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Courses - GEOG Upper Division

General Education Category A must be completed prior to taking any upper division course.

301. The Urban Scene (3)

Prerequisites: GE Foundation requirement, one or more Exploration courses, and upper division standing.
Analysis of urban life-styles; land use and design; population trends; conflicts in the increasingly multicultural urban setting; housing and community development; suburban-central city relationships; human utilization of urban life spaces; opinions of landmark urbanists; and future trends.

304. California (3)

Prerequisite: Completion of the GE Foundation.
An exploration of California's diverse natural and cultural environment with emphasis upon social and economic problems and the human response to environmental hazards.

306. United States and Canada (3)

Prerequisites: GE Foundation requirement.
Common social, economic and political interests of the major human use regions of the United States and Canada. Describes and interprets the culture patterns of each region in relation to the natural settings in which they have developed.

308. Africa South of the Sahara (3)

Prerequisites: GE Foundation requirement, one or more Explorations courses, and upper-division standing.
Human and environmental settings of Africa South of Sahara and the ecological, cultural, demographic, economic settlement and political relationships that characterize them.

309. The Middle East and North Africa (3)

Prerequisites: GE Foundation requirement, one or more Explorations courses, and upper-division standing.
Human and physical settings of the Middle East and North Africa and the cultural, economic, settlement, and political relationships that characterize them stressing those factors which underlie the region's instability and global importance.

313. Southeast Asia (3)

Prerequisites: GE Foundation requirement, one or more Exploration courses and upper division standing. Students must have scored 11 or higher on the GWAR Placement Examination or successfully completed the necessary portfolio course that is a prerequisite for a GWAR Writing Intensive Capstone.
Cross-cultural examination of the characteristics and problems found across Southeast Asia, specifically, environmental and cultural patterns, historical development of the spatial organization of society, demographic and other dynamics of social change, and issues of socio-economic and political development.
Letter grade only (A-F).

314. South Asia (3)

Prerequisites: GE Foundation requirement, one or more Exploration courses and upper division standing. Students must have scored 11 or higher on the GWAR Placement Examination or successfully completed the necessary portfolio course that is a prerequisite for a GWAR Writing Intensive Capstone.
Cross-cultural examination of the various characteristics and problems found across the region of South Asia. Specific foci are environmental and cultural patterns, the historical development of the spatial organization of society, demographic and other dynamics of social change related to issues of socio-economic and political development.
Letter grade only (A-F).

315. East Asia (3)

Prerequisites: GE Foundation requirement, one or more Exploration courses and upper division standing.
Cross-cultural examination of the characteristics and problems found across East Asia, specifically, environmental and cultural patterns, historical development of the spatial organization of society, demographic and other dynamics of social change, and issues of socio-economic and political development.
Letter grade only (A-F).

316. Europe (3)

Prerequisites: GE Foundation requirement.
The human and physical patterns of Europe. Current cultural conditions and environmental problems.

318. Russia and Its Neighbors (3)

Prerequisite: GE Foundation requirement.
Systematic and regional study of the physical, economic and cultural geography of the countries of the former Soviet Union.

319. International Development (3)

Prerequisites: GE Foundation requirement, one Explorations course, upper-division standing.
Theoretical and practical analysis of social, political, and economic development and alternative developmental models. Contemporary and historical comparisons of how "developed" and "developing" areas of the world have confronted various economic, social, and political challenges.
Same course as I/ST 319. Not open for credit to students with credit in I/ST 319.

321. Geography of Latin America (3)

Prerequisites: GE Foundation requirements. Students must have scored 11 or higher on the GWAR Placement Examination or successfully completed the necessary portfolio course that is a prerequisite for a GWAR Writing Intensive Capstone.
This course examines Latin America from a regional geographical perspective. Utilizing both historical and contemporary points of view, it identifies and interprets the distinguishing environmental, demographic, cultural, social, economic, and geopolitical characteristics of the region.
Not open to students who have taken GEOG 320I. Letter grade only (A-F).

330. California Ecosystems (3)

Prerequisites: GEOG 130 or GEOG 140 or ESP 101 or ESP 200; AND GEOG 200 or BIOL 260; or instructor consent.
Introduction to the ecology and biogeography of natural California landscapes, including field examination of habitats, collection and analysis of environmental data, and reporting of field or laboratory findings.
Letter grade only (A-F). Same course as ESP 330. Not open for credit to students with credit in ESP 330.
(2 hours lecture/activity, 2 hours field/laboratory)

340. Environmental Geography (3)

Prerequisite: GEOG 130 or GEOG 140 or GEOL 280.
Examines interrelationships between society and land and water environments. Focuses is on critical analysis of contemporary environmental issues in American West, including both physical and human factors.
Letter grade only (A-F).

352. Geography of Travel and Tourism (3)

Historical and contemporary spatial characteristics and dimensions of tourism activity. Tourism, destinations, travel patterns, environmental and economic impacts, and analysis of regional tourism patterns.

355. International Environmental Issues (3)

Prerequisites: GE Foundation requirement, one Explorations course, and upper division standing. Students must have scored 11 or higher on the GWAR Placement Examination or successfully completed the necessary portfolio course that is a prerequisite for a GWAR Writing Intensive Capstone.
Examines the deterioration, destruction, maintenance and restoration of environmental systems and resources. Identifies and analyzes major environmental problems that have international dimensions. Investigates ongoing and potential efforts to resolve them.
Same course as I/ST 355. Not open for credit to students with credit in I/ST 355.

357. Sacred Geographies (3)

Prerequisites: Completion of GE Foundation, one or more Exploration courses and upper division status.
Comparative exploration of sacred spaces across the world. Examines the social, political, and religious processes that create places of ritual and reverence by linking the individual to the communal experience of place.
Letter grade only (A-F).

360. Human Geography (3)

Prerequisites: GEOG 100, GEOG 120, or GEOG 160.
Introduces breadth of research across subfields of human geography through examination of various contemporary topics, such as migration, globalization, cultural landscapes, urbanization, politics, agricultural practices, and development.
Letter grade only (A-F).

380. Introduction to Digital Cartography and Analysis (3)

Introductory knowledge and skills in the creation and analysis of digital cartography for graphic communication of geographical information.
(Lecture, problems 3 hours)

392. Climate Action and Sustainability at CSULB (3)

Prerequisites: Completion of the entire Foundation curriculum along with one or more Explorations courses and upper-division standing
Students join CSULB’s efforts to achieve climate neutrality (zero net greenhouse gas emissions) and sustainability through service learning assignments working with staff, faculty and community partners. Provides opportunities for all majors to apply and develop skills through hands-on experience.
6 hours activity.
Same course as ESP 392. Not open for credit to students with credit in ESP 392.

400. Multivariate Geographical Analysis (4)

Prerequisite: GEOG 200 or any introductory statistics course or consent of instructor.
Examination of advanced multivariate statistical techniques employed by geographers in analysis of spatial phenomena and emphasis on applications in geographical research, using spreadsheet and statistical software.

402. Qualitative Geographic Analysis (4)

Prerequisite: GEOG 360 or consent of instructor.
Examines qualitative geographic methodologies and methods through the theoretical frameworks that geographers employ in their research. Introduces survey, interview, and focus group techniques, textual analysis, participant observation, and ethnography. Includes a hands-on research experience.
(4 hours discussion). Letter grade only (A-F).

440./540. Land and Water Resources (3)

Prerequisite: ESP 200 or GEOG 340 or consent of instructor.
Examines interrelationships between land and water as components of the human environment. Focus is on management, use and human impacts, with an emphasis on water resources.
Letter grade only (A-F). (Lecture-discussion)

441./541. The Geography of Mars (3)

Prerequisite/Corequisite: GEOG 130 or GEOG 140 or GEOL 102 and GEOG 280 or consent of instructor.
Introduction to the geography of Mars, providing a physical regionalization of the Martian surface and climate and an understanding of underlying tectonic, geomorphic, and meteorological processes. The course reviews remote sensing fundamentals and data sources for geographical analysis of Mars.
Letter grade only (A-F). (2 hours seminar, 2 hours activity).

442. Biogeography (3)

Prerequisite/ Corequisite: GEOG/ESP 330.
Theories and methods of mapping plant and animal distributions, spatial interaction of species with environmental limiting factors, and the human role in temporal and spatial variation of ecosystems.
Letter grade only (A-F). (Lec-problems; field experience)

443. Watersheds: Processes and Management (4)

Prerequisite: ESP 200 or GEOG 340 or consent of instructor.
Basic principles of watershed hydrology, including hydrologic processes, runoff behavior, precipitation patterns and watershed models. Evaluation of water quality elements such as nonpoint source pollution. Laboratory and field exercises will include hydrologic data collection, processing and evaluation.
Letter grade only (A-F). (3 hours Lecture, 2 hours Laboratory)

444. Climatology (3)

Prerequisite: ESP 200 or GEOG 340 or consent of instructor.
Descriptive and explanatory analysis of elements and controls of climate. Climates of world emphasis on California and North America.
Letter grade only (A-F). (Lecture, problems 3 hours)

445. Paleoclimatology (4)

Prerequisite: GEOG 330 or GEOL 240 or GEOL 300.
Methods and theories used in reconstructing and dating climates of the past 2 million years, using such proxies as sediment sequences, packrat middens, ice cores, tree rings, corals, and documentary data. Causes of environmental change and human interactions are analyzed.
Cross-listed with GEOL 445. Same course as GEOL 445. Not open for credit to students with credit in GEOL 445
Letter grade only (A-F). (Lecture 3 hours, lab activities 2 hours)

446. Land Use Planning (3)

Examines land use planning, issues and responses concerning land use; coastal zones; environmental resource management; urban growth; design and aesthetics; planning parameters for residences, parks, conservation areas, shopping centers, and industrial areas; urban and regional revitalization, and transportation.
Not open for credit to students with credit in U/ST 446

447. Landscape Restoration (3)

Prerequisite(s)/Corequisite(s): GEOG/ESP 330.
Explores philosophical, political, and ecological issues associated with restoring degraded landscapes. Analysis of theoretical works, scientific research, planning documents and case studies. Examines potential for restoring natural landscapes.
Letter grade only (A-F).

448./548. Environmental Assessment (3)

Prerequisite: ESP 200 or GEOG 340 or consent of instructor.
Introduction to the policy framework and techniques for assessing impacts on various aspects of the biological and physical environment. The course is a survey of multiple topics involving various types of environmental assessment, including data collection, processing and evaluation.
Letter grade only (A-F). (Undergraduates register in GEOG 448; graduates register in 548.) (3 hours lecture, activity)

452. Geography of the Global Economy (3)

Prerequisite: GEOG 360 or consent of instructor.
Examines globalization processes that create integration of world's economic, political, and cultural systems, but operate unevenly across space and time. Focuses on impact on people and places around the world.
(Lecture, problems) Letter grade only (A-F).

455. People As Agents of Environmental Change (3)

Prerequisite: GEOG 340 or consent of instructor.
Examines human impact on biophysical environment from long-term and global perspective. Explores regional and global implications of these changes on people and environments. Examines different theories for explaining major human forces that drive environmental change.
Letter grade only (A-F). (Lecture 3 hours)

458./558. Hazards and Risk Management (3)

Prerequisite: ESP 200 or GEOG 340 or consent of instructor.
Broad overview of hazards and disasters, whether natural or technological, emphasizing the physical and social dynamics that interact to produce hazard, the spatial and temporal distributions of various hazards, and policy options for disaster preparation, loss reduction, and community resilience.
Letter grade only (A-F).

460. Population Geography (3)

Prerequisite: GEOG 360 or consent of instructor.
Introduction to geographic study of population. Includes growth and distribution of world population; results of changing births, deaths, and migration; variations in population composition; related problems such as food supplies and environmental deterioration.
Letter grade only (A-F).

462/562. Gender, Place and Culture (3)

Prerequisite: GEOG 360 or WGSS 300 or consent of instructor
A human geography approach to examining intersections of gender, place and culture. Topics include: body spaces; geographies of sexualities; emotion, care and health; migration; environmental and social justice; feminist post-structural theories and philosophies; and feminist methodological approaches to geographic research.
Letter grade only (A-F). Same course as WGSS 462. Not open for credit to students with credit in WGSS 462

464. Urban Geography: Sustainable Cities (3)

Prerequisite: GEOG 100, GEOG 120, or GEOG 160 or GEOG 301 or consent of instructor; GEOG 360 recommended.
Corequisite: GEOG 301
Examines the function and character of cities as locations for sustainable development related to health, transportation, and neighborhood design. Course focuses on trends in public policy, planning, and community-based activism that seek to balance economic, social, and environmental well-being.
Letter grade only (A-F).

465./565. Social Geography (3)

Prerequisite: GEOG 360 or consent of instructor.
The geographies of society, including various methodological and theoretical approaches to social geography. Topics may include socio-spatial inequality, crime, housing, religious systems, medical and health geography, feminist geography, the geography of sexuality, the geography of race, or poststructuralist geography.
Letter grade only (A-F).

467./567. Urban Geography: Metropolitan Problems and Solutions (3)

Prerequisite: GEOG 360 or consent of instructor.
Examines geographic components of metropolitan problems with a focus on theoretical and practically applied urban planning solutions to transportation, housing, residential segregation, economic development, and community health issues.
Letter grade only (A-F). (Lecture, problems 3 hrs)

468. World Cities/Cities of the World (3)

Prerequisite: GEOG 360 or consent of instructor.
Comparative examination of major world cities within the context of their regional and national urban systems. Compares and contrasts cities of developed and developing worlds. Explores divergent urbanization patterns and world city development in major cultural realms.
Letter grade only (A-F).

470. Political Geography (3)

Prerequisite: GEOG 360 or consent of instructor.
Examines the interface between people, power and territory. We consider how societies are organized at local, national and international scales, how ideologies (including nationalism) have political implications, and how the state is changing through the agency of new state and non-state actors. We explore the consequences of these new geographies of power.
Letter grade only (A-F). (Lecture, problems)

471. Geographic Information Science (GIS) For Health (3)

Prerequisite: GEOG 200 or SOC 170 or equivalent.
An Introduction to the fundamentals of Geographic Information Science and systems (GIS) including concepts and skills in spatial reasoning and spatial thinking. Explores GIS in spatial query, problem analysis and decision support using health-related applications. Lecture/discussion and Laboratory (2 hours seminar, 2 hours computer laboratory)
Letter grade only (A-F). Same course as HCA 471. Not open for credit to students with credit in HCA 471 or GEOG 485/585.

473. Remote Sensing (4)

Prerequisites GEOG 200 (or equivalent) and GEOG 280 or GEOG 471 or GEOG 481 or consent of instructor.
Processing and interpretation of aerial photographs and digital satellite imagery. Topics include the electromagnetic spectrum, energy-matter interactions, sensor characteristics, and the acquisition, processing and interpretation of imagery for applications including the analysis of vegetation dynamics, surface hydrology and urban environments.
Letter grade only (A-F).

474. Introduction to Digital Image Processing (4)

Prerequisite: GEOG 473 or consent of instructor.
Provides a background to the principles and concepts of digital image processing and the extraction of information from digital satellite data with focus various enhancement and extraction techniques, specifically, within the visible and near-infrared portions of the electromagnetic spectrum.
Letter grade only (A-F). (Seminar 3 hours; Laboratory 2 hours).

475./575. Geographical Applications in Remote Sensing (4)

Prerequisites: GEOG 473 or consent of instructor
Focuses on remote sensing applications. Students will be introduced to sophisticated imagery and analysis techniques, as applied to weather and fire modeling, arid lands environmental problems, or the urban environment.
Letter grade only (A-F).

481. Geographic Information Science for Natural Sciences (4)

Prerequisites: Junior/Senior/Graduate standing; GEOG 140 or BIOL 153 or GEOL 102.
Introduces fundamentals of geographic information science and systems (GIS) to non-geography students, including concepts and skills in spatial reasoning and spatial thinking. Explores GIS in spatial query, problem analysis and decision support, using biologic, geologic, and ecologic applications.
Letter grade only (A-F). Not open for credit to students with credit in GEOG 485/585.

482. Advanced Digital Cartography and GIS (4)

Prerequisites: GEOG 200 or equivalent and GEOG 380 or consent of instructor.
Advanced theories and techniques for the creation of various types of numerical thematic maps using digital cartography, GIS, and empirical data.
Letter grade only (A-F)

484./584. Enterprise GIS Development (4)

Prerequisite: GEOG 280 and GEOG 380 or GEOG 471 or GEOG 482 or consent of instructor.
Provides a comprehensive overview of the enterprise geographic information system development process. Focuses specifically on geospatial data acquisition, management, and dissemmination methods which utilize geodatabase functionality and custom developed mapping applications.
Letter grade only (A-F).

485./585. Principles of Geographic Information Science (4)

Prerequisites: GEOG 200 or equivalent AND GEOG 280 or GEOG 471 or GEOG 481; or consent of instructor.
Fundamental concepts and techniques of geographic information systems and science are introduced. Emphasizes spatial analyses to address spatial questions.
Letter grade only (A-F).

486. Field Methods in Landscape Analysis (4)

Prerequisite: GEOG 340 or equivalent and consent of instructor. Students must have scored 11 or higher on the GWAR Placement Examination or successfully completed the necessary portfolio course that is a prerequisite for a GWAR Writing Intensive Capstone.
Introduction to field techniques, including formulation of field plans, recording direct observation, field mapping, sampling techniques, interviewing, and organizing and evaluating data for presentation.
Letter grade only (A-F). (Lecture-discussion 1 hour, supervised field work 6 hours)

487A. Applications of Geographic Information Science (GIS): Environment and Natural Resources (4)

Prerequisites: GEOG 485 or GEOG 585 or consent of instructor.
Use of Geographic Information Systems and science for spatial query, problem analysis, spatial modeling and decision support in natural resource assessment. Students with background in GIS are introduced to environmental applications. Emphasizes use of raster GIS.

487B. Applications of Geographic Information Science (GIS): Urban and Economic (4)

Prerequisites/Corequisites: GEOG 485 or GEOG 585 or consent of instructor.
Builds on introductory knowledge of Geographic Information Systems, spatial analysis and spatial data and focuses on urban and economic applications and analyses.

488./588. Geographic Information Science (GIS) Programming (4)

Prerequisite: GEOG 485 or GEOG 585 or consent of instructor
Introduction to programming techniques for Geographic Information Sciences and applications for geography and related disciplines.
(Seminar 3 hours; Laboratory 2 hours). Letter grade only (A-F).

492. Applied Internship (3)

Prerequisites: Upper division or graduate standing. Open to Geography and Environmental Science and Policy majors only.
Practical experience in an appropriate business, government or community-based organization to enhance professional development.
Same course as ES P 495. (6 hours activity/laboratory). May be repeated to a maximum of 6 units; a second semester experience shall differ substantially from first semester experience. Undergraduates may elect Credit/No Credit or letter grading; letter grading only is required for graduate students. Student will work under faculty supervision.

494. Selected Topics in Geography (1-3)

Prerequisite: Consent of instructor.
Application of geographical concepts and methodology to selected contemporary problems.
May be repeated to a maximum of 6 units with consent of department chair. Topics announced in the Schedule of Classes. May not be credited toward the major in geography without written department consent in advance of enrollment.

495. Field Training in Geographic Techniques (1-6)

Prerequisites: GEOG 140 and consent of instructor
In this advanced applied geography course students will enhance their knowledge of various geographic and/or geospatial techniques and apply these skills to address geographic and spatial questions through a combination of intense hands-on field work and data analyses. Topics vary by instructor.
Letter grade only (A-F). (3 - 18 hours Activity)

497. Directed Studies (1-3)

Prerequisite: Consent of instructor.
Individually directed studies of special problems in geography.
May be repeated to a maximum of 6 units with consent of department chairperson. May not be credited toward the major in geography without written department consent in advance of enrollment.


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