Geography Program

Geography Program

Prospectus

The Geography Minor Program offers students a series of interdisciplinary, related courses that focus on place and the environment by using spatial perspective. The geography curriculum provides hands on as well as theoretical knowledge and skill in social, economic, cultural, physical and environmental understanding of the world and world’s regions. Geography augments all academic majors at UOG and bridges the physical sciences with the humanities and the social sciences. Special emphasis is placed upon sustainability and culture in the Micronesian region. This minor is designed to enhance career preparedness for all majors, including education, health, business, social and physical sciences. The developing GIS certification program is under development to serve the community as well as students.

Learning Outcomes

The Geography Minor is designed to achieve the following student outcomes:

Physical geography: Explain and analyze knowledge of facts, functions, and processes of complex earth systems, as well as the methods and techniques used to study these systems.
Human geography: Specify complex and changing demographic, population, political, economic, cultural, and environmental patterns within a global context.
GIS/Mapping: Understand and apply analytical methods (e.g., map reading, statistics, and advanced geospatial technologies) to geospatial phenomena.
Environmental synthesis: Synthesize, evaluate and predict changing human and physical interactive Earth patterns in a spatial environmental framework with special emphasis on the Asia Pacific.

Student Advisement

MINOR REQUIREMENTS (22 credit hours)

Required Courses (13 credit hours)

Course	Course Title	Credits	Term Offered
GE101	INTRODUCTION TO GEOGRAPHY + This course is an introduction to the field and methods of geography, the characteristics, distribution and interactions of physical and cultural geographic elements. The elements include climate, vegetation, soils, topography, settlement and population, transportation and trade, industry and land use.	3 credit hours	FALL/SPRING/ALL YEARS
GE201	WORLD REGIONAL GEOGRAPHY + The study of human and physical aspects of world geography is covered in this course. Special emphasis is given to regions, continents, and major countries of the world and the relative geographic importance of those areas today.	3 credit hours	FALL/SPRING/ALL YEARS
GE203	PRINCIPLES OF PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY + This course is primarily concerned with the principles and concepts of physical geography, and stresses the patterns and interrelationships of climate, vegetation, soils and landforms. Emphasis is placed on geographic processes, which have tropical and Pacific relevance. Three lecture hours and three-hour weekly laboratory or field trips.	4 credit hours	SPRING ONLY/ALL YEARS
GE401	GEOGRAPHY OF THE PACIFIC + The geography of the Pacific Basin and the western margins of the Pacific are surveyed in this course. Special emphasis is given to Guam and Micronesia.	3 credit hours	FALL ONLY/ALL YEARS

Elective Courses (9 credit hours)

Nine upper-division credits selected from any of the upper-division Geography courses or from:

Course	Course Title	Credits	Term Offered
NS330	METEOROLOGY + This is a course in atmospheric phenomena, methods and investigation, some of the methods of obtaining data and predictive weather, and an introduction to possible means of weather control. It consists of three hours of lecture per week. The lab, NS330L, MUST be taken concurrently. Prerequisite: One year of university level physical science drawn from courses in chemistry and/or physics or consent of instructor. Corequisite: NS330L.	3 credit hours	AS REQUIRED/AS REQUIRED
NS330L	METEOROLOGY LABORATORY + NS330L is the laboratory portion of NS330 and MUST be taken concurrently. The course consists of one three-hour laboratory period per week. Corequisite: NS330.	1 credit hour	AS REQUIRED/AS REQUIRED
NS355	TOPICS IN GEOLOGY + This course offers studies of selected topics in advanced geology, such as environmental geology, structures and plate tectonics, mineralogy, petrology, hydrology etc. With different subject matter, this course may be repeated for credit. The course involves three hours of classroom study per week. The lab, NS355L, MUST be taken concurrently for some topics, to be specified. Prerequisites: NS110-110L or NS112-112L or consent of instructor. Corequisite: NS355L (for some topics).	3 credit hours	AS REQUIRED/AS REQUIRED
NS355L	TOPICS IN GEOLOGY LABORATORY + NS355L is the laboratory portion of NS355 and MUST be taken concurrently for some topics. The course consists of one three-hour laboratory/field trip per week. Corequisite: NS355.	1 credit hour	AS REQUIRED/AS REQUIRED
NS380	PRINCIPLES OF SOIL SCIENCE + This course delves into the basic principles of the fundamentals of the chemical, physical, and biological properties of soils; their formation, fertility, and management, and the effects of inorganic and organic chemicals on soil processes and properties as they relate to environmental pollution. Two hours of lecture, one-hour recitation and three hours laboratory weekly. Prerequisites: MA115 or higher and any two chemistry courses.	3 credit hours	FALL ONLY/ALL YEARS

CREDIT FOR ADVANCED PLACEMENT EXAMINATION

For advanced placement within the Geography Program, students who document a score of 3, 4 or 5 on the AP exam for Human Geography will earn credit for GE-201 World Regional Geography (3 credits).

General Education Requirements (Recommended Courses)

See the Student Advisement Sheet General Education Requirements and include under:

Tier II: Direction Building (6 credit hours)

Under DF Exploration outside major requirement (May apply to a Minor):

Course	Course Title	Credits	Term Offered
GE480	SPECIAL TOPICS IN GEOGRAPHY + This course covers topics of interest in geography on physical and/or human geography subject matter. Current themes including natural resources, environment, climate change, GIS, remote sensing, culture, globalization, politics, economy, technology, sustainability and health may be explored for a defined region of interest within the Asia Pacific, within a historical context where indicated. Course may be repeated if topic is different.	3 credit hours	SPRING ONLY/ALL YEARS
GE321	ECONOMIC GEOGRAPHY + This course is a world survey of significant agricultural, industrial, and commercial regions and patterns resulting from man's exploitation of resources with special emphasis on their relationships to Guam.	3 credit hours	FALL ONLY/ALL YEARS
GE341	CULTURAL ECOLOGY + This course examines the linkages and interactions between human cultures and the environment, particularly of subsistence peoples in the tropics and the Pacific. Traditional and contemporary theories and approaches of human adaptation to and modification of the environment are examined. Prerequisites: GE101, AN101 or BI157/157L.	3 credit hours	FALL ONLY/ODD YEARS
GE461	NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT + This course offers a study of the principles and problems of natural resource management and conservation with particular reference to Pacific islands and tropical resource systems. Lectures and readings stress an ecological approach and the role of environmental planning in land use management. Prerequisites: One 200 level GE course or consent of instructor.	3 credit hours	FALL ONLY/EVEN YEARS

NS330	METEOROLOGY + This is a course in atmospheric phenomena, methods and investigation, some of the methods of obtaining data and predictive weather, and an introduction to possible means of weather control. It consists of three hours of lecture per week. The lab, NS330L, MUST be taken concurrently. Prerequisite: One year of university level physical science drawn from courses in chemistry and/or physics or consent of instructor. Corequisite: NS330L.	3 credit hours	AS REQUIRED/AS REQUIRED
NS355	TOPICS IN GEOLOGY + This course offers studies of selected topics in advanced geology, such as environmental geology, structures and plate tectonics, mineralogy, petrology, hydrology etc. With different subject matter, this course may be repeated for credit. The course involves three hours of classroom study per week. The lab, NS355L, MUST be taken concurrently for some topics, to be specified. Prerequisites: NS110-110L or NS112-112L or consent of instructor. Corequisite: NS355L (for some topics).	3 credit hours	AS REQUIRED/AS REQUIRED
NS355L	TOPICS IN GEOLOGY LABORATORY + NS355L is the laboratory portion of NS355 and MUST be taken concurrently for some topics. The course consists of one three-hour laboratory/field trip per week. Corequisite: NS355.	1 credit hour	AS REQUIRED/AS REQUIRED
NS380	PRINCIPLES OF SOIL SCIENCE + This course delves into the basic principles of the fundamentals of the chemical, physical, and biological properties of soils; their formation, fertility, and management, and the effects of inorganic and organic chemicals on soil processes and properties as they relate to environmental pollution. Two hours of lecture, one-hour recitation and three hours laboratory weekly. Prerequisites: MA115 or higher and any two chemistry courses.	3 credit hours	FALL ONLY/ALL YEARS

Tier III: Capstone Experience

Course within major:

Course	Course Title	Credits	Term Offered
GE401	GEOGRAPHY OF THE PACIFIC + The geography of the Pacific Basin and the western margins of the Pacific are surveyed in this course. Special emphasis is given to Guam and Micronesia.	3 credit hours	FALL ONLY/ALL YEARS