Credit Hours-3 Office: Howard 124
Class-MW -2:00 - 3:15 Tel: 271- 3974
Place-238 Meredith e-mail-ramesh.dhussa@drake.edu
Office Hours:
MW 11:00-12:40
TTH 10:00-10:50
Dr. Ramesh Dhussa
Geography
Department for the Study of Culture and Society
Course description:
This course focuses on two aspects of geography.
1. This introductory course should enable us to understand the concept, scope and tools of human geography. Discussions on concepts, themes, and tools of geography will be emphasized.
2. Class activities and projects will involve spatial aspects of population geography, themes of cultural geography, geographic dimensions of religion, language, urban patterns, Landscape in literature, and political geography.
Goals:
This course aims at enhancing and polishing the concepts, themes, and knowledge of geography, and to grasp and practice aspects of human geography.
Required texts:
1. Human Geography: Culture, Society, and Space. Harm J. De Blij, New York: John Wiley and Sons, 1999. (Sixth Edition)
2. Goode's World Atlas, Rand McNally and Company, 2000. (20th edition)
3. Package for Urban field exercise and Place Geography.-Dhussa
Reading Assignments:
You should complete the reading assignments prior to the discussion in the class. If you need any clarification regarding the reading materials please ask your instructor.
Examinations and Quizzes:
There will be two mid-term examinations and a final examination. The exams will employ essays, short notes, and some objective type of questions. There will be one brief map location assignment. In addition to the three tests you will have five homework reading assignments test.
The exam schedule is as follows
Midterm Exam I 5th week, Wednesday, September 26th
Midterm Exam II 11th week, Wednesday, November 7th
Final Exam Friday, December 21st 7:30-9:20
Policy about make-up
Make-up is limited to one.
Make-up for the examination will be given on the day before the last day of the class i.e. on
Wednesday, December 12th.
The make-up examination will be of different version.
If you miss an examination and intend to make up please provide me immediately a 5x3 card giving the details of why you missed the examination (Only compelling medical or personal emergencies justify a make-up).
Grading:
Your grade will be determined as follows:
1. 3 exams - 50 x 3 150 points
2. Class projects and discussions 25 X 4 100 points
3. Map assignment (due by Oct. 5) 20 points
4. Literary geography project 40 points
5. Film Project 15 X 2 30 points
6. Homework assignment tests 20 X 5 100 points
7. Class Participation & Attendance 60 points
(Two absences are allowed for emergency reasons. Please submit a written note for record purposes. After two absences 4 points will be deducted for each additional absence.)
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Grand total 500 Points
50% points will be deducted for the late submission of any assignment or project.
A letter grade will be assigned as follows:
A 90% to 100%
B 80% to 89%
C 70% to 79%
D 60% to 69%
F 59% or less
Problems:
If you have any problems during the course of the semester come in and see me. I encourage you to come early.
Class Attendance:
You are expected to attend regularly and attendance may/will be taken.
1. Aug. 27-31
Introduction to geography. --pp. 1-52
What is Human geography?
Main branches of geography
Physical--Human
2. Sept. 3-7
Sub-fields of Physical geography; Human geography
Topical--Regional geography
Tools of geography. -- See atlas --P. IX (Maps, Scale)
Five themes of geography -See ATLAS --P. vii
(September 3, Labor day-Classes do not meet)
3. Sept. 10-14
Population geography -- pp. 53-108
Distribution
Demographic Transition Model
Migration, Distance Decay
4. Sept. 17-21
Gravity Model, Population Pyramid
Homework assignment test. (Population geography)
(Homework assignment No. 1)
Class project on changing world population followed by group discussions (Class project No. 1)
5. Sept. 24-28
Themes in Cultural geography
Anglo-Indians-A distinct socio-cultural group
Mid term exam. I
(Introduction, Population, and Migration)
Wednesday, Sept. 26th
6. Oct. 1-5
Linguistic Geography-- pp. 109-148
Geography of Languages
Homework assignment test. (Linguistic geography)
(Homework assignment No. 2)
7. Oct. 8-12
Geography of Religions --pp. 149-186
Geography of Religion
Film-"Origin of India's Hindu Civilization" followed by group discussions. (Write one page group report)
Homework assignment test. (Geography of religion)
(Homework assignment No.3)
8. Oct. 15-19
Film "Understanding Hindu Civilizations" followed by group discussions. (Write one page group report)
(October 15-16, Fall recess)
9. Oct. 22-26
Landscape in Literature-A- Humanistic geography dimension
Group discussions on readings
A group project on a novel
10. Oct. 29-Nov. 2
Landscape in Literature-A- Humanistic geography dimension
Group discussions on readings
A group project on a novel
11.Nov.5-9
Urban Geography --pp. 225-280
Concepts in Urban geography
Urban morphology
Midterm exam. II
(Language, Religion,)
Wednesday, November 7th
12. Nov.12-16
Class project on European cities-followed by group
discussions (Class project No. 2)
Class project on the evolution of an American city- followed by group discussions (Class project No. 3)
13. Nov. 19-23
Homework assignment test. (Urban geography)
(Homework assignment No.4)
(November 21-23, Thanksgiving recess)
14. Nov. 26-30
Group urban field exercise-Drake area.
Followed by group discussions (Class project No. 4)
15. Dec. 3-7
Political Geography-- pp. 337-384
Concepts in political geography
Boundaries
Shapes of states
Homework assignment test. (Political geography)
(Homework assignment No.5)
16. Dec. 10-14
Heartland theory, Electoral geography
(Day free for study, Friday, December 14th)
17. Dec. 17-21 Final Exam,