Have you ever wondered why hurricanes frequently strike the eastern coast of the United States, but rarely hit the west coast? Can you explain why California is such a hot spot for earthquakes?  Perhaps you’ve wondered what El Nino actually means, or why scientists debate the significance of the greenhouse effect, and the depletion of the ozone layer. Furthermore, how do these different environmental systems interact and where do humans fit in the equation? Physical geography is a branch of science that explores questions such as these.  It is the study of the earth’s surface across scales that range from the size of your backyard to that of the globe. As a result, this course is designed to provide you with a general understanding of the natural environment and associated environmental problems. Throughout the semester we will explore the earth in terms of its weather, oceans, soil, vegetation, and landforms.  Attention will be paid not only to these individual systems, but also the manner in which these systems interact. Overall, this course is designed to provide you with practical knowledge of the earth, as well as a sound basis for future study. 

Textbooks:      

Introducing Physical Geography: 2nd Edition by Alan Strahler & Arthur Strahler

©2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. (Includes CD-ROM)

Exercise Manual: Introducing Physical Geography by Alan Strahler & Arthur Strahler

©1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 

Grading and Evaluation:

      Your final grade will be based upon your performance on exams, homework, and class participation. Throughout the semester there will be three non-cumulative exams, each consisting of multiple choice, true/false, and short answer questions derived from both the class lectures and assigned text readings. Each exam will take roughly one hour to complete and will be worth 25% of your final grade. Make-up examinations will only be given when a student contacts me either before or on the day of a scheduled examination with an acceptable excuse. In the case of an illness or accident a medical certificate from either a doctor, or Student Health, will be required. Under no circumstances will a student be permitted to take more than one make-up exam.

      The remaining 25% of your grade will come from homework exercises (20%) and class participation (5%). Throughout the semester all homework exercises will be due at the beginning of lecture on the assigned Monday due date. Late exercises will be penalized at a rate of one point per day up to three points. After the third day (i.e. Wednesday), late assignments will no longer be accepted and a grade of zero will be posted for homework. Finally, the class participation component is based upon attendance (class roll will be taken) and overall effort during lectures. 

      Final grades will be determined based upon the total points accumulated out of a possible 200. Click HERE for a breakdown of the total points accumulated during the semester and the corresponding letter grade. Please note that plus/minus grading is used in this course, and no extra work will be accepted for extra credit. No incompletes will be offered. 

      In general, the course is organized according to the structure of the textbook. However, modifications will be made to the syllabus as deemed necessary. For an updated version of the class syllabus, homework assignments and required readings refer to the links below. 

Lecture Topic

Final Exam (Monday, December 10th from 7-10 pm)  (Exam location: Fillmore 170)

(Test on Chapters 12-18)             

Study Habits:

      The best way to succeed in this course is to attend all lectures, take good notes, and follow along in the text. The tests are based upon both lecture notes and the assigned readings that I feel are important. Therefore, in preparing for a test a good method is to write an outline of each chapter and then supplement this outline with the additional lecture information discussed in class. If you have any questions concerning the content of this course, please ask. I am available during my posted office hours, as well as by appointment.