Geography
Iraq, Afghanistan, China...what do you really know about these countries and the peoples
living in them? Learn about these places and many others that are now tied to your
life through globalization, geopolitics, trade, and information technologies. Who
are the Kurds, the Kashmiris and the Kazakhs, and how are our actions intertwined?
Geography is so much more than map skills, it provides an indispensible perspective
on current events and their geo-historical context. Geography courses at WVC allow
students to develop critical thinking skills and cross-cultural understanding to help
navigate our increasingly interconnected world.
Introduction to the study of human geography and the major themes of the discipline.
Topics include human-environment interaction, population and migration, cultural diffusion,
patterns of health and nutrition, industrialization, economic development, and political
geography. These will be approached in the context of regional difference and globalization.
Examines the diversity of the world's human and physical landscapes using a regional
approach. Geographic concepts and the dynamics of development are discussed within
the context of 10 major geographic realms. Regional disparities and interdependencies
provide an important focus for understanding the global complexity of social systems.
An introduction to sustainability and issues that impact sustainable development globally,
nationally, and locally. We will examine our role in natural resource depletion and
waste both in urban and rural spaces, while envisioning ways to sustain ecosystems
and reduce our ecological footprint. This course will include a service learning component.
Survey of the field of economic geography, including globalization, economic development,
location analysis, rural and urban land use. Economic debates and alternative theories
examined in historical and current context. Global, regional and local scales employed
to explore how production, distribution and consumption of goods and services are
geographically organized.
