and between states do not occur in a vacuum. Rather, they are rooted in a specific and tangible geographic context. Political geography examines the interactions between this context and political processes at various geographic scales, ranging from the local to the global level. This course will focus primarily on the state and international level and will address issues such as the territorial exercise of power, state formation, nationalism, geopolitics, and international conflicts and cooperation. 3 hrs. lect.

Rural Geography
This course explores the intersection between demographic, economic, cultural, and environmental forces on the rural landscape in both advanced economies and LDCs. Students will be exposed to theoretical and empirical approaches to rural development in different international and regional contexts, as well as problems associated with these development paradigms. Particular attention will be paid to neoliberal economic policies and their impacts on rural areas, and the course will frequently draw on examples from New England and North America. Additionally, the world is becoming increasingly urbanized, so we will examine the ways people come to know rural areas through the media, literature, and travel. This course includes opportunity for service learning. (Formerly GEOG 0221) 3 hrs. lect.

Geography of Islands
In this course we will examine islands from the perspective of physical geography, human geography, and the humanities in order to connect the physical characteristics of islands to the processes and functions that characterize them. Through lectures, readings, and writing assignments, we will consider islands as discrete terrestrial systems and as components of pelagic systems, as a person's home and as a nation's outpost, as a place of refuge, and as a place of exile. By viewing islands as both laboratory and metaphor, we will identify the many contributions of islands to theories of space across academic disciplines. 3 hrs. lect.

Geopolitics of the Middle East
This course examines the Middle East from a geographical perspective with emphasis on the historical and political underpinnings of the region. The Middle East, the cradle of civilization, has been, due to its geography, one of the major arenas for political and ideological conflicts. It has been subject to an unequal power relationship with the West, which, together with Islam, has affected the level of its political, social, and economic development. This course will provide an analytical introduction to the historical, political, social, and economic geography of the region and will analyze the major transitions this region has undergone. 3 hrs.lect.

Environmental Change in Latin America
This course offers an overview of the social and ecological context of natural and anthropogenic landscapes across Latin America in the context of regional and global change. Building upon the theme of global environmental change in the context of human-environment geography, in this course we will explore urgent challenges to natural and human-occupied landscapes across South and Central America, including conservation, deforestation, drought, and urban expansion. 3 hrs. lect.

Surface and Ground Water
Fresh water is the most fundamental resource sustaining life on the continents. This course is an introduction to the study of water and its interactions with the geologic environment. Basic hydrological processes such as precipitation, stream flow, and the subsurface flow of ground water are analyzed by quantitative methods. Climatic and human-induced changes in the hydrological cycle are examined, and current issues and policies are discussed in light of the increasing demands and impacts of a technological society on water resources and associated natural systems. 2 hrs. lect., 3 hrs. lab

Surface and Ground Water
Fresh water is the most fundamental resource sustaining life on the continents. This course is an introduction to the study of water and its interactions with the geologic environment. Basic hydrological processes such as precipitation, stream flow, and the subsurface flow of ground water are analyzed by quantitative methods. Climatic and human-induced changes in the hydrological cycle are examined, and current issues and policies are discussed in light of the increasing demands and impacts of a technological society on water resources and associated natural systems. 2 hrs. lect., 3 hrs. lab

Geographic Information Systems
This course introduces the structure, concepts, and application of geographic information systems (GIS): computer-based systems designed to process large spatial databases. The productive use of GIS technology in the physical and social sciences, environmental management, and regional planning is investigated through a variety of applied exercises and problems. (Not open to first-year and sophomore students) 3 hrs. lect./3 hrs. lab.

Geographic Information Systems
This course introduces the structure, concepts, and application of geographic information systems (GIS): computer-based systems designed to process large spatial databases. The productive use of GIS technology in the physical and social sciences, environmental management, and regional planning is investigated through a variety of applied exercises and problems. (Not open to first-year and sophomore students) 3 hrs. lect./3 hrs. lab.

Geographic Information Systems
This course introduces the structure, concepts, and application of geographic information systems (GIS): computer-based systems designed to process large spatial databases. The productive use of GIS technology in the physical and social sciences, environmental management, and regional planning is investigated through a variety of applied exercises and problems. (Not open to first-year and sophomore students) 3 hrs. lect./3 hrs. lab.

Cartographic Design
In this course we will study principles of cartographic design in the digital era. Major topics will include cartography before computing, reference map design, wayfinding, thematic map design, realism, 3D rendering, and interactive maps. Laboratory exercises will provide opportunities for students to use graphics software and geographic information systems to implement concepts from lectures. Through a series of independent projects and group critiques, students will learn to design cartographic products that facilitate spatial thinking and effectively communicate spatial information to specialist and lay audiences. (GEOG 0320 or by waiver) 3 hrs. lect./3 hrs. lab SOC (J. Howarth)

Cartographic Design
In this course we will study principles of cartographic design in the digital era. Major topics will include cartography before computing, reference map design, wayfinding, thematic map design, realism, 3D rendering, and interactive maps. Laboratory exercises will provide opportunities for students to use graphics software and geographic information systems to implement concepts from lectures. Through a series of independent projects and group critiques, students will learn to design cartographic products that facilitate spatial thinking and effectively communicate spatial information to specialist and lay audiences. (GEOG 0320 or by waiver) 3 hrs. lect./3 hrs. lab SOC (J. Howarth)

Cartographic Design
In this course we will study principles of cartographic design in the digital era. Major topics will include cartography before computing, reference map design, wayfinding, thematic map design, realism, 3D rendering, and interactive maps. Laboratory exercises will provide opportunities for students to use graphics software and geographic information systems to implement concepts from lectures. Through a series of independent projects and group critiques, students will learn to design cartographic products that facilitate spatial thinking and effectively communicate spatial information to specialist and lay audiences. (GEOG 0320 or by waiver) 3 hrs. lect./3 hrs. lab SOC (J. Howarth)

Seminar in Political Geography: Rethinking Geopolitical Traditions
In this course we will explore varying perspectives on the relationship between geographic inquiry and political organization. We will begin by considering the rise of “geopolitics” in the late 19th century. At this point, political communities were increasingly identified with specific geographic spaces, and “nation-states” competed with one another in what they perceived to be a zero-sum world of finite geographic space. This thinking culminated in Nazi expansionism during the Second World War. This view all but disappeared from public discourse following the war. Beginning in the 1980s, a variety of new geopolitical approaches emerged that offer more nuanced, geographically-informed analyses of power relations between States. We will finish the course with case studies of contemporary geopolitical approaches. We will employ a critical perspective based on post-structuralist theories of representation. (Open to seniors only; others by waiver).

Independent Study
(Approval only)

Independent Study
(Approval only)

Independent Study
(Approval only)

Independent Study
(Approval only)

Independent Study
(Approval only)

Geography Thesis
Students with a departmental GPA of 3.3 or higher are eligible to complete a two-credit senior thesis. In order to complete a senior thesis, students must have a proposal approved by a primary thesis advisor and a secondary departmental reader prior to registering for the first 700 level credit. Upon completion of the thesis, thesis students will present their work in a public seminar and defend the thesis in front of the departmental faculty. Thesis presentations and defenses will typically take place during the final week of classes or the examination period. It is strongly encouraged that students considering a thesis discuss their ideas with an advisor during the semester prior to registering for formal thesis credits. (Approval Required)

Geography Thesis
Students with a departmental GPA of 3.3 or higher are eligible to complete a two-credit senior thesis. In order to complete a senior thesis, students must have a proposal approved by a primary thesis advisor and a secondary departmental reader prior to registering for the first 700 level credit. Upon completion of the thesis, thesis students will present their work in a public seminar and defend the thesis in front of the departmental faculty. Thesis presentations and defenses will typically take place during the final week of classes or the examination period. It is strongly encouraged that students considering a thesis discuss their ideas with an advisor during the semester prior to registering for formal thesis credits. (Approval Required)

Geography Thesis
Students with a departmental GPA of 3.3 or higher are eligible to complete a two-credit senior thesis. In order to complete a senior thesis, students must have a proposal approved by a primary thesis advisor and a secondary departmental reader prior to registering for the first 700 level credit. Upon completion of the thesis, thesis students will present their work in a public seminar and defend the thesis in front of the departmental faculty. Thesis presentations and defenses will typically take place during the final week of classes or the examination period. It is strongly encouraged that students considering a thesis discuss their ideas with an advisor during the semester prior to registering for formal thesis credits. (Approval Required)

Geography Thesis
Students with a departmental GPA of 3.3 or higher are eligible to complete a two-credit senior thesis. In order to complete a senior thesis, students must have a proposal approved by a primary thesis advisor and a secondary departmental reader prior to registering for the first 700 level credit. Upon completion of the thesis, thesis students will present their work in a public seminar and defend the thesis in front of the departmental faculty. Thesis presentations and defenses will typically take place during the final week of classes or the examination period. It is strongly encouraged that students considering a thesis discuss their ideas with an advisor during the semester prior to registering for formal thesis credits. (Approval Required)

Geography Thesis
Students with a departmental GPA of 3.3 or higher are eligible to complete a two-credit senior thesis. In order to complete a senior thesis, students must have a proposal approved by a primary thesis advisor and a secondary departmental reader prior to registering for the first 700 level credit. Upon completion of the thesis, thesis students will present their work in a public seminar and defend the thesis in front of the departmental faculty. Thesis presentations and defenses will typically take place during the final week of classes or the examination period. It is strongly encouraged that students considering a thesis discuss their ideas with an advisor during the semester prior to registering for formal thesis credits. (Approval Required)