GEOGRAPHY (GY)

Professor David C. Weaver, Chairperson
Office: 202 Farrah Hall

GY 101 Principles of Physical Geography I. Four hours.

Three lectures and one laboratory period. Earth-space relations, latitude and longitude, seasons, time, weather, climate, and vegetation. Particular attention is given to the causes of weather and climate and why they tend to be different from place to place.

GY 102 Principles of Physical Geography II. Four hours.

Three lectures and one laboratory period. Study of earth-surface processes, with consideration of human interaction with the physical environment. Subjects include landforms, water resources, soils, and mapping the physical environment. Most laboratory sessions are held outside.

GY 105 World Regional Geography. Three hours.

Study of the physical and cultural features, economies, and populations of the world's geographic regions.

GY 110 Principles of Human Geography. Three hours.

Introduction to geography as the science of location, with emphasis on locational patterns of human activities. Location of agricultural and industrial activities, location of cities as market and production centers, movement networks, and images and perceptions of the landscape form the core of the course.

GY 200 Principles of Planning. Three hours.

Survey of the basic elements of regional and urban planning, to provide a comprehensive overview of the field.

GY 243 Geography of the United States and Canada. Three hours.

Prerequisite: GY 105 or GY 110.

Study of the human geography of the United States and Canada.

GY 244 Geography of Africa. Three hours.

Prerequisite: GY 105 or GY 110.

Study of the human geography of Africa.

GY 245 Geography of Latin America. Three hours.

Prerequisite: GY 105 or GY 110.

Study of the human geography of Middle America, Caribbean America, and South America, with emphasis on the latter.

GY 246 Geography of Europe. Three hours.

Prerequisite: GY 105 or GY 110.

Study of the human geography of western Europe with a country-by-country analysis of economic and cultural patterns, and with geographic evaluation of the European Economic Community (EEC).

GY 247 Geography of Asia. Three hours.

Prerequisite: GY 105 or GY 110.

Study of the human geography of Asia, with special emphasis on China and Japan.

GY 251 Geography of Alabama. Three hours.

Prerequisite: GY 105 or GY 110.

Study of the varied geographical dimensions of the state of Alabama, both past and present.

GY 304 Map and Air Photo Interpretation. Four hours.

Two lectures and one laboratory period. Fundamentals of map reading and interpretation.

GY 318 Geography of the National Parks. Three hours.

Prerequisite: 8 hours of geography, biological sciences, or geology.

Survey of the geographic character, purposes, and management of a selection of parks administered by the U.S. National Park Service.

GY 320 Freshwater Studies (same as BSC 320 and GEO 320). Four hours.

Prerequisites: BSC 114:115, GEO 101, or GY 102.

GY 330 Computer Mapping and Graphics. Four hours.

Prerequisite: GY 304 or permission of the instructor.

Two lectures and one laboratory period. Introduction to computer graphics and their application in both natural and social sciences, with special emphasis on mapping.

GY 335 Computer Mapping Applications in Business. Four hours.

Prerequisite: GY 304 or permission of the instructor.

A survey of computer mapping techniques and applications in the business environment.

GY 343 Geography of Central and Caribbean America. Three hours.

Prerequisite: GY 105 or GY 110.

The geographic qualities and character of Central American and the Caribbean Islands.

GY 348 Geography of the Middle East. Three hours.

Prerequisite: GY 105 or GY 110.

Survey of the physical and human settings of the Arab world, from Morocco to Afghanistan.

GY 349 Geography of the Russian Region. Three hours.

Prerequisite: GY 105 or GY 110.

Analysis of the physical and human geography of Russia and of Russia's territorial relationship with Eastern Europe.

GY 350 Geography of the South. Three hours.

Prerequisite: GY 105 or GY 243.

Study of both the physical and human geography of the southeastern United States.

GY 358 Urban Geography. Three hours.

Prerequisite: GY 110.

Examines the growth of cities, their spatial distributions, internal dynamics, functional bases, and social and political patterns.

GY 365 Industrial Development and Location. Three hours.

Prerequisite: GY 110.

Systematic study of the principles and processes underlying the development, location, and spatial organization of economic activities. The course includes national and international perspectives.

GY 377 Cultural Geography. Three hours.

Prerequisite: GY 105 or GY 110.

Study of the geographic interrelationships between humankind's physical and cultural environments.

GY 383 Soil Science. Four hours.

Prerequisite: 8 hours of natural science.

Three lectures and one laboratory period. Introduction to the study of soil science, including the development, physics, chemistry, biology, and classification of soils.

GY 405 Directed Research in Physical Geography. Three hours.

Prerequisites: Senior standing and permission of the department.

Hands-on, problem-solving project in the field of physical geography.

GY 406 Directed Research in Human Geography. Three hours.

Prerequisites: Senior standing and permission of the department.

Hands-on, problem-solving project in the field of human geography.

GY 410 Water Resources Science. Three hours.

Prerequisites: GY 101 and GY 102, and MATH 112 or MATH 113 or MATH 115; or permission of the instructor.

Examination of the hydrologic cycle and efforts to measure, model, analyze, and utilize its components. Three field trips are required.

GY 411 Water Resources Policy and Management. Three hours.

Prerequisites: GY 101, GY 102, and GY 410/510; or permission of the instructor.

Investigation of the various approaches to policy and policy analysis in water resources management at local, state, national, and international levels. Three field trips are required.

GY 415 Methods of Geographic Field Research. Three to six hours.

Prerequisite: 12 hours of geography.

Field sampling and mapping techniques in both physical and human geography.

GY 416 Field Course in Water Resource Issues. Three hours.

Prerequisites: GY 411, GY 412, and permission of the instructor.

An examination of current topics in water resources around the United States, with an emphasis on the Southeast and Southwest.

GY 417 Natural Hazards. Three hours.

Prerequisites: GY 101, GY 102, and 6 additional hours of natural science.

Examination of the causes, consequences, and spatial distribution of climatic, geomorphic, and human-induced natural hazards.

GY 420 Remote Sensing of Environment. Four hours.

Prerequisite: GY 304 or equivalent.

Introduction to the basic principles of electromagnetic radiation, interaction between energy and earth features, remote sensing instruments, and information extraction from remotely sensed data.

GY 421 Map Design and Production. Four hours.

Prerequisite: GY 304 or equivalent.

Two lectures and one laboratory period. Color cartographic techniques, photographic map compilation, and cartographic printing techniques.

GY 424 Cartography Practicum. Three hours.

Prerequisites: Junior standing and permission of the department.

Individual work experience in cartography, supervised by faculty and staff of The University of Alabama.

GY 425 Cartography Internship. Three to nine hours.

Prerequisites: Junior standing and permission of the department.

Individual work experience with cartographic project, supervised by the staff of an off-campus agency.

GY 430 Geographic Information Systems. Four hours.

Prerequisite: GY 304 or equivalent.

Two lectures and one laboratory period. Analysis of the topological relationships of multivariate geographical data using concepts and techniques of geographic information systems.

GY 432 Special Research in Geography. One to four hours each semester.

Prerequisite: Permission of chairperson before registration.

GY 433 Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Practicum. Three hours.

Prerequisites: Junior standing and permission of the department.

Individual work experience in GIS, supervised by faculty and staff of The University of Alabama.

GY 434 Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Internship. Three to nine hours.

Prerequisites: Junior standing and permission of the department.

Individual work experience in GIS, supervised by the staff of an off-campus agency.

GY 435 Digital Image Processing for Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Four hours.

Prerequisite: GY 420.

Two lectures and one laboratory period. Analysis and extraction of thematic information from nonphotographic remotely sensed data for geographic information systems. Topics include image processing, image enhancement, and image classification.

GY 436 Advanced Geographic Information Systems. Four hours.

Prerequisite: GY 430.

Evaluation of case studies, spatial model development, and data base design for geographic information systems.

GY 437 Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Practicum. Three hours.

Prerequisites: An introductory GIS course and written permission of the department chairperson.

Individual work experience with GIS projects, supervised by the faculty and staff of The University of Alabama. The practicum provides the student with experience making decisions and solving problems not typically encountered in the classroom.

GY 438 Application Issues in Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Four hours.

Prerequisite: GY 420 or GY 430.

In-depth study of various topics in the application and technical issues of geographic information systems.

GY 439 Natural Resources and Environment Planning (same as PL 439). Three hours.

Prerequisites: 6 hours of natural science and 6 hours of social science.

Human interactions with the physical environment and ways of dealing with them. The course integrates environmental science, social science, and planning and includes environmental-impact assessment.

GY 440 Community Facilities Planning (same as PL 440). Three hours.

Prerequisite: 12 hours of social science.

Principles, processes, and analysis of public-facility location planning. The spatial search process, impact analysis, and public-facility location models form the core of the course.

GY 441 Planning Administration, Controls, and Techniques (same as PL 441). Three hours.

Prerequisite: 12 hours of social science.

Theory and use of zoning, eminent domain, taxing and police powers, enabling acts, charters, official maps, codes, nuisance ordinances, and environmental-impact statements in community planning.

GY 445 Planning Studio. Three hours.

Prerequisites: 12 hours of planning courses and permission of the department.

A group research project in planning, sponsored by an on- or off-campus agency.

GY 447 Environmental Modeling and Mapping. Four hours.

Prerequisite: GY 420 or GY 430.

Principles and applications of environmental modeling using geographic information technologies.

GY 450 Political Geography. Three hours.

Prerequisites: GY 110 and 9 hours of social science.

A geographic interpretation and examination of political space. Includes spatial organization of political space, its impact on political processes, and the patterns of behavior and issue differentiation resulting from humankind's organization of space for political purposes.

GY 451 Political Geography. Three hours.

Prerequisites: GY 110 and 9 hours of social science.

The political geography of the United States with particular attention to the South.

GY 452 Environmental Decision Making. Three hours.

Prerequisites: GY 101, GY 102, and 6 hours of social science; or permission of the instructor.

Review of the current environmental topics followed by discussion of techniques to facilitate environmental decision making and management.

GY 453 Environment and Society. Three hours.

Prerequisites: GY 110 and 9 hours of social science.

Exploration of the linkages between the biophysical environment and numerous social systems. Public policy implications are viewed from a social science perspective.

GY 455 Planning Practicum. Three hours.

Prerequisites: Junior standing and permission of the department.

Individual work experience in planning, supervised by faculty and staff of The University of Alabama.

GY 456 Planning Internship. Three to nine hours.

Prerequisites: Junior standing and permission of the department.

Individual work experience in planning, supervised by the staff of an off-campus agency.

GY 458 Urban Planning and Analysis. Three hours.

Prerequisites: GY 110 and 9 hours of social science.

Study of contemporary urban structure, power, and conflict. Includes analysis of the role of externalities in determining the pattern of urban economic and political activities. Urban policy management and analytical methods useful for solving urban land-use planning problems are examined.

GY 465 Regional Planning and Analysis. Three hours.

Prerequisites: GY 110 and 9 hours of social science.

Principles and processes of regional planning and the analytical methods appropriate for solving regional planning problems. Case studies and the role of the planner in the regional planning process are discussed.

GY 467 Topics in Global Environmental Change. Three hours.

Prerequisites: Junior standing and 12 hours of natural science.

Review and discussion of changes in the physical environment, both natural and man-made. Emphasis is on deforestation, changing land use, and recent climate changes.

GY 470 Special Studies in Geography. Three hours.

GY 471 Special Topics in Planning. Three hours.

Prerequisite: GY 200.

GY 475 Settlement History of the South. Three hours.

Prerequisite: GY 110.

Topics and themes in the historical geography of the U.S. South.

GY 484 Environmental Science for Teachers. Three hours.

A review of issues and themes in environmental science pertinent to environmental education at the K--12 level.

GY 485 Geography for Teachers. Three hours.

A review of current issues and themes in geography pertinent to geographic education at the K--12 level.

GY 486 Drainage Basin Dynamics. Three hours.

An examination of the physical operation of drainage basins (watersheds) focusing on surface hydrology, erosion, and sedimentation.

GY 489 Forest Ecology and Vegetation Analysis (same as BSC 489). Four hours.

Prerequisites: GY 101, GY 102, and BSC 116:117, or equivalent.

GY 490 Internship. Three hours.

Prerequisites: 18 hours of geography and permission of the department chairperson.

Work experience in an agency involved in geographical analysis.