GEH 240/GEP 640: Urban Geography and Geographic Information Science
3 Credits. Fall Semester 2011
Professor: Moira Conway
e-mail: moira.conway@lehman.cuny.edu
Office Hours: Mondays 5-6 p.m., Gillet Hall room 325
E-mail is the BEST way to contact me
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This course covers the contribution of geographical concepts and methods to an understanding
of contemporary and future urban issues. It applies the use of GISc to the study of the internal
structure of cities and urban systems, including city dynamics, classic and postmodern models,
central place theory, urban migration and mobility, race, ethnicity, and gender, urban migration,
poverty, industrial and post-industrial urban societies, residential segregation, land use change,
gentrification, urban and suburban sprawl, housing, urban environmental issues, and regional
planning. Lab work involves using GISc to explore the form and function of urban areas, and to
solve critical urban problems using spatial analysis.
REQUIRED TEXTBOOKS: (Available at Lehman College Bookstore)
• Exploring the Urban Community: A GIS Approach, Second Edition
Green and Pick, 2012, Pearson Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, NJ
Academic dishonesty:
Academic dishonesty will not be tolerated. Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to,
cheating, plagiarizing (including “cutting and pasting” or paraphrasing information from the
internet without proper citation), fabricating information or citations, facilitating acts of academic
dishonesty by others, submitting work of another person or papers written for other courses, or
tampering with the academic work of other students. Students may be asked to submit their
notes and references to prove that their work is their own. For further clarification, please read
CUNY's policy on academic integrity at http://www.lehman.edu/provost/documents/academicintegrity.pdf. Violators will be reported to the head of the Department and to the Dean of
Student Affairs.
Accommodation for Students with Disabilities:
Lehman College is committed to providing access to all programs and curricula to all students.
Students with disabilities who may need classroom accommodations are encouraged to
register with the Office of Student Disability Services. For more information, please contact the
Office of Student Disability Services, Shuster Hall, Room 238, tel #: 718-960-8441.
The Academic Center for Excellence (ACE) and the Science Learning Center (SLC):
Lehman College has two tutoring centers on campus. The ACE provides appointment-based
and drop-in tutoring in the humanities, social sciences and writing, as well as general writing
skills. The SLC provides drop-in tutoring for natural and computer science courses. To obtain
more information about the ACE and SLC, please visit their website at
http://www.lehman.edu/issp, or please call the ACE at 718-960-8175, and the SLC at 718-9607707.
Technology Requirements:
1. Internet Access
2. Microsoft Word and ArcGIS version 10-provided in first course meeting
3. Access to Power of Place Video Series http://www.learner.org/resources/series180.html
and the Human Geography Series http://www.learner.org/resources/series85.html
*These are both best viewed in Firefox or Internet Explorer
4. Access to the textbook online:
http://www.mygeoscienceplace.com/books_geography.html
Go to Geography, then GIS, then our text- Exploring the Urban community
Exam Requirement:
In order to preserve the integrity of this course as equivalent to an in-classroom course, the
Final Exam must be taken in person on December 19.
Format of Material:
Learning Units:
Course Material is broken into 2 week units (except for the first two, which are 3 weeks due to
CUNY holidays.) Each unit includes chapters to be read from the book, the chapter quizzes
link, a link to the Discussion Board questions and any additional material such as video links,
and the GIS Lab.
Discussion Board Questions:
They should be completed for each Unit. Please read the grading description found in the
Assignments tab. The essay questions on the exams will be taken from these.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS:
Chapter Quizzes
20%
GIS Lab Assignments
30%
Discussion Board Postings
Final Exam
30%
20%
Chapter Quizzes: Through the textbook website, you should take the Chapter Quiz for each
chapter you read. At the end of the quiz, you have the option submit the quiz to the
Gradebook. Submit it once you receive a score of 80% or above. You can take it as many
times as it takes to get this score. They must be sent by 11 p.m. on the first Friday of the Unit
(for the 3 week Units, it will be the second Friday.) Please read the additional instructions on
the quizzes in the Course Document tab.
GIS Lab Assignments: Using ArcGIS software you will complete a lab along with each Unit.
Your lowest grade will be dropped, therefore your highest 5 scores will account for your Lab
Assignment grade. Please carefully read the instructions about the labs in the Course
Document Tab. Labs will be due the second Friday of each Unit (for the 3 week Units, it will be
the third Friday.)
Discussion Board Posts: You will be required to read the course textbook, watch videos, and
read additional material or websites and then answer questions on the Group Discussion
Board. Requirements for grading the Discussion Board are posted in the Course Document
Tab. Labs will be due the second Wednesday of each Unit (for the 3 week Units, it will be the
third Wednesday.)
Final Exam: Exams will cover assigned readings and Discussion Board questions. It must be
taken in person during Final Exam Week.
Grading Scale:
A
AB+
B
B-
93 - 100
90 - 92.9
87 - 89.9
83 - 86.9
80 - 82.9
C+
C
CD+
D
DF
77 - 79.9
73 - 76.9
70 - 72.9
67 - 69.9
63 - 66.9
60 - 62.9
0 - 59.9
Course Schedule:
Note: Schedule is subject to change. Changes will be announced on
Blackboard.
Date
Reading
Lecture Topics
Assignments
Unit 1 ending 9/16
Introduction
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Spatial Displace of Urban Env.
Dynamics of Cities
Unit 2 ending 10/7
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Defining the Metropolis
Internal Structure of Cities
Unit 3 ending 10/21
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Systems of Cities
Neighborhoods
Discussion Board 3
Lab 3- Neighborhood
Quizzes- Ch. 5 and 6
Unit 4 ending 11/4
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Migration and Mobility
Race, Ethnicity, Gender, Pov.
Discussion Board 4
Lab 4- Centrographic
Methods
Quizzes- Ch. 7 and 8
Unit 5 ending 11/18
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Industrial Locations and Cities
Urban Core/Edge City
Discussion Board 5
Lab 5- Urban Fringe
Quizzes-Ch. 9 and 10
Unit 6 ending 12/9*
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Environmental Problems
Urban and Regional Planning
Buy text
Discussion Board 1
Lab 1- Sunbelt
Quizzes- Ch. 1 and 2
*Unit 1 includes an extra week due to Labor Day and a chance to get used to the
course activities
Discussion Board 2
Lab 2- MSA
Quizzes- Ch. 3 and 4
*Unit 2 includes an extra week due to CUNY holidays 9/28-9/30
Discussion Board 6
Lab 6- Air Pollution
Quizzes-Ch. 11 & 12
*Unit 6 includes an extra week due to Thanksgiving 11/23-11/27
FINAL EXAM must be taken between 12/19 in the classroom.