Introduction to Geography
DESCRIPTION
Designed to examine the key themes, concepts and ideas in geography and to develop a
geographical perspective of the contemporary world. A basic foundation of the fundamental
themes in geographic education will be extended to the study of places and regions. Emphasis
will be placed on the development of cartographic and map interpretation skills.
COURSE OBJECTIVE
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to consider the basic themes of geography and how they are applied
to explore the relationships between physical and cultural landscapes
to provide a foundation in geographic enquiry that will act as a catalyst for future study
and to develop a sense of place by fostering a sense of connectivity with both the physical
and cultural world
LEARNING OUTCOMES
1. Know how to read and interpret maps.
2. Apply the five fundamental themes of Geography in describing world locations.
3. Demonstrate a basic understanding of the earth’s physical geography.
4. Describe the impacts of human populations on the environment.
5. Understand the concepts of Political geography in details
Written Assignments:
Students are required to submit their research proposal on time and submission date will be
announced in the class.
Evaluation:
assignment
Class participation (activities/presentation)
Marks Mid Term Exam
Quizzes
Final Exam
Total
10 Marks
10
30
10 Marks
40 Marks
100 Marks
COURSE POLICIES:
A Note on Academic Honesty: It must be emphasized that university policies on academic
dishonesty will be strictly followed. Since this class includes research component, students must
also be fully aware of plagiarism. Plagiarism involves presenting someone else’s idea or written
work as your own, without giving proper citation and credit to the original source. If you still
have any question or confusion about academic dishonesty, please do not hesitate to talk to me.
Make-up Exams and Late Assignments: There will be no make-up exams, unless there is a
valid (documented) reason for not taking the scheduled exams, or prior arrangements have been
made with the instructor.
Class Rules and Regulation: If any student misses’ classes more than prescribed numbers of
classes by the University, he or she may not be able to appear in the Final Examination or short
attendance will be treated according to the Policy of University.
Course Outline:
Week 1
Course Overview, and Introduction, Core Geographic Concepts
Introduction and Definitions of Geography
o Scope of the subject
o Roots of the discipline and basic geographic concepts
o The evolution of geography from ancient to modern period of Branches of
Geography and its relations with other disciplines.
Week 2
About Maps, GIS, and Remote Sensing
Maps(a) Different kinds of maps: topographic maps showing terrain; contour lines
(b) Map symbols and patterns: point symbols, area symbols, line symbols
(c) Remote sensing: aerial photography; geographic information systems (GIS)
(d) Devote remainder of the class period to an introduction of Goode’s World
Atlas and its contents.
Week 3
Weather and Climate
Weather
(a) Weather vs. climate and the importance of both.
(b) Controls of air temperature: Latitude, land-water influences, elevation
(lapse rate), ocean currents
(c) Controls of air pressure and winds: pressure gradients; convection; local
winds.
(d) Controls of precipitation: moisture in the atmosphere; types of
precipitation (convectional, orographic, cyclonic or frontal), and
where/when they occur
(e) Storms (midlatitude cyclones, hurricanes/typhoons, blizzards,
tornadoes
Climate
Week 4
Week 5
(b) Soils and climate (emphasis on soil forming factors and their contribution to
fertility or the lack thereof, e.g., leaching of nutrients vs. non-leached;
accumulation of organic matter)
(c) Natural vegetation: succession; natural regions; human impact upon the
biosphere
Cultural Geography
Introduction to Cultural Geography
(a) The importance of culture as a geographical element
(a) The nature and components of culture: culture traits (material and nonmaterial) and trait complexes;
(b) Theories of human-environment interaction: environmental determinism,
possibilism, cultural determinism (environmental perception)
(c) Subsystems of culture: technological, sociological, ideological
(d) How culture changes: innovation, diffusion, acculturation.
Week 6
Urban Geography
(a) Introduction to urbanization
(b) Functions of urban areas: why people live in cities and urban functions;
definitions
(c) Locations of urban settlements (factors of settlement location) (d) Economic
base of cities
(e) Metropolitan region
Week
7
MID TERM EXAM
Week 8
Political Geography
(a) The organization of space and power
(b) National political systems: concepts of state, nation, and nation-state;
Evolution of the modern state; geographic characteristics of states (size, shape,
location, cores and capitals); boundaries; geopolitical assessments; centripetal
and centrifugal forces
(c) International political systems
(d) Local and regional political organization
Week 9
Economic Geography
Numerous economic maps and tables in Goode’s)
(a) Classification of economic activity and systems: categories (primary,
secondary, tertiary, quaternary); types of economic systems (subsistence,
commercial)
(b) Primary economic activities: agriculture, fishing, forestry, mining
(c) Trade in primary products
Week 10
Geography of Natural Resource
(a) Resource terminology: resources; renewable and nonrenewable; resource
reserves
(b) Nonrenewable energy resources: energy; crude oil; coal; natural gas; oil
shale; tar sands; nuclear
(c) Renewable energy resources: biomass; hydroelectric; solar; geothermal;
wind
(d) Nonfuel mineral resources: distribution.
Food Resources: production; expansion of cultivated areas; malnutrition and
gender; increasing yields; fishing
(b) Land resources: coastal wetlands; forest resource
Week 11
Week 12
Human Environment Relations
(a) Concepts of ecology and ecosystem
(b) Human impact on water: hydrologic cycle; water distribution and
availability; modification of streams; water quality and pollution; controlling
water pollution
(c) Human impact on air and climate: air pollutants; factors affecting air
pollution; acid Rain; smog; ozone depletion; greenhouse effect and global
warming; controlling air pollution
(d) Survery of Earth’s major water features (oceans, seas/gulfs/bays, rivers,
lakes)
Prisoners of Geography
Chapter 1,2
Russia and China
Prisoners of Geography
Week 13
Chapter 3
United States
Prisoners of Geography
Week 14
Chapter 6
The Middle East
Prisoner’s of Geography
Week 15
Chapter 7
India and Pakistan