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Course Criteria
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3.00 Credits
Cities of the 21st Century In this urban studies capstone seminar students research the internal and external forces that will foster change and reinforce the status quo in American metropolitan areas during the 21st century. Course readings focus on suburbs, which are the dominant mode of metropolitan living in contemporary America. We will consider the history of suburbanization, the political economy of growth in the suburbs, the rise of smart growth strategies, and other attempts to foster change in the suburban experience (including the New Urbanism, green building and green movements, and regionalism). We will also consider how suburbs are now experiencing demographic changes and investigate the struggle for community in historic and contemporary suburbs. This seminar will thus complicate the conventional narrative of suburbs as sprawling, inauthentic and homogeneous places. Students will further enrich their understanding of issues covered in the course by conducting original research that examines ways in which American suburbs are changing and/or remaining the same despite efforts to the contrary. Students will consider their collective findings and discuss what they portend for American cities in the 21st century. Prerequisite: permission of instructor. Spring semester. (4 credits) Urban Geography Field Seminar A research methods course in which students will conduct an individual inquiry in one of the following subfields of urban geography: spatial structure of urban areas; spatial interaction; problems of economic localization; and factors in intra-urban residential mobility. Students will be expected to participate in group projects which may produce either a written report or a map. The seminar focuses on topics of special interest to local communities and is part of Macalester's Civic Engagement initiatives. Prerequisite: Geography 241 or permission of the instructor. Alternate years; next offered Spring 2010. (4 credits) Transportation Geography Seminar A research seminar in which students will conduct an individual inquiry into transportation geography, from issues of transport problems and planning to the social and environmental effects of transport. The course will emphasize current research and planning trends, and new approaches (e.g. congestion pricing, urban growth limits) to a variety of traditional transportation problems. The course will also include guest speakers and field trips. Prerequisite: permission of the instructor. Spring semester. (4 credits) Historical Geography of Urbanization A research methods course in which students will conduct inquiries on the development of urban settlement forms throughout the world. The genesis of contemporary American landscapes with an emphasis on the Middle West. Field trips and individual projects. The seminar frequently produces studies of a neighborhood in cooperation with a local community. It is part of Macalester's Civic Engagement initiatives. Prerequisite: Geography 241 or permission of the instructor. Alternate years; next offered Spring 2011. (4 credits) Comparative Environment and Development Studies (Same as Environmental Studies 477, and International Studies 488, when each are offered as the seminar with the same title) A concern for the relationship between nature and society has been one of the pillars of geographic inquiry, and has also been an important bridge between other disciplines. By the 1960s, this area of inquiry was referred to variously as "human ecology" or "cultural ecology." Over the last decade certain forms of inquiry within thtradition have increasingly referred to themselves as "political ecology." The purpose of this seminar is to reviewmajor works within the traditions of cultural and political ecology; examine several areas of interest within these fields (e.g., agricultural modernization, environmental narratives, conservation, ecotourism); and explore nature-society dynamics across a range of geographic
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8.00 Credits
A limit of eight credits for independent projects may be applied toward the major. An independent study internship that clearly focuses on GIS may be applied to the GIS minor in geography. Every semester. (4 credits)
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8.00 Credits
Students work with a Twin Cities community organization, agency or business, learning particular skills, factual knowledge about "real world" operations and interpersonal communications. Internships are individuallydesigned around students' interests, college studies and career goals. Advanced planning is required through the Internship Office. Not more than eight credits for internships may be included toward the major concentration. An internship that clearly focuses on GIS may be applied to the GIS minor in geography. Every semester. (4 credits)
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4.00 Credits
Every semester. (4 credits)
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4.00 Credits
Independent research, writing, or other preparation leading to the culmination of the senior honors project. Every semester. (1-4 credits)
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3.00 Credits
This course provides an introduction to the global marine environment, and covers such topics as the heat balance of the seas, oceanic circulation, the composition, configuration and origin of the sea floors, geochemical cycles, history of sea water, and marine ecology. The role of the oceans as sources of food and raw materials is also investigated. No prerequisites. Spring semester. (4 credits)
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3.00 Credits
Dinosaurs dominated Earth's landscapes for nearly 200 million years, and then they vanished in one of the "bigfive?ass extinctions in the history of life. This course explores the evolution of dinosaurs, and examines their biology and behavior. Students are introduced to the various groups of dinosaurs as they study the reasons behind their dramatic diversification and ecological success. Theories that pertain to their abrupt disappearance 65 million years ago are also explored. The class includes a field trip to the dinosaur hall at the Science Museum of Minnesota. No prerequisites. Fall semester. (4 credits)
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3.00 Credits
Recent planetary missions have provided a wealth of new and exciting information about our solar system and beyond. This course examines the science behind these recent discoveries. Readings and discussions focus on a variety of topics, including: (1) processes of planetary formation, (2) the geology of the Earth, Moon, Sun, and other planets, (3) planetary interiors and atmospheres, (4) asteroids, meteorites, comets, and the newly appreciated role of impacts, (5) the seemingly unique status of the Earth as a habitable planet, and (6) the potential for extraterrestrial life. Course projects make extensive use of internet resources, computer software, satellite imagery, and solar system materials (rocks from the Moon, Mars, and asteroids). No prerequisites. Spring semester. (4 credits)
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3.00 Credits
The physical environment has begun to show signs of our earth's expanding population and the increasing need for natural resources. Geologic materials such as soil, water, and bedrock, and geologic processes such as earthquakes, volcanic activity, and running water often pose constraints on land use. This course is designed to introduce students to the relationship between humans and their geologic environment: the earth. We will focus on the understanding the processes that shape the surface of the earth, and how these processes affect human activity. We will use current scientific methods to collect and analyze data. Topics include surface-water dynamics and flooding, groundwater and groundwater contamination, pollution and waste management, landslides, volcanic and earthquake hazards, and global climate change. Format: three hour block per week of local field excursions, lectures, and/or laboratory exercises; evaluation will be based on project reports and homework/classroom assignments, and one exam (final). No prerequisites. Fall semester. (4 credits)
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4.00 Credits
This course provides an introduction to the materials and structure of the Earth and to the processes acting on and in the Earth to produce change. Emphasis is placed on the evolution of landforms and the formation of Earth resources. Discussions focus on the important role of geologic processes in the solution of environmental problems. Required for geology majors. Local field trips. Three hours lecture and two and a half hours lab per week. Every fall. (4 credits)
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