Courses

Humans are at once shaping their landscape and being shaped by the landscape. This course encourages critical thinking about the relationships between humans and their environment and considers our own positions in the complex matrix of human-environmental interdependencies. We will explore a variety of sub-fields in human geography including economic, environmental, cultural, historical, political, urban and/or agricultural geographies. After developing a foundation for spatial analysis and understanding interdependencies, students are prepared to pursue more human geography courses and to ask geographic questions about contemporary issues and problems in the world today.

This course is an introduction to ecological and environmental systems, processes, and problems at global, state, and local levels.  Through lecture and labs we will examine ecosystems, natural resources, and earth processes and their interactions with the human environment. 

This course is an overview of geographic research methods and techniques. Topics covered include: research design, field and archival data collection, statistical analysis, topographic map reading, and introduction to remote sensing and GIS. Emphasis is on practical application of the techniques, skills, and methods presented. Fall & Spring.

This course is about geomorphology, the study of earth's landforms, and the internal and surface processes that form its surface: mountain-building and continental scale tectonic processes, volcanoes, rock weathering processes, hillslopes, fluvial (streams), coastal, wind, glaciers, karst, and the significance of structure, climate and human activities. Field trips to Lassen Volcanic National Park to see volcanic, glacial, fluvial, hillslope and weathering phenomena (3-day) and the San Mateo Coast (1-day).

This course investigates interactions between climate and the biosphere, including both climatic controls on biological functioning and vice-versa, especially modification and use of climate by plants and humans. We combine theoretical study with applications in agriculture and forestry, urban design and air pollution. Topics explored include ecosystem-atmosphere cycles of water, carbon and energy, human thermoregulation, urban climates and surface winds. Students participate actively in learning through weekend fieldwork, data interpretation, reading and classroom discussions.

Soils lie at the intersection of all areas of physical geography: they develop as a result of environmental factors of climate and surface hydrology; on parent material developed from local bedrock and sediments; are modified by local geomorphic processes and topographic relationships; and co-evolve with biotic systems such as plant communities and microorganisms. The relationship between soils and humans is profound: agriculture depends on soils, yet human misuse is the major cause of soil degradation. In this course, students learn how soils form from the interplay of these factors, how and where they develop their essential properties (texture, structure, moisture, chemical nutrients, organisms, etc.), and how we can best sustain them as an essential natural resource.

Geography 402 focuses on collective human causes of and response to natural hazards.  The emphasis is on the human-environmental interactions that may result in natural disasters to human lives and properties. The course has four objectives: (1) Understand the physical processes that may lead to detrimental outcome to human lives and properties, which sets the foundation for the second objective; (2) Survey historical hazard causes and coping strategies, i.e., why natural processes would become disastrous to human societies and how humans make trade-offs between gains and losses in hazardous environment, which leads to the third objective; (3) Evaluate current natural hazard mitigation with case studies of recent and/or major natural disasters in order to gain insights into the role of stakeholders in mitigation strategies, which establishes a framework for the fourth objective; (4) Apply basic concepts and tools for hazard mitigation, focusing on hazard prevention (management) instead of disaster (emergency) response, and developing a conceptual framework of sustainable development in human-environmental interaction.

This course explores people's interpretations of their environment and the links between environmental perception and behavior, highlighting the important work done by geographers. We begin at a personal scale and proceed to broader scales, examining the representation of nature, the social construction of nature and variations in the perception and social construction of environmental problems.

Location and geographic distribution of the world's major types of production and associated systems of distribution and consumption; interpretation of economic activities in relation to various features of the environment.

Exploration of movements for sustainable and urban agriculture, local and regional food systems, food justice and food sovereignty; consideration of ecological, economic, and political aspects of building alternative food systems locally, nationally, and internationally. Field trips and community service required. 

We will examine the relationship between cities and transportation, with an emphasis on the Bay Area. The course includes a review of trends, history, and current issues in urban transportation in the United States and Bay Area. Other topics include the transportation planning process, environmental concerns, and financing urban transport. Throughout the semester we will consider a variety of mobility choices and investments that are being considered in the Bay Area. Students are expected to attend all lectures, conduct all outside readings, and undertake an in-depth, semester-long research project on an urban transportation issue. Students are also required to take one of two field trips. 

The course explores examples of global transportation trends, policies and debates, and compares them to the Bay Area, California, and the US. We begin with an overview of the global proliferation of automobiles, and look at implications for global natural resources and the environment. Specifically, we examine the relationship between the globalization of automobiles and oil. Next, the course offers a comparison of key themes in transportation, including: (1) Road building in the Bay Area and a discussion of the politics of road building. We'll then review some case studies of road building politics around the world. (2) Transit policy in the Bay Area will include a review of San Francisco's “transit first” approach, the funding debate surrounding MUNI, and then a case study profile of Zurich, Switzerland. (3) Bicycling's re-emergence as utilitarian urban transportation mode and bicycling trends in San Francisco.

Physical and cultural geographic factors in and between political-territorial units. Effects of resource distribution, political motivations and ideologies on establishing territorial sovereignty. Also offered as IR 445. May not be repeated under alternate prefix.

The spatial structure and organization of ethnic communities as illustrated by reference to San Francisco and other American cities.

Anglo-America's physiography, climates, vegetation, soils, natural resources; the effect on development of industry, commerce, and population distribution.

Geographic environment of China and impact on modern socioeconomic development. Environmental and resource challenges, regional development strategies, and geopolitical imperatives.

Application of field methods in human geography. Research methodologies and design including interviewing, surveying, ethnographic methods, and archival research. (Paired with GEOG 701. Students who complete GEOG 701 may not take GEOG 601 for credit.

This course is an introduction to computer-based geographic analysis and problem-solving. It covers the fundamentals of Geographical Information Systems (GIS) technology and how it is being applied in various disciplines. Students will learn how to collect, organize, analyze, and display geographic data. Each student will complete a series of lab exercises that exemplify the typical steps in a GIS project. The course will culminate with students carrying out their own GIS project. Esri ArcGIS software will be used for the laboratory portion of the course.

Introduction to remote sensing and digital image processing. Image acquisition, physical background, image interpretation. Display and enhancement of digital images, radiometric and geometric corrections, image transformations, classification using ERDAS Imagine.

This course is an advanced GIS course with emphasis on vector data model and analysis. The first half is about spatial analysis which includes data models, data acquisition, and model builder. The second half introduces the Geodatabase model and its functions such as domains, relationships, topology, and network analysis. Direct experience in the use of GIS tools is emphasized, in particular ArcGIS.

In this course, we learn a suite of methods that allow us to use programming logic to automate and build tools for desktop and web-based GIS and remote sensing. We’ll start by exploring Python, an object-oriented scripting language, to process desktop data for conversion of imagery, GIS, field survey and LiDAR data. Then we’ll shift to using Javascript to build functional GIS tools and interactive maps on the web, using APIs for Google Maps and ArgGIS.

This course explores watersheds and methods of geomorphic assessment and restoration of hillslopes and stream systems. Begins with an exploration of the properties and processes of watersheds, their slope materials, soils and land-use characteristics, and the forms and processes of the stream network that drains them. Assessment methods will apply GIS technology to problems of hillslope runoff and soil erosion, interpretation of runoff-discharge relationships, and modeling the effects of changing land use. Field trips to Bay Area streams and restoration sites.

Knowledge of physical coastal and ocean processes is necessary to analyze and evaluate the many issues of coastal and marine conservation that we are confronted with today. 70% of the world is covered by water, and 60% of the global population lives close to the shore. Students concerned with conservation of marine resources need to be able to identify and critically appraise the various topics in marine resources that are quickly becoming of concern.

The term “environmental impact assessment” carries multiple meanings in the US. From a policy perspective, it refers to the public’s right to know about the environmental consequences of government actions. From a scientific perspective, it refers to methods of predicting the environmental consequences of proposed projects. From an administrative perspective, it refers to the process decision makers must go through to make environmental decisions, and the process of engaging the public in environmental decisions. The term can refer to both federal policy (NEPA) and state policy (CEQA) and related environmental laws. This course introduces you to all these views, focusing primarily on NEPA and CEQA. As you become familiar with the policy, administration, and science of EIA, you’ll be better able to engage the process to influence decisions affecting the environment.

Geography includes the study of human interaction with both natural ecosystems and the human-built environment. Land use policy and planning is at the nexus of this spatial interaction. In the U.S. over 80% of the population lives in a metropolitan area, and this has a significant impact on environmental and social problems found at local, regional, national, and global scales. In this course we will survey contemporary land use and urban growth issues common in the Bay Area and in other US metropolitan areas. The course will review the land use planning process, and consider the problems of sprawl and the package of “smart growth” solutions currently being promoted. The course covers general plans, zoning, environmental review, and selected topics of relevance to the Bay Area such as housing and open space.

Training in the teaching of geography. Responsibilities include working with supervising faculty to review and prepare course materials, tutor students, conduct small discussion groups and give brief lectures/demonstrations. May be repeated for a total of 3 units.

Conceptualization, production and applications of writing in Geography and Environmental Science. Review of academic literature, research paper production, building a resume and portfolio, delivering scholarly presentations. Assignments submitted in draft, peer-edited, revised & resubmitted to departmental competency standards.

Methods of statistical analysis and review of their use in geographic literature; univariate and multivariate analysis, graphical presentation; statistical software. Geographical analysis of waste. Alternative solutions focusing on the San Francisco Bay Area: development and implementation of resource management programs.

Management and planning concepts and their application to problems in resource development and environmental protection. History of environmental management and policy, national and international problems in environmental management.

Training in the teaching of geography. Responsibilities include working with supervising faculty to review and prepare course materials, tutor students, conduct small discussion groups and give brief lectures/demonstrations. May be repeated for a total of 3 units.

An investigation of selected themes in geomorphology, beginning with a general look at theories of fluvial landform development, followed by review of more specialized systems. Discussions of geomorphic processes and applications of this science to problems in environmental management.

Various topics in climatology are investigated focusing on interaction between the surface and the atmosphere and additional topics to be selected according to student interests.

Investigation of the development of this subfield in cultural geography with special emphasis on concepts of innovation and diffusion, emerging views on social responsibility within the discipline, and applications to contemporary life.

Nature and status of environmental planning, including contemporary themes and research trends. Application of geographic concepts, methods, and research techniques. (Also offered as PA 858. May not be repeated under alternate prefix.)