Selected topics of special interest in geography. May be repeated as content varies by title.

A survey of the political, economic, and social causes and consequences of migration. Topics include immigration policy, border control, settlement patterns, transnationalism, multiculturalism, and integration. Selected contemporary and historical cases.

Concepts of space and power and their relationship to polities, elections, geopolitics, identities, law, economics, populations, and civil society.

Analysis of the competing demands for limited resources in the coastal zone with emphasis on the role of management in the resolution of conflicts over resource use.

Graduation with Leadership Distinction: GLD: Professional and Civic Engagement Internships

A discussion-based seminar course that examines nature-society relations in coastal regions globally. The course will use social theory to understand how uneven development processes shaped – and continue shaping – current coastlines. We will explore key topics including coastal capitalism, delta ecologies, and climate justice via several global case studies.

An examination of the factors responsible for creating the contemporary South Carolina cultural landscape.

Analysis of transportation systems and the application of geographic tools to transportation planning.

Human and environmental contributions to the generation and management of hazards originating from extreme natural events to technological failures. Contemporary public policy issues at the national and international level.

A survey of basic quantitative approaches for handling and interpreting geographically related data; univariate and bivariate procedures applicable to a variety of problems.

Examination of the geo-spatial aspects of hazards analysis and planning with specific reference to disaster preparedness, recover, mitigation, and resilience.

Political, social, and cultural landscapes of food and farming around the world; issues of agricultural production, trade, consumption, and food security.

Planning, compiling, constructing, and evaluating thematic maps. Theory and practice in scribing, separation and screening, color proofing, and map reproduction. Discussions of the process of map communication and the ways the cartographer can improve that communication.

Theories and principles of interactive and animated cartographic design.

The influence of political boundaries, historical forces, settlement patterns, and transportation processes on urban life.

Principles and controls of weather and climate as they occur at the regional/synoptic scale. Background on the critical tools and concepts used for daily weather forecasting by the National Weather Service and prominent government agencies, and used by broadcast meteorologists.

Analysis of climate applications in natural and human-modified environments. Content may include water resources, solar energy, urban planning, air quality, agriculture, and tourism. Course work includes lab and field experimentation.

Introduction to landforms and processes associated with flowing water at the earth’s surface. Hydrology, sedimentology, and theories of channel formation and drainage basin evolution.

Analysis of emergent patterns in landscape structure and its linkage to ecological processes; application of relevant principles, methodologies, and geospatial technologies to solving real-world challenges focused on species and ecosystem conservation.

Spatial variation of hydrology, water quality, and water-related hazards, including runoff generation, soil erosion, sedimentation, and flood hazards. Emphasizes a watershed perspective using geographic data and methods.

Computer-assisted digital image analysis; Image correction; Spatial/spectral transformation; image classification and change detection; Use of remote sensing for solving real-world environmental problems.

Introduction to fundamental concepts used to map topographic and planimetric Earth surface features using digital LiDAR (LiDARgrammetric) and digital soft-copy photogrammetry (Photogrammetric).

Computer programming of spatial problems; spatial statistical analysis, interactive graphics, and computer maps.

Web-based Geographic Information Systems (WebGIS), including concepts and principles of WebGIS, web programming fundamentals, web-based mapping techniques, and developing WebGIS applications.

Key concepts of geography and current approaches to teaching geography with specific attention to classroom materials, curriculum reform, cross-curricular integration, learning theory, and the use of geospatial/instructional technology.

Technology and use of Global Positioning Systems (GPS). GPS space segment, receiver technologies, range observables, and positioning accuracy. Applications to large/medium scale mapping, remote sensing, and aerial photography.

Theory and application of geographic information systems including discussions of automated input, storage, analysis, integration, and display of spatial data. Use of an operational geographic information system.

Geographical information systems for modeling physical/human processes in space and time using raster and vector data. Cartographic modeling concepts, embedded models, and GIS-model coupling.

Representation, construction, maintenance, and analysis of spatial data in a geographic information system (GIS) database.

The processes of climate adaptation planning and management from central concepts in adaptation to issues such as projecting impacts, vulnerability assessment, coping with uncertainty, and decision making.

Climatic changes of the past and their impact on the physical landscape, with an emphasis on the Quaternary period.

Consequences of increasing anthropogenic changes on environmental systems including the sources of change, regional impacts, and social and policy responses.

Intersections of international development and environmental change; study of general theoretical perspectives balanced with case studies from the Global South.

Graduation with Leadership Distinction: GLD: Diversity and Social Advocacy, GLD: Global Learning

Geography of public land, water, and related public trust resources (wildlife, timber, minerals, fuels, recreation, wetlands, coastal zones, wilderness); historical geography of policy; spatial aspects of current research and management.

Field techniques and processes in the atmospheric boundary layer including radiation, soil heat fluxes, turbulence, momentum, latent and sensible heat fluxes, moisture, and evaporation.

Observations and theories of climatic change and variability as they occur at different space and time scales. Projections of future climates. Techniques used in climatic change research and impact analysis.

This course examines cultural understandings of and responses to globalization, examining topics such as its history and theories, migration, economic integration and inequality, identity, social movements, and the environment.

Graduation with Leadership Distinction: GLD: Global Learning

Influence of wind on coastal systems, with emphasis on nearshore currents, sediment transport and bedforms, aeolian transport, and dunes. Minimum Junior standing required.

Internship in government agencies, private-sector businesses, and non-profit organizations under the joint supervision of sponsor and departmental. A maximum of three credits may be applied to undergraduate Geography major or to Geography master's degree. May be repeated to a maximum of six credits.

Graduation with Leadership Distinction: GLD: Professional and Civic Engagement Internships

Experiential Learning: Experiential Learning Opportunity

A survey of the development of geographic philosophy and an analysis of geographic methodology.

Directed research topics individually assigned and supervised by graduate faculty. May be repeated for credit.

Special topics are offered in the form of short courses, seminars, and workshops. Students may take these offerings, by permission of the instructor, for variable credit. The course may be taken more than once.

Examines in geographical and historical contexts the activities of various women travelers and explorers.

Review of recent literature on geography education with an emphasis on the national geography standards, spatial thinking and the use of geospatial technology in pedagogic contexts.

An analysis of the total geographic complex of selected major world regions.

An investigation into the concepts of the urban field and the urban region.

Investigation into the locational aspects and the spatial systems of selected economic activities, from both regional and systematic viewpoints.

The physical and human geography of major world regions with emphasis on basic principles of regional geography. Cannot be used in M.A., M.S., or Ph.D. programs in geography.

Studies of the characteristics, processes, and distributions over the world of the different cultural and physical environmental elements, such as economic, political, or social activities, climate and landforms.

Review of recent geographic literature on nature-society interactions with an emphasis on identifying research themes and methodologies employed by contemporary geographers.

Advanced quantitative approaches for handling and interpreting geographically related data. Multivariate procedures applicable to a variety of problems will be presented. For each topic the students will analyze data relating to their individual interests.

The student works in a developing country for two to four months on projects designed by instructor and funded by the host country.

Intensive discussion of classic and contemporary works in the field of political geography.

Selected topics in spatial cognition.

Seminar on research trends and writing research proposals in geography.

A seminar to familiarize students with current experimental techniques, literature, and research topics in cartography.

Major theories, measures of climatic change and variability, climate models, statistical analysis, and climate impacts.

Investigation of physical systems and processes at the earth’s surface. Topics vary; landforms, hydrology, pedology, biogeography, quaternary science, human impacts on physical systems.

Introduction to the fundamental principles and methods of digital image processing of remotely sensed data. Algorithms are discussed for preprocessing, enhancement, and classification mapping of digital data for agricultural, urban, geological, and environmental problems.

Satellite-based information extraction; programming skills for digital image processing; self-developed modeling approaches; quantitative analysis of remote sensing data.

Theory and application of modern automated approaches to handling geographic data. Includes computer oriented procedures for the input, analysis and display of spatial data.

A survey of (1) the philosophical and intellectual foundations of Geography as a discipline, and (2) contemporary ideas and debates in major subfields of geographic research.

Advanced directed research by a PhD student on geographical topics to be individually supervised by graduate faculty. This course may be taken for 1-3 credit hours of independent study by a student working closely with a faculty member on a specific research project to be defined and agreed upon between the student and a supervising faculty member.

Reading intensive seminar focused on conceptual frontiers and methodological debates in contemporary human geography with a secondary emphasis on intradisciplinary and cross-disciplinary affinities.

Advanced reading and discussion of the physical, economic, social and/or cultural geography of major selected world regions.

A research seminar where students critically evaluate relevant literature, develop a research proposal, and complete a related research project in environmental geography.

A topic central to cartography will be studied. Students will critically evaluate pertinent literature, develop a research proposal, and complete a related research project.

Research and discussion on various topics in physical geography. Literature varies with seminar topic but will include prevailing theories, data types, and modeling strategies in climatology, meteorology, hydrology, biogeography, soils, or geomorphology.

Advanced reading and discussion in the following areas - 1) the theoretical bases of remote sensing; 2) remote sensing of biophysical variables such as plant and soil temperatures and moisture content; 3) advanced principles of optical and digital image processing; and 4) economic aspects of remote sensing of the environment.

A research seminar in which students conduct a detailed analysis of specific aspects of geographical data handling. This will include the design, implementation, and management of an operational geographical information system.