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Department of Geography
geog@umn.edu
612-625-6080
geog@umn.edu
612-625-6080
Courses
Graduate students in geography select courses and seminars from among the offerings at the graduate (5xxx-8xxx) level in geography.
GEOG 5181 - Russia and Environs (IP)
(3.0 cr; =[GEOG 3181]; spring, every year)
Physical and human geography of Russia and former Soviet republics. Legacy of central planning on regional economies, city systems and city structure. Economic and cultural links among regions and republics. Conflicts rooted in religion, ethnicity and tradition. Relations with nearby states and regions. Physical environmental problems.
GEOG 5361 - Geography and Real Estate
(4.0 cr; spring, every year)
Origins and evolution of land ownership in the United States.
GEOG 5371W - American Cities I: Population and Housing (WI)
(4.0 cr; =[PA 5201W]; Prereq-Grad or #; fall, spring, summer, every year)
Emergence of North American cities; residential building cycles, density patterns; metropolitan housing stocks, supply of housing services; population and household types; neighborhood-level patterns of housing use; housing prices; intraurban migration; housing submarkets inside metro areas; emphasis on linking theory, method, case studies.
GEOG 5372W - American Cities II: Land Use, Transportation, and the Urban Economy (WI)
(4.0 cr; =[PA 5202W]; spring, every year)
Urban economy, its locational requirements. Central place theory. Transportation, urban land use: patterns/conflicts. Industrial/commercial land blight. Real estate redevelopment. Historic preservation. Emphasizes links between land use, transportation policy, economic development, local fiscal issues. U.S.-Canadian contrasts.
GEOG 5374W - The City in Film (IP, WI)
(4.0 cr; =[GEOG 3374V, GEOG 3374W]; Prereq-grad student or #; spring, every year)
Cinematic portrayal of changes in 20th-century cities worldwide. Social/cultural conflict, political/economic processes, changing gender relationships, rural versus urban areas, population/development issues (especially as they affect women/children). Meets concurrently with 3374. Additional weekly meeting discusses films, readings. Project on a topic selected in consultation with instructor.
GEOG 5377 - Music in the City: Sounds and Bodies in Different Places (CD)
(3.0 cr; A-F only, fall, every year)
Geographical conceptions of place, space, embodiment, and identity. Case studies of music.
GEOG 5385 - Globalization and Development: Political Economy
(4.0 cr; Prereq-Sr or grad or #; fall, spring)
Nature/scope of modern world system (capitalism), its impact on regional development processes. Roles of state and of international financial institutions.
GEOG 5401 - Geography of Environmental Systems and Global Change
(4.0 cr; =[GEOG 3401]; Prereq-grad student or #)
Processes that create/change the spatial patterns of climate, vegetation, and soils. Potential of humans to alter climate, vegetation, and soil processes. Possible impacts of human-altered environmental conditions.
GEOG 5411 - Geography of Health and Health Care (ENVT, IP, WI)
(4.0 cr; =[GEOG 3411W]; fall, every year)
Application of human ecology, spatial analysis, political economy, and other geographical approaches to analyze problems of health and health care. Topics include distribution and diffusion of disease; impact of environmental, demographic, and social change on health; distribution, accessibility, and utilization of health practitioners and facilities.
GEOG 5421 - Introduction to Atmospheric Science
(3.0 cr; =[ES 5421]; Prereq-Familiarity with fundamentals of physics, calculus, and statistics, including differential and integral calculus and basic differential equations and basic thermodynamics, mechanics, and the electromagnetic spectrum)
Calculus-based introduction to atmospheric dynamics, radiation, thermodynamics, chemical composition, and cloud processes. Applications to climate, meteorology, the hydrologic cycle, air quality, and biogeochemical cycles.
GEOG 5423 - Climate Models and Modeling
(3.0 cr; Prereq-3401 or #)
Survey of development and research with simple and complex (three-dimensional) climate models. Environmental processes and their numerical representation in climate models; evaluation of model sensitivity and accuracy; coupling between atmosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, and cryosphere; assessment of model predictions for climate change.
GEOG 5426 - Climatic Variations
(3.0 cr; Prereq-1425 or 3401 or #)
Theories of climatic fluctuations and change at decadal to centuries time scales; analysis of temporal and spatial fluctuations especially during the period of instrumental record.
GEOG 5431 - Plant and Animal Geography (ENVT)
(3.0 cr; =[GEOG 3431])
Introduction to biogeography. Focuses on patterns of plant/animal distributions at different scales over time/space. Evolutionary, ecological, and applied biogeography. Paleobiogeography, vegetation-environment relationships, vegetation dynamics/disturbance ecology, human impact on plants/animals, nature conservation. Discussions, group/individual projects, local field trips.
GEOG 5441 - Quaternary Landscape Evolution
(3.0 cr; Prereq-3401 or grad student or #; fall, spring)
Roles of climate change, geomorphic history, vegetation change, and soil development in the evolution of landscape patterns during the Quaternary Period, with emphasis on North America.
GEOG 5511 - Advanced Cartography
(3.0 cr; spring)
Topics on data sources for mapping. History of thematic cartography (focused on 19th-century European activity). Multivariate classification/symbolization. Models for cartographic generalization, spatial interpolation, and surface representation. Principles of animated/multimedia cartography.
GEOG 5512 - Cartography: Topics
(3.0 cr; Prereq-3511 or 3531 or #)
Selected topics include the system of cartographic communication, map design, map reading, map analysis, history of cartography.
GEOG 5530 - Cartography Internship
(2.0 - 7.0 cr [max 10.0 cr]; Prereq-#; S-N or Aud, fall, spring, every year)
Provides intensive hands-on experience in contemporary map production and design, ranging from GIS applications to digital prepress. Strong computer skills essential.
GEOG 5531 - Numerical Spatial Analysis
(4.0 cr; =[GEOG 3531]; fall, every year)
Applied/theoretical aspects of geographical quantitative methods for spatial analysis. Emphasizes analysis of geographical data for spatial problem solving in human/physical areas.
GEOG 5561 - Principles of Geographic Information Science
(4.0 cr; Prereq-grad; fall, spring, every year)
Introduction to the study of geographic information systems (GIS) for geography and non-geography students. Topics include GIS application domains, data models and sources, analysis methods and output techniques. Lectures, reading, and hands-on experience with GIS software.
GEOG 5562 - Geographic Information Science and Analytical Cartography
(3.0 cr; Prereq-3561 or 5561 and 3511, or #; fall, spring)
Topics include algorithms and data structures for digital cartographic data, topological relationships, surface modeling and interpolation, map projections and geometric transformations, numerical generalization, and raster and vector processing. Hands-on experience using a variety of software packages.
GEOG 5563 - Advanced Geographic Information Science
(3.0 cr; Prereq-B or better in 3561 or 5561 or #; fall, spring, every year)
Advanced study of geographic information systems (GIS). Topics include spatial data models, topology, data encoding, data quality, database management, spatial analysis tools and visualization techniques. Hands-on experience using an advanced vector GIS package.
GEOG 5564 - Urban Geographic Information Science and Analysis
(3.0 cr; Prereq-3561 or 5561)
Core concepts in urban geographic information science including sources for urban geographical and attribute data (including census data), urban data structures (focusing on the TIGER data structure), urban spatial analyses (including location-allocation models), geodemographic analysis, network analysis, and the display of urban data.
GEOG 5565 - Geographical Analysis of Human-Environment Systems
(3.0 cr; Prereq-3561 or 5561 or FR 4131 or LA 5573 or one intro GIS course or grad student or #; spring)
Applications of geographic information systems and other spatial analysis tools to analysis of environmental systems patterns, dynamics, and interactions. Focuses on global to landscape databases developed to analyze atmospheric, hydrospheric, geomorphic, pedologic, biologic, and human landuse systems.
GEOG 5588 - Multimedia Cartography
(3.0 cr; Prereq-Minimum of three geog courses including one cartography course or advanced standing in an allied field such as landscape architecture or #)
Conceptualizing geographic topics in animatable form, selecting appropriate animation metaphors for specific ideas, using standard graphic software to prepare images for computer display and animation.
GEOG 5605V - Honors: Geographical Perspectives on Planning (C/PE, IP, WI)
(4.0 cr; =[GEOG 3605V, GEOG 3605W, GEOG 5605W, PA 5203W])
Role of planning in reshaping 19th-/20th-century cities in Europe, North America, selected Third World countries. History of planning. Societal change, interest groups, power relations in planning process. Citizen participation/practice in planning. Meets with 3605. Includes additional weekly seminar-style meeting, bibliography project on topic selected in consultation with instructor.
GEOG 5605W - Geographical Perspectives on Planning (C/PE, IP, WI)
(4.0 cr; =[GEOG 3605V, GEOG 3605W, GEOG 5605V, PA 5203W]; Prereq-Grad student or #; fall, every year)
Open to graduate students and undergraduates wishing Honors credits. Includes one additional weekly seminar-style meeting and a bibliography project on a topic selected in consultation with the instructor. Meets with 3605.
GEOG 5701 - Field Research
(3.0 cr; Prereq-9 cr in geog, #)
Field investigation in physical, cultural, and economic geography; techniques of analysis and presentation; reconstruction of environments.
GEOG 5775 - Geographic Education
(3.0 cr; Prereq-Three courses in geography or history or social sciences or education or #; spring, summer, every year)
Teaching geography from middle school up; pedagogical use of geographical themes; methods for effective teaching of multiple cognitive domains -- facts, theories, analytical skills, and evaluations; designing audio-visual aids, independent projects, simulations, etc. to meet National Standards in geography.
GEOG 5900 - Topics in Geography
(3.0 cr [max 9.0 cr]; Prereq-sr or grad, #; fall, spring, every year)
Special topics and regions. Course offered by visiting professors in their research fields.GEOG 8001 - Problems in Geographic Thought
(3.0 cr; A-F or Aud)
Currents of geographic thought in biophysical, GIS, human, cultural, and human-environment subfields. Focuses on concepts/paradigms through which geographers have attempted to unify/codify the discipline, around which debate has flourished, and about which interdisciplinary histories can be traced.
GEOG 8002 - Research Methods in Geography
(3.0 cr; spring, every year)
Seminar. Overview of research designs/methods in geography. Relationships between different research paradigms (modes of inquiry), research designs, and methods. Critical readings. Analyses of research projects.
GEOG 8005 - Proseminar: Population Geography
(3.0 cr; Prereq-#)
Conceptual literature and empirical studies on fertility, mortality, and migrations in different parts of the world.
GEOG 8006 - Proseminar: Research Methods in Geography
(3.0 cr; Prereq-#)
Introduction to research design, strategies, methods of data collection, analysis, interpretation, and representation in contemporary geographic research.
GEOG 8007 - Proseminar: Theories of Development and Change
(3.0 cr; Prereq-#)
Recent research themes and questions in geography and related social sciences on Third World development; development theories, conceptually grounded case studies, and grassroots-based research.
GEOG 8020 - Research Seminar: Economic Geography
(3.0 cr; Prereq-#)
Contemporary research. Advanced topics, which vary with interests of faculty offering course.
GEOG 8101 - Proseminar: Nature and Society
(3.0 cr; Prereq-#)
Interconnectedness of environment and people, nature and society. Conceptual literature and empirical studies in human/cultural/political ecology.
GEOG 8102 - Proseminar: The State, the Economy, and Spatial Development
(3.0 cr; Prereq-#; fall)
Introduction to research in economic, political, and urban geography: conceptual research addressing interrelationship between political and economic processes and spatial dynamics of urban and regional development; empirical research documenting nature and extent of this interrelationship at different spatial scales.
GEOG 8103 - Proseminar: Physical Geography
(3.0 cr; Prereq-#; S-N or Aud, fall, spring)
Historical development of research in physical geography, current research trends, and transfer of current research to undergraduate education.
GEOG 8105 - Proseminar: Historical Geography
(3.0 cr; Prereq-#)
Introduction to conceptual research and empirical studies.
GEOG 8106 - Seminar: Social and Cultural Geography
(3.0 cr; Prereq-#)
Role of space and place in constitution of social and cultural life, social relations, and social identities; class, space, and place; geography of race and racism; environmental racism; geography of gender and sexuality; nationalism, national identity, and territory.
GEOG 8107 - Geographic Writing
(3.0 cr; Prereq-#; S-N or Aud, fall, every year)
Analysis of organization and presentation of geographic research. Critiques of selected examples of geographic writing.
GEOG 8200 - Seminar: Urban Geography
(2.0 - 3.0 cr [max 3.0 cr]; A-F or Aud, spring)
Contemporary research. Topics vary with the interests of faculty.
GEOG 8201 - Explorations in the Geography of Minnesota
(3.0 cr; Prereq-#; S-N or Aud)
Physical environment, agriculture, forestry, mining, land survey, population, recreation, cities/towns, transportation. Sources of information about the state. Students make short oral/written reports. Might provide springboard for a Plan B paper, thesis, or dissertation. Two or three Saturday field trips.
GEOG 8211 - Environmental Policy
(3.0 cr; Prereq-#; fall, every year)
U.S. environmental policies at federal/state level. Policy formulation, implementation, and evaluation.
GEOG 8212 - Africa
(3.0 cr; Prereq-#)
Advanced topics. Topics vary with interests of faculty offering course.
GEOG 8213 - East Asia and China
(3.0 cr; Prereq-#)
Contemporary research, advanced topics. Topics vary with interests of faculty offering course.
GEOG 8214 - South Asia
(3.0 cr)
Advanced topics. Topics vary with interests of faculty offering course.
GEOG 8220 - Agrarian Change and Rural Development
(3.0 cr; A-F or Aud)
Contours of agricultural/rural development in Third World. Theories of agrarian transformation and of rural development. Role of agriculture in economic development. Peasant economy. Nature/role of state intervention in rural sector.
GEOG 8230 - Theoretical Geography
(3.0 cr; Prereq-#)
Advanced topics. Topics vary with interests of faculty offering course. Contemporary theoretical/philosophical themes transcending subdisciplines of human/physical geography.
GEOG 8240 - Medical Geography
(3.0 cr; Prereq-5411 or #)
Geographic inquiry concerning selected problems of health and health care.
GEOG 8260 - Seminar: Physical Geography
(3.0 cr; Prereq-#)
Topics of contemporary research. Topics vary with interests of faculty offering course.
GEOG 8270 - Seminar: Climatology
(3.0 cr; Prereq-#; A-F or Aud)
Sample topics: climate modeling; climatic variability; climate change and predictability; severe local storms; drought; energy balance; urban climate; statistical climatology.
GEOG 8280 - Biogeography
(3.0 cr [max 9.0 cr]; Prereq-#; fall, every year)
Forest dynamics, dendrochronology, tree rings and climate, environmental disturbance, paleobiogeography, field/lab methods in biogeography.
GEOG 8290 - Seminar in GIS and Cartography
(3.0 cr; Prereq-#; fall, spring)
Selected concepts/methods. Topics, which vary yearly, include spatial analysis methods in GIS; advanced visualization methods; data quality and error propagation in GIS; generalization methods in GIS and cartography; role of time in GIS; interactive/animated cartography; incorporation of uncertainty.
GEOG 8291 - Seminar in GIS, Technology, and Society
(3.0 cr; Prereq-#)
Relationships between practice of GIS and political, economic, legal, institutional structures of society. Effects of GIS on society. Nontraditional spaces in GIS. GIS and local decision making. Privacy issues.
GEOG 8292 - Seminar in GIS: Spatial Analysis and Modeling
(3.0 cr; Prereq-3511 [or equiv statistics course], [3561 or 5561 or equiv intro GIS course] or #; A-F or Aud)
Overview of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and spatial analysis/modeling of human/environmental systems. Spatial statistics, modeling spatiotemporal processes, simulation techniques, visualization, complex systems/complexity. Guidance in thesis/dissertation research.
GEOG 8301 - Advanced Qualitative Methods
(3.0 cr; A-F or Aud)
Techniques available to scholars who use qualitative methods. Participant observation. Formal/informal interviews: life/oral histories, focus interviews. Documentary and material culture analysis. Practical experience, theoretical/ethical questions.
GEOG 8302 - Research Development
(3.0 cr; Prereq-#; S-N or Aud, fall)
Students in geography and related social sciences are guided in key steps to effective research proposal writing.
GEOG 8333 - FTE: Masters
(1.0 cr; Prereq-Master's student, adviser and DGS consent; No Grade, fall, spring, summer, every year)
(No description)
GEOG 8336 - Development Theory and the State
(3.0 cr; A-F or Aud, spring, every year)
Why certain interventionist states in third world countries have been able to guide their economies to overcome legacy of underdevelopment while most have failed to induce development. Internal/external conditions that facilitated such departure from underdevelopment. Comparative national/provincial case studies: Taiwan, South Korea, Botswana, Brazil, India. Applying theoretical approaches to policy issues.'
GEOG 8350 - Seminar: World Population
(3.0 cr; Prereq-#)
Contemporary research in world population development and problems. Topics vary with interests of faculty offering course.
GEOG 8405 - Seminar: Graduate Student Professional Development
(1.0 cr [max 2.0 cr]; Prereq-Geography grad student; S-N or Aud)
Strategies for success in graduate program. Preparation for a career as a geographer. Completing/defending the dissertation. Publishing, job search, tenure process, oral presentations, non-academic career paths.
GEOG 8420 - Teaching Practicum
(1.0 cr [max 3.0 cr]; Prereq-[Geog or MGIS] grad student or #; S-N or Aud, fall, spring, every year)
Teaching methodologies, learning objectives, course content, classroom techniques, student/course evaluation. Specific application to instruction in Geography.
GEOG 8444 - FTE: Doctoral
(1.0 cr; Prereq-Doctoral student, adviser and DGS consent; No Grade, fall, spring, summer, every year)
(No description)
GEOG 8666 - Doctoral Pre-Thesis Credits
(1.0 - 18.0 cr [max 60.0 cr]; Prereq-Max 18 cr per semester or summer; doctoral student who has not passed prelim oral; No Grade, fall, spring, summer, every year)
(No description)
GEOG 8777 - Thesis Credits: Master's
(1.0 - 18.0 cr [max 50.0 cr]; Prereq-Max 18 cr per semester or summer; 10 cr total required [Plan A only]; No Grade, fall, spring, summer, every year)
(No description)
GEOG 8800 - Seminar: Development of Geographic Thought
(3.0 cr; Prereq-#)
Topics vary with interests of faculty offering course.
GEOG 8888 - Thesis Credit: Doctoral
(1.0 - 24.0 cr [max 100.0 cr]; Prereq-Max 18 cr per semester or summer; 24 cr required; No Grade, fall, spring, summer, every year)
(No description)
GEOG 8970 - Directed Readings
(1.0 - 5.0 cr [max 5.0 cr]; Prereq-?; fall, spring, summer, every year)
GEOG 8980 - Topics in Geography
(1.0 - 3.0 cr [max 15.0 cr]; Prereq-#; fall, spring, every year)
Seminar offered by visiting or regular faculty. Topics vary with interests of faculty.
GEOG 8990 - Research Problems in Geography
(1.0 - 5.0 cr [max 5.0 cr]; Prereq-?; fall, spring, summer, every year)
Individual Research Projects
In addition, as set out in their individualized degree programs, graduate students take courses and seminars in other departments at the University. The opportunities for flexible program planning within the basic degree requirements are described on the Admission page.
Graduate Student Handbook
More details on the structure of the graduate program, departmental organization/life, advising, financial aid, and the Twin Cities can be found in this publication.
