Division of Behavioral Sciences, Humanities and Social Sciences
Department of Social Sciences

WORLD GEOGRAPHY

Catalog Course Description

GEOG 1303 is a survey of human activity within the context of its regional settings. The course considers ideas such as economic development and the cultural, physical, and political dynamics at work within each region. The course guides the student into thinking about human phenomenon from a spatial perspective. It emphasizes the understanding of place, region, and spatial connection. For students interested in world affairs, culture, international relations, and understanding the characteristics of places around the world.

GEOG 1303 30101 World Geography
Summer 2009: June 1 to July 7
Willow Chase Center Room 209
10:20AM – 12:30PM
MTWTH

Credit Hours: 3

Prerequisites: None

Instructor: Professor Clifton R. Fox

Office Phone: 281-351-3326 [ext. 3326 -- voice mail available]

Office Hours: MTWTH after class at 12:30 PM & by appointment

E-Mail: clifton.r.fox@lonestar.edu

Home Page: http://faculty.lonestar.edu/cfox/

REQUIRED TEXTBOOKS

Essentials of World Regional Geography (Paperback)
by Michael Bradshaw, George White, Joseph Dymond, and Elizabeth Chacko
McGraw-Hill ISBN-13 978-0073359380

Perthes World Atlas (Paperback)
by by Guntram H. Herb, David H. Kaplan, Mark Monmonier
Perthes Klett ISBN-13: 978-3623001005

PROSPECTIVE CLASS SCHEDULE

GRADING POLICY

The course grade will be the average of points earned in the three tests, as noted in the schedule above, minus any penalty that you might have accumulated as a result of absences and lateness [see policy below]. There is no extra credit. Course grades will be assigned based on the following scale: A = 90 or above, B = 80-89, C = 70-79, D = 60-69, F = 59 or below.

At the end of the term, final grades are available only on My Records. Final grades are not mailed, and will not be available from the instructor. .

Students are expected to sit for examinations with their class. If you miss a test, you MUST take the following steps:

• Contact the instructor within 24 hours of the scheduled examination time in person, by phone, by e-mail, by voice mail, or via a letter or by message. If you fail to leave any message, it will be assumed that you have left the class, and you will receive a course grade of "F" unless you drop the course prior to the last day of withdrawal. In short, making prompt contact with the instructor is your responsibility.

• On the first day that you return to class after the scheduled examination time, request permission in writing to make up the examination. A full explanation and documentation of your absence must accompany all requests. Note that vacation or other discretionary travel is not an acceptable excuse for missing any test. The make-up grade will not be available until you exit the last test.. Make-up tests will be proctored by the Assessment Center at Willow Chase Center; check with them for hours of operation.

ATTENDANCE POLICY

Regular and punctual attendance is expected. A seating chart will be kept, and attendance will be noted at the start of class by visual inspection. The instructor will work out a seating chart based upon your answers to the student survey.

If you are late, it is your responsibility to inform the instructor at the end of the class sessions. Otherwise, you may be recorded as absent.

If you are absent, the cause of the absence is not normally relevant. You are permitted two days absence from class without penalty. Each absence in excess of two will reduce your course grade by one letter grade. Exceptions to the attendance policy will be allowed in cases of severe medical problems or emergencies of comparable gravity if verifiable documentation is supplied in a timely fashion, but such exceptions are at the discretion of the instructor.

THE INSTRUCTOR DOES NOT DROP STUDENTS FOR EXCESSIVE ABSENCE. IT IS THE STUDENT'S RESPONSIBILITY TO DROP THE CLASS, IF NECESSARY, PRIOR TO JUNE 24 TO AVOID A GRADE OF “F” IN THE COURSE.

MINIMUM LEARNING OUTCOMES

• Discover the scope, methods, and perspectives of geography.

• Define the relationship between geography and economic development.

• Account for the disparity among countries in the level of economic development.

• Explore the locational and physical bases of Eurasian human activities.

• Examine the diverse physical environment of Eurasia in relation to the human geography of the region.

• Demonstrate a stronger knowledge base of place-name geography by using an atlas.

Academic Integrity:

The Lone Star College System is committed to a high standard of academic integrity in the academic community. In becoming a part of the academic community, students are responsible for honesty and independent effort. Failure to uphold these standards includes, but is not limited to, the following: plagiarizing written work or projects, cheating on exams or assignments, collusion on an exam or project, and misrepresentation of credentials or prerequisites when registering for a course. Cheating includes [but is not limited to]

• looking at or copying from another student's exam;

• orally communicating or receiving answers during an exam;

• having another person take an exam or complete a project or assignment;

• using unauthorized notes, texts, or other materials for an exam;

• and obtaining or distributing an unauthorized copy of an exam or any part of an exam.

Plagiarism means passing off as his/her own the ideas or writings of another (that is, without giving proper credit by documenting sources). Plagiarism includes submitting a paper, report or project that someone else has prepared, in whole or in part. Collusion is inappropriate collaboration on assignments that have been designed for independent completion. These definitions are not exhaustive. When there is clear evidence of cheating, plagiarism, collusion or misrepresentation, a faculty member will take disciplinary action. Actions may include, but are not limited to requiring the student to retake or resubmit an exam or assignment; assigning a grade of zero or "F" for an exam or assignment; or assigning a grade of "F" for the course. Additional sanctions including being withdrawn from the course, program or expelled from school may be imposed on a student who violates the standards of academic integrity.

Software Piracy:

Law strictly prohibits unauthorized copying of software purchased by the Lone Star College System for use in laboratories. The Lone Star College System administration will take appropriate disciplinary action against anyone violating copyright laws.

Computer Virus Protection:

Computer viruses are, unfortunately, a fact of life. Using the diskettes on more than one computer creates the possibility of infecting computers and diskettes with a computer virus. This exposes the computers of the college, your personal computer, and any others you may be using to potentially damaging viruses. The college has aggressive anti-virus procedures in place to protect its computers, but cannot guarantee that a virus might not temporarily infect one of its machines. It is your responsibility to protect all computers under your control and use and ensure that each diskette you use, whenever or wherever you use it, has been scanned with anti-virus software. Since new viruses arise continually, your anti-virus software must be kept current. And, since no anti-virus software will find every virus, keeping copies of data (backups) is extremely important.

Guaranteed Graduate Policy:

The Lone Star College System guarantees that graduates of its Associate of Arts, Associate of Science, or Associate of Applied Science and all Certificate programs, providing under certain circumstances, additional education and training tuition free to students lacking appropriate mastery of specified competencies. For additional information, refer to the the Lone Star College System catalog.

ADA Statement:

The Lone Star College System is dedicated to providing the least restrictive learning environment for all students. The Lone Star College System promotes equity in academic access through the implementation of reasonable accommodations as required by the Vocational Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Title V, Section 504 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) which will enable students with disabilities to participate in and benefit from all post-secondary educational activities.

If you require reasonable accommodations because of a physical, mental, or learning disability, please notify the instructor of this course as soon as possible and preferably before the end of the first two weeks of class to arrange for reasonable accommodations.

Equal Opportunity Statement:

It is the policy of the Lone Star College System to provide equal employment, admission and educational opportunities without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, or disability.

The Lone Star College System strives to provide an excellent learning environment free from harassment or intimidation directed at any person's race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, or disability. Any form of harassment will not be tolerated.

PLACE NAME ID ITEMS

In this course, you will be tested on the location of all members of the United Nations. These will be distributed among the three tests as follows