GEO: Geography and Planning

College of Business and Public Management

How to Read Course Descriptions

The bolded first line begins with a capitalized abbreviation that designates the subject area followed by the course number and title. The credit hour value is also displayed.

Components: Indicates that the course has multiple components, such as lecture (LEC) and laboratory (LAB). The corresponding faculty contact hours are included in parentheses [e.g., LEC (2), LAB (3)] but are not related to the number of credits the student receives.

The course description outlines what topics are covered in the course.

Prerequisites: Coursework and/or other requirements to be completed before taking the course.

Corequisites: Course(s) that must be taken in the same term.

"Recommended courses": Prerequisites or corequisites that are not required for enrollment in a particular course but would aid the student in successful completion of that course.

"Gen Ed Attribute for Students Admitted Prior to Fall 2020": Indicates the general education attributes that apply to a particular course for a student whose university admit term is before Fall 2020.

"Gen Ed Attribute for Students Admitted Fall 2020 and After": Indicates the general education attributes that apply to a particular course for a student whose university admit term is Fall 2020 or later.

"Gen Ed Attribute": Indicates the general education attributes that apply to a particular course, regardless of the student's university admit term.

General Education Key: List of available general education areas that a particular course may satisfy. Certain areas cannot be simultaneously satisfied by the same course. See General Education Requirements for more information.

SD - Science Distributive Requirement
BSD - Behavioral & Social Science Distributive Requirement
HD - Humanities Distributive Requirement
AD - Arts Distributive Requirement
EC - English Composition Requirement
I - Interdisciplinary Requirement
J - Diverse Communities Requirement
W - Writing Emphasis Requirement
SE - Speaking Emphasis Requirement
ET - Ethics Requirement
F - Foreign Languages Culture Cluster
AR - Arabic Culture Cluster
ASL - American Sign Language Culture Cluster
CC - Classical Civilizations Culture Cluster
FA - French & Francophone Area Culture Cluster
GER - German Culture Cluster
IT - Italian Culture Cluster
REE - Russian & Eastern European Culture Cluster
SP - Spanish Culture Cluster

Distance Education: Indicates if a course is approved to be offered via distance education. See the class schedule for details.

Consent: Department must give permission for a student to enroll in a course. Generally done through an electronic code that is created in myWCU, allowing the student to then enroll themselves into the course.

Typically Offered: Indicates what semester the course is usually offered. Availability is not guaranteed, as some courses are not offered every year.

Repeatable for Credit: Indicates if a student can take the course more than once and obtain credit. Verify the maximum allowable number of credits with the department.

Cross Listed: Indicates if there are any other course offerings that are considered equivalent to the course listing.

How to Read Course Descriptions

GEO 502. Topical Seminar in Geography. 3 Credits.

Special topics in geography or planning not offered under existing, regularly offered courses.
Typically offered in Fall & Spring.
Repeatable for Credit.

GEO 503. Seminar in Modern Geography. 3 Credits.

A survey of modern geographic research, with historical perspective. Attention is given to research methodology, and to the breadth of subfields and perspectives in the discipline.
Typically offered in Fall.

GEO 505. Planning Design. 3 Credits.

Methods and techniques of planning design. Presentation of statistical data in map form.
Consent: Permission of the Department required to add.
Typically offered in Spring.

GEO 506. Seminar in Physical Geography. 3 Credits.

This course examines aspects of the physical environment that must be considered when planning any site for urban, industrial, or suburban activity.
Typically offered in Spring.

GEO 507. Internet Applications of Geographic Information Systems. 3 Credits.

The course examines the principles and applications of web-based and mobile geographic information systems (GIS). Internet map services, navigation/GPS systems and cell -phone based applications are examined through the use of ArcGIS Internet map Server, Google Earth, Google APIs and cell phone applications.
Distance education offering may be available.
Typically offered in Fall & Summer.

GEO 509. Quantitative Methods in Planning/Geography. 3 Credits.

Fundamental statistics, methods, and techniques applied to geographic research and decision making, such as urban and regional planning.
Typically offered in Spring.

GEO 521. Suburbanization and Land Development. 3 Credits.

Component systems and functional operations of urban/suburban communities, including ecological and demographic aspects. Emphasis on organization, development, change, and problems of communities.
Typically offered in Spring.

GEO 524. Population Processes. 3 Credits.

Characteristics and distribution of world populations are studied. The dynamic processes of population change (mortality, fertility, and migration) are examined.
Typically offered in Spring.

GEO 525. Urban and Regional Planning. 3 Credits.

Application of community-planning theories and methods to designated urban and regional systems.
Typically offered in Fall & Spring.

GEO 526. Metropolitan Systems and Problems. 3 Credits.

Urbanization processes and problems; urban systems in the expanding metropolitan and regional setting; present and proposed efforts to solve urban problems.
Typically offered in Fall, Spring & Summer.

GEO 531. Transportation Planning. 3 Credits.

Transportation issues that face today's planners are studied and various means of analysis demonstrated. Computer assignments use EMME/2 package.
Typically offered in Spring.

GEO 534. Geographic Information Systems. 3 Credits.

The common principles and concepts of Geographic Information Systems; examination of the theory and tools of spatial data analysis through specific applications.
Distance education offering may be available.
Typically offered in Fall & Summer.

GEO 538. Environmental Modeling with Geographic Information Systems. 3 Credits.

This course reviews the principles of geodatabase development and use in geographic information systems (GIS). It is a study of how GIS software is used to enhance decision-making process through advanced database operation. The course includes an in-depth exploration of database design and management techniques. The process of creating information models of real world processes is examined through the development of a geodatabase. These data will then be spatially examined and manipulated to review the process of database development and decision-making.
Distance education offering may be available.
Typically offered in Fall & Summer.

GEO 544. Geography of Latin America. 3 Credits.

Regional geography of Latin America: its physical base, settlement, agriculture, demography, and manufacturing.
Typically offered in Fall & Spring.

GEO 554. Geography and Planning of Housing. 3 Credits.

This course provides an overview of the spatial, economic, social, physical and political forces that structure and affect current housing conditions and prospects. This course introduces key concepts and institutions that influence the production, distribution, maintenance and location of housing. The Philadelphia metropolitan area is emphasized as a case study for understanding the implications of present housing geography trends for the future, as well as the development of rational housing policies and plans.
Typically offered in Fall.

GEO 556. Introduction to Business GIS. 3 Credits.

This course makes use of large datasets and GIS in analystical studies and strategic decision-making in the commerical sector, involvoing store location, geodemographics and marketing information.
Distance education offering may be available.
Typically offered in Spring.

GEO 572. Seminar in Resource Management. 3 Credits.

Applied research problem solving for resource management and environmental issues designed for an individual student or team-study basis.
Typically offered in Spring.
Repeatable for Credit.

GEO 577. Geodatabases. 3 Credits.

This course reviews the principles of geodatabase development and use in GIS. It is also a study of how GIS software is used to enhance the decision making process through advanced database operations. Using ESRI's ArcGIS software, students will add demographic, environmental, political, economic, and other types of data to GIS applications. These data will then be spatially examined and manipulated to review the process of database development and decision making.
Distance education offering may be available.
Typically offered in Spring.

GEO 584. Applications of Geographic Information Systems. 3 Credits.

This course builds on GEO 534, expands upon important technical concepts in greater detail, and explores a range of GIS application areas.
Pre / Co requisites: GEO 584 requires prerequisite of GEO 534.
Distance education offering may be available.
Typically offered in Spring.

GEO 585. Geography Field Methods. 3 Credits.

An advanced field course that includes urban and land-use studies. Use of field methods, mapping, and data collection for geographical reports.
Typically offered in Fall.

GEO 600. Independent Research in Geography. 3 Credits.

Research projects, reports, and readings in geography.
Consent: Permission of the Department required to add.
Typically offered in Fall, Spring & Summer.
Repeatable for Credit.

GEO 610. Thesis in Geography. 3-6 Credits.

A thesis is developed on a research problem for which the student formulates a theory, proposition or hypothesis, and investigates available information on the subject.
Typically offered in Fall, Spring & Summer.
Repeatable for Credit.

GEO 615. Internship in Urban and Regional Planning. 3-6 Credits.

On-the-job experience in the application of theory, execution of substantive research, and provision of service with professional agencies at selected off-campus locations.
Typically offered in Fall, Spring & Summer.
Repeatable for Credit.

GEO: Geography and Planning

How to Read Course Descriptions

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