View Descriptor

Descriptor List Export PDF

Descriptor Details

  • Descriptor Title
    Introduction to Physical Geography, with Lab
  • C-ID Number
    115
  • Units
    4.0
  • Date of Last Revision
    10/12/2017 04:44:05 PM PDT

General Description

This course is a spatial study of the Earth’s dynamic physical systems and processes. Topics include: Earth-sun geometry, weather, climate, water, landforms, soil, and the biosphere. Emphasis is on the interrelationships among environmental and human systems and processes and their resulting patterns and distributions. Tools of geographic inquiry are also briefly covered; they may include: maps, remote sensing, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Global Positioning Systems (GPS).

The laboratory portion of this course is designed to provide supplemental exercises in topics covered in Physical Geography lecture. Lab experience will include map analysis and interpretation, weather prognostication, landform processes and evolution, tectonics, biogeography, and habitat analysis.

Prerequisites

No information provided

Corequisites

No information provided

Advisories

Elementary Algebra

Content

  1. The size, shape, and movements of the Earth in space and their importance to environmental patterns and processes;
  2. The atmospheric, geomorphological, and biotic processes that shape the Earth’s surface environments;
  3. The global distribution of the world’s major climates, ecosystems, and physiographic (landform) features;
  4. Basic concepts of physical geography in the analysis of real-world variations in environmental patterns; and
  5. The scientific method and practical experience using the tools and concepts of physical geography (laboratory component).

Lab Activities

Utilize laboratory activities to meet objectives of course content.  Laboratory activities include but are not limited to:

  1. Map interpretation
  2. Geographic grid
  3. Landform interpretation
  4. Earth-Sun relationships
  5. Weather and climate
  6. Common rock identification
  7. Biogeography
  8. Plate Tectonics

Objectives

At the conclusion of this course, the student should be able to:

  1. Demonstrate an understanding of the size, shape, and movements of the Earth in space and their importance to environmental patterns and processes;
  2. Demonstrate an understanding of the atmospheric, geomorphological, and biotic processes that shape the Earth’s surface environments;
  3. Demonstrate an understanding of the global distribution of the world’s major climates, ecosystems, and physiographic (landform) features;
  4. Demonstrate an understanding of basic concepts of physical geography in the analysis of real-world variations in environmental patterns; and
  5. Demonstrate an understanding of the scientific method and practical experience using the tools and concepts of physical geography (laboratory component).

Evaluation Methods

  1. Lab exercises
  2. Midterm
  3. Final examination

Textbooks

Elemental Geosystems (Christopherson)
Physical Geography (Hess)
Visualizing Physical Geography (Strahler)

Or other college level text as selected by the instructor

Descriptor Administration

  • Public Review Needed
    No
  • Next Descriptor Review
    No information provided
  • Resubmission Requirements for Courses
    No information provided
  • Resubmission Deadline
    No information provided
  • Comments

    On some campuses this may be taught as separate lecture and laboratory courses.

  • Notes

    No information provided

  • Keywords

    No information provided

Back