GEA 2000
World Regional Geography
Course Description
This course is an introduction to fundamental place-name geography. It offers a descriptive survey of the world’s cultures, emphasizing the principal geographic, demographic, linguistic, political, & economic features of contemporary sovereign states & their possessions. The fundamental objective of the course is to enable students to acquire a mental map of the world that will allow them to identify and describe all of the principal geographic features of the earth, including each and every one of the world’s independent countries as well as the earth’s prominent land forms, major bodies of water, and notable political dependencies.
Course Learning Outcomes
Students who successfully complete the course will be able to:
Describe a wide range of global, social and cultural points of view and apply various perspectives to analyze human behavior. Specifically, this means that students will be able to apply the geographic concept of spatial context to the analysis of the distribution and characteristics of countries in the world today. In the process, students willbe able to describe the entire range of political, demographic, linguistic, spatial, and economic traits of the world’s contemporary countries;
Describe fundamental terms and concepts in the field of geography, to include bodies of water, land forms, and latitude and longitude; in addition, students will be able to locate and identify major bodies of water and land forms throughout the world, including oceans, seas, bays, gulfs, lakes, continents, islands, capes, and peninsulas;
Describe the fundamental geographic features (population, language, area, capital, economy, and sovereignty) of the two countries in northern North America;
Describe the fundamental geographic features (population, language, area, capital, economy, and sovereignty) of the thirty-three countries in Latin America;
Describe the fundamental geographic features (population, language, area, capital, economy, and sovereignty) of the forty-two countries in Europe;
Describe the fundamental geographic features (population, language, area, capital, economy, and sovereignty) of the twelve countries in the Commonwealth of Independent States;
Describe the fundamental geographic features (population, language, area, capital, economy, and sovereignty) of the twenty-one countries in the Middle East and North Africa;
Describe the fundamental geographic features (population, language, area, capital, economy, and sovereignty) of the forty-eight countries in Sub-Saharan Africa;
Describe the fundamental geographic features (population, language, area, capital, economy, and sovereignty) of the twenty-four countries in East, South, and Southeast Asia;
Describe the fundamental geographic features (population, language, area, capital, economy, and sovereignty) of the fourteen countries in Oceania;
Identify, locate, and describe the principal political dependencies found in all regions throughout the world.
Required Textbooks
Places of the World: A Study Guide for Achieving Fundamental Geographic Literacy (2009, 6th edition) by James Lett. Brooks/Cole, Cengage Learning. ISBN 978-0-495-39101-2.
Rand McNally Atlas of World Geography (2006) ISBN 978-0-528-17792-7
Study Guide & Test Bank for World Regional Geography (2013) by James Lett. (The Study Guide is available as a free download on the course website.)
Classroom Course Requirements
The classroom section of the course includes ten multiple-choice Unit Tests, one multiple-choice Preview Exam, one multiple-choice Midterm Exam, and one multiple-choice Final Exam.
Online Course Requirements
The online section of the course includes ten multiple-choice Unit Tests, one multiple-choice Preview Exam, one multiple-choice First Comprehensive Exam, one multiple-choice Second Comprehensive Exam, and one multiple-choice Final Comprehensive Exam, as well ten brief Critical Thinking Discussion Questions that must be answered via online postings during designated time periods (the three Comprehensive Exams are proctored tests that must be taken in the Assessment Center on one of the IRSC Campuses)..
Student Responsibilities
Attendance is mandatory.
During the Fall and Spring Semesters, students should expect to devote approximately eight (8) hours per week to the required coursework; during the Summer Semester, students should expect to devote approximately twenty (20) hours per week to the required coursework.
In all communications and interactions, both in person and online, students must exhibit a consistent level of courtesy and consideration that is appropriate for an academic environment.
To withdraw from the course, students must initiate their own withdrawal before the published withdrawal deadline. Instructor Withdrawals after that date can be given only in the most exceptional circumstances, such as hospitalization. Instructor Withdrawals cannot be given simply because of poor academic performance.
Any student found guilty of academic dishonesty or cheating in any form will automatically receive a grade of "F" for the course and will be referred to the Vice President of Strudent Affairs for possible disciplinary action that could include probabtion, suspension, or expulsion.
Students must accept and abide by all course policies specified in the Course Syllabus, including but not limited to the grading policies.
This course is an introduction to fundamental place-name geography. It offers a descriptive survey of the world’s cultures, emphasizing the principal geographic, demographic, linguistic, political, & economic features of contemporary sovereign states & their possessions. The fundamental objective of the course is to enable students to acquire a mental map of the world that will allow them to identify and describe all of the principal geographic features of the earth, including each and every one of the world’s independent countries as well as the earth’s prominent land forms, major bodies of water, and notable political dependencies.
Course Learning Outcomes
Students who successfully complete the course will be able to:
Describe a wide range of global, social and cultural points of view and apply various perspectives to analyze human behavior. Specifically, this means that students will be able to apply the geographic concept of spatial context to the analysis of the distribution and characteristics of countries in the world today. In the process, students willbe able to describe the entire range of political, demographic, linguistic, spatial, and economic traits of the world’s contemporary countries;
Describe fundamental terms and concepts in the field of geography, to include bodies of water, land forms, and latitude and longitude; in addition, students will be able to locate and identify major bodies of water and land forms throughout the world, including oceans, seas, bays, gulfs, lakes, continents, islands, capes, and peninsulas;
Describe the fundamental geographic features (population, language, area, capital, economy, and sovereignty) of the two countries in northern North America;
Describe the fundamental geographic features (population, language, area, capital, economy, and sovereignty) of the thirty-three countries in Latin America;
Describe the fundamental geographic features (population, language, area, capital, economy, and sovereignty) of the forty-two countries in Europe;
Describe the fundamental geographic features (population, language, area, capital, economy, and sovereignty) of the twelve countries in the Commonwealth of Independent States;
Describe the fundamental geographic features (population, language, area, capital, economy, and sovereignty) of the twenty-one countries in the Middle East and North Africa;
Describe the fundamental geographic features (population, language, area, capital, economy, and sovereignty) of the forty-eight countries in Sub-Saharan Africa;
Describe the fundamental geographic features (population, language, area, capital, economy, and sovereignty) of the twenty-four countries in East, South, and Southeast Asia;
Describe the fundamental geographic features (population, language, area, capital, economy, and sovereignty) of the fourteen countries in Oceania;
Identify, locate, and describe the principal political dependencies found in all regions throughout the world.
Required Textbooks
Places of the World: A Study Guide for Achieving Fundamental Geographic Literacy (2009, 6th edition) by James Lett. Brooks/Cole, Cengage Learning. ISBN 978-0-495-39101-2.
Rand McNally Atlas of World Geography (2006) ISBN 978-0-528-17792-7
Study Guide & Test Bank for World Regional Geography (2013) by James Lett. (The Study Guide is available as a free download on the course website.)
Classroom Course Requirements
The classroom section of the course includes ten multiple-choice Unit Tests, one multiple-choice Preview Exam, one multiple-choice Midterm Exam, and one multiple-choice Final Exam.
Online Course Requirements
The online section of the course includes ten multiple-choice Unit Tests, one multiple-choice Preview Exam, one multiple-choice First Comprehensive Exam, one multiple-choice Second Comprehensive Exam, and one multiple-choice Final Comprehensive Exam, as well ten brief Critical Thinking Discussion Questions that must be answered via online postings during designated time periods (the three Comprehensive Exams are proctored tests that must be taken in the Assessment Center on one of the IRSC Campuses)..
Student Responsibilities
Attendance is mandatory.
During the Fall and Spring Semesters, students should expect to devote approximately eight (8) hours per week to the required coursework; during the Summer Semester, students should expect to devote approximately twenty (20) hours per week to the required coursework.
In all communications and interactions, both in person and online, students must exhibit a consistent level of courtesy and consideration that is appropriate for an academic environment.
To withdraw from the course, students must initiate their own withdrawal before the published withdrawal deadline. Instructor Withdrawals after that date can be given only in the most exceptional circumstances, such as hospitalization. Instructor Withdrawals cannot be given simply because of poor academic performance.
Any student found guilty of academic dishonesty or cheating in any form will automatically receive a grade of "F" for the course and will be referred to the Vice President of Strudent Affairs for possible disciplinary action that could include probabtion, suspension, or expulsion.
Students must accept and abide by all course policies specified in the Course Syllabus, including but not limited to the grading policies.