GEOG 115 - Geography, Environment, and Society: Engaging with the World Around Us

This course introduces students to geography, a dynamic field that focuses on human-environment interactions, spatial patterns, global connections, and regional differences. This is one of three introductory course options in geography. In this course, we explore the epistemological and methodological bases of human geography. We start with the histories and paradigms of geography and advance to key geographic concepts such as space, time, place, scale, landscape, system, nature, development, globalization, and risk. We will also survey approaches to practicing human geography and consider vital questions like what data to use, which methods to employ, and what analyses to perform. Course assignments emphasize hands-on and field-based learning activities that aim to empower students to engage with the world around them and produce geographic knowledge. By bringing the “knowing” and the “doing” of human geography together, this course aims to help students appreciate that human geography is not a collection of geographical facts, but an intellectual institution always open to new perspectives and approaches, and constantly evolving with our societies. Students will gain analytical and critical thinking skills unique to geography that will enrich their liberal arts education and propel them along their chosen career paths or specializations. Students may take only one of GEOG-111, GEOG-113, or GEOG-115 as an introductory course for the Geography major or minor (students can also earn credit equivalent to this course by scoring a 4 or 5 on the Advanced Placement Exam in Human Geography). Every year. (4 Credits)