Course Highlights
GEOG170 Maps and Maps Use
(January 2-January 22)
This course will teach the fundamentals of map design and map use. Historical and theoretical discussion on maps will be presented to contextualize geography and cartography in the modern world. Students will be introduced to basic maps and mapping techniques. Students will learn to critically examine maps through evaluation of their purpose, content, design, and context.
Further, this course satisfies the CORE requirement for Math and Formal Reasoning (MS). Mathematical concepts and methods involved in this course include coordinate system application, distance, area, and directional measurements, the geometry of simple map projections, and the analysis and utilization of thematic statistical data in the construction of maps, charts, and graphs.
By the end of the course, students will have a better understanding of the importance of maps, and will be able to understand appropriate mapping techniques in their own academic works. Furthermore, students will gain an appreciation and a critical eye for the cultural, economic, and political manipulation and interpretation of maps.
This course will be taught in a lecture discussion format that will give students an active role in learning. The instructor will employ a variety of media to communicate information and supplement lectures.
