PDF version of this chapterCourses of Instruction
Geography (GEOG)
The terms indicated are expected but are not guaranteed. For the courses offered during any given term, consult the Schedule of Classes.
100gm Los Angeles and the American Dream (4, FaSp) Evolution of Los Angeles and its role in the American Dream. Diversity in social/spatial organization, urban experiences, access to resources, and exposure to environmental risks. Empirical approaches in geography. Concurrent enrollment: WRIT 140.
120g Geopolitics (4, Sp) Analysis of the concept of nation-state in Western societies since the industrial revolution and its significance in the evolution of the world geopolitical map. Concurrent enrollment: WRIT 140.
160Lg The Earth’s Surface (4, Fa) An investigation of earth’s near-surface including the lithosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere within a scientific framework focused on system structure, dynamics, and interactions. Lecture and laboratory.
165Lg The Atmospheric Environment (4, FaSm) A broad, scientific examination of the gaseous envelope surrounding earth including its composition, origin, and structure with specific emphasis on atmospheric processes that ultimately lead to weather-related phenomena and changing climatic conditions. Lecture and laboratory.
205 Introduction to Human Geography (4, Fa) Topical and systematic interpretation of world landscape development and patterns focusing on agricultural, urban, economic, and political systems.
215gm Ethnicity and Place (4, Fa) Students will learn how ethnicity and race are inherently spatial processes. Immigration, national identity, and historical ethnic geography of the United States will be explored. (Duplicates credit in former MDA 215gm.) Concurrent enrollment: WRIT 140.
255 American Environmentalism (4, FaSm) Geographic and historic approach to the growth of environmental awareness in the United States from Colonial times to the present. Extensive use of case materials.
257g Environment and Ethics (4, SpSm) Examination of ethical issues in environmental context: systematic analysis of problems associated with protection and use of selected environments. Concurrent enrollment: WRIT 140.
260Lg Natural Hazards (4, FaSp) The nature and time/space distribution of extreme geophysical events (e.g., floods, droughts, earthquakes), and the range of individual and social adaptations to the resulting hazard.
265Lg The Water Planet (4, Sp) An exploration of earth’s water, ranging from water properties, chemistry, and pollution, to groundwater dynamics, watershed processes, and oceanic-atmospheric circulation. Implications for past and future societies. Lecture and laboratory.
281Lg Environmental Geographic Information Systems (4, Fa) Introduction to geographic concepts and methods used in environmental applications of Geographic Information Systems. Laboratories explore a series of GIS-based environmental management applications.
306 Asia and the Global Economy (4, Fa) The Asian region in the geographical evolution of the global economy. Organization and scope of transnational industry. Asian culture and society in the creation of economic landscapes.
325 Culture and Place (4, Fa) Introduction to the study of landscapes and culture; how place creates culture; how cultures produce place. (Duplicates credit in former GEOG 225.)
331 Geography of the United States and Canada (4, Sp) Regional characteristics of the United States and Canada relating to the physical, economic, and cultural environment.
335 Geography of Latin America (4, Irregular) The essential features of the spatial organization of economies and societies in Latin America, emphasizing the differences between cultures.
340m Latino L.A. (4, Sp) Examines spatial and social patterns of the Latino population in Los Angeles. Emphasis on economic, demographic and cultural processes.
345 Conservation of Natural Resources (4, Fa) Interaction between resource conservation and people based on recent advances, current developments, and future resource utilization. Special attention to the western United States. Field trips.
350m Race and Environmentalism (4) Relationships between environmentalism, environmental problems and racial-ethnic minorities. Rise of environmental justice movement. Assessment of social science methods used to investigate these relationships.
360 Environmental Disasters (4, Sp) Evaluates the causes, effects, and responses to international environmental disasters. Emphasis is on contemporary case studies in a theoretical context.
363 Cities and Regions in World Politics (4) (Enroll in POSC 363)
365L Fundamentals of Weather and Climate (4, Irregular) Earth-sun relationships; radiation; heat transfer; atmospheric composition, structure, heat balance, forces, systems, and processes; air-mass, cloud, wave classification; climatic elements: classification, processes, and distribution. Lecture, 3 hours; laboratory, 2 hours.
370 Marine and Coastal Zone Geography (4, Sp) Human interaction with marine and coastal environments: physical, social, economic, and political geography. Emphasis on Southern California’s coastal region.
390 Special Problems (1-4, FaSp) Supervised, individual studies. No more than one registration permitted. Enrollment by petition only.
391 Geographical Foundations (4, Sp) Historical overview of the discipline and examination of contemporary issues in geography. Emphasis on geography as a discipline, evolution of key concepts. Project-oriented seminar.
392 Geographical Analysis (4, Sp) Models and theories in human and physical geography; statistical methods in geography; geographical pattern analysis; models of location and geographical interaction.
393 Field Techniques (4, Fa) Field exploration of physical and cultural aspects of different regions, with emphasis on rural California. Field methods, especially mapping and interviewing.
397 Applied Geography Internship (2-4, max 4, FaSpSm) Intensive experience in local public agency, private firm, or non-profit agency engaged in applied geographic work. Graded CR/NC.
410 Urban Geography (4, Sp) Cities as geographic phenomena: location, size, spacing, structure, functions, form, and shape; regional variations; urban areas as central places.
419 Environment and Health (4, Irregular) The geographical determinants of illness and health, with emphasis on environmental factors. Processes of disease diffusion. Spatial organization of health care systems.
425 Historical Geography of the United States (4, Irregular) Geographic factors in American history; examination of human geography in the past; changing interrelationships of the physical environment and historical processes.
431 Geography of California (4, 2 years, Sp) Type study of a region; distribution of physical and cultural phenomena; delimitation into natural regions; analysis of human-environment interaction in regions of the state. Field trips.
477 Water Resources (4, Sp) Theory and techniques for the evaluation of water resources. Details of the hydrologic cycle, water use, and hazards. Emphasis on problem solving.
481 Map Design and Analysis (4, 2 years, Sp) Computer-based map design principles, especially for statistical maps; use of maps in geographical, social scientific and environmental research.
482L Principles of Geographic Information Science (4, Sp) Introduction to evolving science, technology and applications of GIS. Laboratories provide experience with computer processing of geographic information using several GIS software and programming languages. (Duplicates credit in former GEOG 381L.)
483ab Applied Geographic Information Science Internship (2-2, FaSpSm) Intensive experience in local public agency, private firm, or non-profit agency engaged in computer processing of geographic information using GIS and related technologies. Graded CR/NC. Prerequisite: GEOG 482L;recommended preparation: GEOG 481.
485ab Directed Geographic Information Science Research (2-2, FaSpSm) Individual research and reading on the evolving science, technology, and application of Geographic Information Systems. Graded CR/NC. Prerequisite: GEOG 482L.
490x Directed Research (2-8, max 8, FaSp) Individual research and readings. Not available for graduate credit. Prerequisite: departmental approval.
494 The Professional Geographer (4, Sp) Integration of intellectual trends in geography within the context of a professional project. Development of professional skills, analytic and field techniques in practice, professional ethics.
495ab Senior Honors Thesis (2-2, FaSp) Design, research, data analysis, and writing of an undergraduate honors thesis in geography. Corequisite: GEOG 494.
499 Special Topics (2-4, max 8, FaSp) Intensive study of selected topics or regions.
500 The Nature of Geography (4, Fa) Examination of the core concepts and research frontiers in contemporary geographic thought. Graduate standing. (Duplicates credit in former GEOG 602).
501 Geographical Research: Design (4, Sp) Introduction to research in geography, and development of skills and perspectives fundamental to conducting research in geography, including the writing of research proposals. Prerequisite: graduate standing or departmental approval.
502abcd Research Seminar (1-1-1-1, Fa) Critical evaluation and constructive debate about ongoing faculty and doctoral student research focusing on the association of theory and methodology. Graded CR/NC. Graduate standing.
554 Women in Global Perspective (4) (Enroll in SWMS 554)
571 Fundamentals of Sediment Transport (4, 2 years, Sp) Entrainment, transport, and deposition of non-cohesive sediments by flowing fluids. Basic fluid mechanics; simple fluid-sediment interactions; sediment transport relationships; bedform dynamics. Prerequisite: graduate standing or departmental approval.
575 Coastal Geomorphology (4, 2 years, Fa) The study of landforms that result from marine processes: waves, currents, tides and wind. Emphasis on the roles of theory and empiricism. Prerequisite: graduate standing or departmental approval.
581 Concepts for Spatial Thinking (4, FaSpSm) The unique characteristics and importance of spatial information as they relate to the evolving science, technology, and applications of Geographic Information Systems.
583 Spatial Analysis and Modeling (4, FaSpSm) Examination of the process of geographic abstraction and modeling in relation to the different data models and spatial analysis operations available in current GIS. Prerequisite: GEOG 581.
585 Social and Institutional Impacts of GIS (4, FaSp) The role of GIS as a human activity system and an examination of the legal, privacy, and policy issues affecting geographic information. Prerequisite: GEOG 583.
587 GPS/GIS Field Techniques (4, Sm) Field exploration of methods and problems of data acquisition and integration using GPS/GIS data collection systems at Wrigley Marine Science Center on Catalina Island.
590 Directed Research (1-12, FaSpSm) Research leading to the master’s degree. Maximum units which may be applied to the degree to be determined by the department. Graded CR/NC.
592 Quantitative Methods in Geography (4, Irregular) Statistical and mathematical techniques used in geographic research; exposure to computer packages for data-acquisition and analysis. Prerequisite: a basic course in statistics.
593 Field Techniques for Environmental Monitoring (4, Irregular) This course provides a basic set of methods for measurement and analysis of environmental systems, and the opportunity to implement these methods in prototype conditions.
594abz Master’s Thesis (2-2-0, FaSpSm) Credit on acceptance of thesis. Graded CR/NC.
599 Special Topics (2-4, max 8, Irregular) Seminar in selected topics in geography.
601 Sustainable Cities (4, Fa) Exploration of environmental problems linked to urbanization, drawing on historical analysis, social theory, scientific research, and city planning/design practice. Alternative policy options for urban sustainability. (Duplicates credit in former GEOG 611).
603 The Los Angeles School of Urbanism (4, 2 years, Sp) A critique of social theoretic perspectives on the modern and postmodern city, with emphasis on Los Angeles as urban prototype. Graduate standing. (Duplicates credit in former GEOG 503).
605 City Space and Globalization (4, 2 years, Sp) Theoretical analysis of gender in uneven development, transnational migration, and the new international division of labor. Pacific Rim emphasis. Graduate standing. (Duplicates credit in former GEOG 505).
613 Nature-Society Dialectics (4, Irregular) Historic and contemporary relations between people and environment. Environmental thought, cultural and political ecology, human impacts on the natural environment, indigenous resource rights and comparative international case studies. Graduate standing.
615 Natural Spaces in Urban Places (4) Urban environments as integrative physical systems comprising atmospheric, hydrologic, geomorphic, and biogeographic sub-systems modulated by human activity and civil infrastructure. Graduate standing.
631 Human Settlement and Migration (4, Irregular) Spatial patterns of settlement and processes of internal migration of dominant ethnic groups within North America. Graduate standing. (Duplicates credit in former GEOG 600).
635 Race, Space, and Place (4, Fa) Examines the relationship between race, space, and place. Emphasis on the spatial dimensions of social processes that produce race. Considers race at various geographic scales. Graduate standing or departmental approval.
681 Environmental Modeling with GIS (4, 2 years, Sp) Advanced topics related to the collection, analysis, modeling, interpretation, and display of environmental information using GIS and related technologies. Prerequisite: graduate standing and prior GIS experience equivalent to GEOG 482L or departmental approval.
695 Advanced Research Seminar (4-12, FaSp) A forum for in-depth investigation of specific research topics in sub-disciplines of geography. Offerings will depend on student and faculty interests. Prerequisite: GEOG 500, GEOG 501, or departmental approval.
790 Research (1-12, FaSpSm) Research leading to the doctorate. Maximum units which may be applied to the degree to be determined by the department. Graded CR/NC. Prerequisite: departmental approval.
794abcdz Doctoral Dissertation (2-2-2-2-0, FaSpSm) Credit on acceptance of dissertation. Graded IP/CR/NC.