powered by
Center for Curriculum and Transfer Articulation
Human Geography: Spatial Relationships Between Humans and Culture with Their Environment
Course: GCU102

First Term: 2025 Fall
 Lecture   3.0 Credit(s)   3.0 Period(s)   3.0 Load  
Subject Type: Academic
Load Formula: S - Standard Load


Description: Systematic study of the interaction of humans with their environment. Global spatial patterns of various cultures, economic, social, political, urban and perceptual environments.



MCCCD Official Course Competencies
1. Describe the historical development of and common social science theories to the discipline of geography as it relates to spatial concepts. (I)
2. Describe features of the physical environment, including the atmosphere, the hydrosphere, the biosphere, and the lithosphere. (II)
3. Explain the processes and policies by which population is measured and analyzed. (III)
4. Describe types and causes of human migration. (IV)
5. Explain history, diversity, and features of human culture, including language, religion, and secular customs. (V)
6. Define the concept and evolution of political geography. (VI)
7. Explain characteristics of economic development as they relate to human geography. (VII)
8. Explain common agricultural methods and their relationship to human geography. (VIII)
9. Describe patterns of urban development as they relate to human geography. (IX)
10. Describe the uses of natural resources and the resulting environmental concerns and challenges for various cultural groups. (X)
11. Examine Globalization awareness in relation to environmental change, diffusion research, and transportation for the past, present, and future. (XI)
MCCCD Official Course Competencies must be coordinated with the content outline so that each major point in the outline serves one or more competencies. MCCCD faculty retains authority in determining the pedagogical approach, methodology, content sequencing, and assessment metrics for student work. Please see individual course syllabi for additional information, including specific course requirements.
 
MCCCD Official Course Outline
I. Basic geographic concepts
   A. Historical development of the discipline
      1. The ancient world
      2. The middle ages
      3. The modern era
   B. Approaches
      1. Environmental determinism versus possibilism
      2. Regional versus systematic
   C. Introductory spatial concepts
      1. Location
      2. Map scale and projections
      3. Grid system
      4. Remote sensing
      5. Geographic information systems
      6. Mental maps
      7. Distance decay
II. The physical environment
   A. Earth sun relationships
      1. Rotation
      2. Revolution
      3. Seasons
   B. The atmosphere
      1. Earth`s energy budget
      2. Atmospheric variables
   C. The hydrosphere
      1. Hydrologic cycle
      2. Weather and climate
   D. The biosphere
      1. Food web
      2. Biomes
   E. The lithosphere
      1. Soils
      2. Tectonic and gradational processes
III. Population
   A. Population measures
      1. Census
      2. Growth rates
      3. Density
   B. Population analysis
      1. Distribution
      2. Age sex pyramids
      3. Demographic transition model
   C. Population policies
      1. Governmental
      2. Individual
IV. Migration
   A. Reasons for migration
      1. Push factors
         a. Economic
         b. Political
         c. Environmental
         d. Cultural
      2. Pull factors
         a. Economic
         b. Political
         c. Environmental
         d. Cultural
   B. Types
      1. Internal
         a. Rural to urban
         b. Snowbelt to sunbelt
      2. External
         a. Overseas Chinese
         b. European colonization
      3. Voluntary
         a. North American settlement
         b. Guest workers
      4. Forced
         a. European slave trade
         b. Australian convicts
V. Culture
   A. Languages and dialects
      1. Families
      2. Distribution
      3. Diffusion
      4. Artificial languages
   B. Religion
      1. Major world religions
      2. Distribution
      3. Diffusion
      4. Influences
         a. Upon governments
         b. Upon economic development
         c. Upon gender roles
         d. Upon the physical landscape
         e. Upon the cultural landscape
      5. Religious conflict
   C. Cultural landscapes
      1. Folk customs and popular customs
         a. Housing and architecture
         b. Diet
         c. Clothing
         d. The impact of television
      2. Sequent occupance
VI. Political geography
   A. States, nations and nation-states
      1. Borders
      2. Shapes
   B. Federal and unitary systems
   C. Centrifugal and centripetal forces
   D. Colonialism
   E. Supranationalism
VII. Economic development
   A. Measures
      1. Quantitative
      2. Qualitative
   B. Distribution
      1. Developed countries
      2. Less developed countries
   C. Economic structure
      1. Primary sector
      2. Secondary sector
      3. Tertiary sector
      4. Quaternary sector
   D. Relationship to social and political systems
      1. Market economies
      2. Centrally planned economies
   E. Development models
      1. International trade
      2. Self-sufficiency
      3. Financial assistance
VIII. Agriculture
   A. Origin of agriculture landscapes
   B. Evolution of agriculture landscapes
   C. Contemporary issues
      1. Developed world
      2. Less developed world
IX. Urban landscapes
   A. Origin and growth of cities
   B. Internal structure of cities
   C. Future of urban environments
X. Natural resources
   A. Water
   B. Land use
   C. Energy
   D. Waste
XI. Globalization
   A. Distance
   B. Diffusion
   C. Transportation
   D. Trade
 
MCCCD Governing Board Approval Date: December 10, 2024

All information published is subject to change without notice. Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of information presented, but based on the dynamic nature of the curricular process, course and program information is subject to change in order to reflect the most current information available.