Explores the spatial patterns of weather and climate, landforms, vegetation, soils, and water resources, and their changes, interactions, and impacts on human life and society. Designed to increase awareness of the physical environment, geographic patterns of human-environmental interactions, and the interrelationships of natural phenomena. Course offered every semester.
Spring/Summer 2024 - Online Fall 2024 - Online
The concept of sustainability holds that the social, economic, and environmental factors within human communities must be viewed in the context of their geographic locations. Strategies and decisions for sustainable development require understanding of the spatial patterns of human-environmental interactions, scale, and place. GPY 101 provides important place-based perspectives on sustainability. Offered every semester.
Winter 2024 - Online Fall 2024 - Online Winter 2025 - Online
An introductory geographic survey of climate change impacts and vulnerabilities around the world. Attention will be given to causes of the unfolding global climate crisis, climate change scenarios through the end of this century, and mitigation, adaptation, and resiliency-planning strategies. Offered every semester.
The distinctive spatial patterns of culture around the world will be investigated. Examines the distributions of population, language, religion, race, agriculture, industry, urbanization, and development and how these distributions change over time. Fulfills one of the Foundations - Social and Behavioral Sciences. Offered every semester.
Spring/Summer 2024 - Online
Examines a world that is undergoing political, economic, social, and environmental changes at many different spatial scales. Using geographic concepts, this course examines national, regional, and global interaction and development, and the diverse and complex processes that both hinder and help forge a global community. Fulfills one of the Foundations - Social and Behavioral Sciences. Fulfills Cultures - Global Perspectives. Offered every semester.
Introduces basic concepts and techniques of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and their essential role in geographic research. Provides hands-on experience in spatial analysis and the use of GIS software. Offered every semester.
Winter 2024 - Online Spring/Summer 2024 - Online Fall 2024 - Hybrid
An introduction to the urban planning strategies that help towns and cities preserve, restore, and even capitalize on their natural resources. This course investigates threats to clean air, water, and healthy ecosystems in our communities and examines solutions in the form of governmental policies, green designs, and urban inventiveness.
A survey of Michigan's physical resources, such as climate, soils, hydrology. and flora as related to land use and land use management, exemplified in settlement patterns, demography, economic development, infrastructures, industrialization, urbanization, and jurisdictional structures.
A survey of Europe's distribution and regional interactions of physical and human resources such as climate, soils, hydrology, and coastal geomorphology, along with cultural elements such as settlement patterns, language, ideology, economic development, infrastructure evolution, industrialization, urbanization, human capital, and jurisdictional developments and the associated land use management approaches. Fulfills Cultures - Global Perspectives.
Winter 2024 - Online
Explores the use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technology in economic and business decision-making, including market area analysis, geodemographic segmentation, site selection, routing, customer profiling, sales territory management, and location strategies. Emphasis on hands-on activities. Problem-based learning approach. Part of the Information, Innovation, or Technology Issue. Cross-listed with MKT 365. Prerequisite: Junior standing.
Winter 2024 - Online Fall 2024 - Hybrid Winter 2025 - Hybrid
Focus on applications of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) techniques in urban and regional analysis. Using a hands-on approach, students will explore how to use GIS techniques and large data sets to analyze economic, demographic and social change in the knowledge-based economy. Part of the Information, Innovation, or Technology Issue. Crosslisted with ECO 385. Prerequisite: Junior standing.
An advanced level GIS course emphasizing decision analysis through applications of spatial statistics and geospatial modeling. Topics include multivariate statistics, error assessment and propagation, fuzzy logic, uncertainty, and decision risk in GIS modeling, location analysis, and terrain modeling using industry standard GIS software. Prerequisite: GPY 307.
Winter 2024 - Hybrid Fall 2024 - Hybrid Winter 2025 - Hybrid
This course examines applications of landscape ecology concepts in land-use, urban, and regional planning. Attention is given to system analysis, integration of physical, biological, and cultural elements in landscape systems. Applications of sustainable landscape design and resiliency planning through integration of green and blue infrastructure are examined through case studies. Offered fall semester. Prerequisite: Junior standing.
Fall 2024 - Hybrid
This course introduces students to natural and human causes of climate change and geographic patterns of climate change impacts, human vulnerabilities, and adaptation and mitigation strategies. Global climate modeling scenarios are examined in the context of international and national climate change policies, national security, climate preparedness, and resiliency planning. Cross-listed with ENS 412. Part of the Sustainability Issue. Offered winter semester. Prerequisites: Junior standing, and either GPY 100 or ENS 201 or at least one course from Foundations - Natural Sciences.
Winter 2024 - Online Spring/Summer 2024 - Online Winter 2025 - Online
