Southern Utah University

Course Syllabus

Southern Utah University
Southern Utah University
Fall Semester 2025

People and Place: Human Geography (Face-to-Face)

GEOG 1400-01

Course: GEOG 1400-01
Credits: 3
Term: Fall Semester 2025
Department: GEOS
CRN: 31229

Course Description

An introduction to contemporary geographic perspectives on the distribution and networks of people, their activities, and cultural characteristics, including language, population, politics, settlements, economic development, and environmental concerns. A minimum grade of “C” (2.0 or above) must be earned in this course before it can be counted in a Geosciences major or minor or as a prerequisite for any other course. (Fall) [Graded Letter]

Required Texts

RECOMMENDED Textbook:
Greiner, A. (2017) Visualizing Human Geography: At Home in a Diverse World, 3rd Edition. John Wiley and Sons. NOTE: the 1st or 2nd edition is suitable and cheaper.
You can also choose from a growing list of Open Education Resources, such as: Dorrell, Henderson, Lindley, and Connor (2019) Introduction to Human Geography (2nd Edition), which is available for FREE at https://oer.galileo.usg.edu/geo-textbooks/2/
REQUIRED Technology:
A FREE Poll Everywhere account; which requires you to register using your name and email.

Learning Outcomes

Course Learning Outcomes
Students will be assessed according to how well they achieve the following learning outcomes.
  1. Describe the relevance of geographic concepts and skills, particularly in human geography.
  2. Recognize the connections between geography and globalization.
  3. Explain, using global examples, the complexity and diversity of global cultures.
  4. Describe the relationships between humans and the natural environment.
  5. Conduct analysis and demonstrate effective written communication skills.
Knowledge Area Learning Outcomes
This course fulfills General Education requirements for the Social and Behavioral Sciences Knowledge Area. Students will be assessed according to how well they achieve the following learning outcomes. 
1. Demonstrate understanding of relevant social and behavioral science methodologies and how they are used to understand or explain human relations or interactions; 
2. Identify general principles of behavioral and social functioning; 
3. Connect those questions and issues to the students’ own experiences; and 
4. Demonstrate a critically reasoned understanding of social patterns and individual variation congruent with and divergent from those patterns.
Essential Learning Outcomes 
Students will be assessed according to how well they achieve the following learning outcomes.
9.0 Intercultural Knowledge and Competence: Students demonstrate that they possess a set of cognitive, affective, and behavioral skills and characteristics that support effective and appropriate interaction in a variety of cultural contexts.
11.0 Knowledge of Human Cultures: Students demonstrate knowledge of human cultures and the physical and natural world through study in the fine arts, humanities, social and behavioral sciences, life and physical sciences. 


Course Requirements

ASSIGNMENTS | COUNT | VALUE | MAX POINTS
  • Participation – Clicker Questions & Field Trips | numerous | ≈ 0.25 points each | 15 points
  • Assignments | 4 | 10 points each | 40 points
  • On-line Quizzes | 8 | 2.5 points each | 20 points
  • Term Tests | 2 | 12.5 points each | 25 points
EXTRA-CREDIT OPPORTUNITIES
  • OPTIONAL Empathy Survey: | 1 point each | 1 point
  • OPTIONAL Mid-Term Course Feedback | 1 point each | 1 point
Descriptions
PARTICIPATION: It is important for you to actively engage with classroom material, so we use field trips, discussions, and ‘clickers’ to (a) help understand what you know, (b) allow everyone to participate, and (c) provide review material for tests. Please let me know if you do not have a smartphone or laptop.
ASSIGNMENTS: To “understand” geography, it is important to “do” geography. The primary purpose of these hands-on assignments is for students to experience geographic theory and tools.
ON-LINE QUIZZES: The purpose of the quizzes is to promote learning of course material that is not covered during lectures and reinforce material that is. Each quiz is on-line (Canvas), open-book format, no time restrictions, and 3 attempts (the “highest” score will be recorded).
TERM TESTS: The two (2) tests will consist of (a) closed-book multiple-choice questions that are drawn exclusively from the in-class clicker questions and (b) an open-book short-essay question that is drawn exclusively from the textbook review questions. The tests are designed to be written on-line (Canvas).

Course Outline

Please note that lecture topics and readings are subject to minor changes as we progress in the term.
WEEK | DATE | LECTURE TOPICS | READINGS
| Week 1  | Thur-Aug-28  | Course Outline, Format, and Expectations  | ---
| Week 2  | Tues -Sep-02  | What Is Human Geography?  | Greiner, Ch. 1 OR Dorrell et al., Ch. 1
| Week 2  | Thur-Sep-04  | What Is Human Geography?  | ---
| Week 3  | Tues-Sep-09  | FIELD TRIP – A Trip to the Cemetery  | Assignment 1
| Week 3  | Thur-Sep-11  | Globalization and Cultural Geography  | Greiner, Ch. 2 OR Dorrell et al., Ch. 4
| Week 4  | Tues-Sep-16  | Globalization and Cultural Geography  | ---
| Week 4  | Thur-Sep-18  | Population and Migration  | Greiner, Ch. 3 OR Dorrell et al., Ch. 2 & 3
| Week 5  | Tues-Sep-23  | Population and Migration  | ---
| Week 5  | Thur-Sep-25  | COMPUTER LAB – Population Pyramids  | ---
| Week 6  | Tues-Sep-30  | Observational Research Methods  | Assignment 2
| Week 6  | Thur-Oct-02  | Geographies of Language  | Greiner, Ch. 4 OR Dorrell et al., Ch. 5
| Week 7  | Tues-Oct-07  | Identity: Race, Ethnicity, Sexuality, & Gender  | Greiner, Ch. 6 OR Dorrell et al., Ch. 7
| Week 8  | Tues-Oct-14  | NO CLASS – Fall Break  | ---
| Week 8  | Thur-Oct-16  | TAKE-HOME TEST #1  | Greiner, Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4 and 6 Dorrell et al., Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 7
| Week 9  | Tues-Oct-21  | Interviews in Human Geography  | ---
| Week 10  | Tues-Oct-28  | Agricultural Geographies  | Greiner, Ch. 11 OR Dorrell et al., Ch. 10
| Week 10  | Thur-Oct-30  | Agricultural Geographies  | ---
| Week 11  | Tues-Nov-04  | FIELD TRIP – Soundwalk of SUU campus  | ---
| Week 11  | Thur-Nov-06  | Urban Geographies  | Greiner, Ch. 8 OR Dorrell et al., Ch. 12
| Week 12  | Tues-Nov-11  | Urban Geographies  | ---
| Week 12  | Thur-Nov-13  | FIELD TRIP - The Meaning of “Urban”  | ---
| Week 13  | Tues-Nov-18  | Environmental Challenges  | Greiner, Ch. 12 OR Dorrell et al., Ch. 13
| Week 13  | Thur-Nov-20  | Environmental Challenges  | ---
| Week 14  | Tues-Nov-25  | NO CLASS – Thanksgiving Recess  | ---
| Week 14  | Thur-Nov-27  | TAKE-HOME TEST #2  | Greiner, Chapters 8, 11, and 12 Dorrell et al., Chapters 10, 12, and 13
| Week 15  | Tues-Dec-02  | ---  | ---
| Week 15  | Thur-Dec-04  | ---  | ---

Instructor's policies on late assignments and/or makeup work

LATE POLICY: Late assignments are accepted at the sole discretion of the instructor. If accepted, they may be penalized up to 10% per day and return time may be severely impacted.
MAKEUP POLICY: Technical difficulties are not acceptable excuses for missing due dates for quizzes, tests, and tasks unless the school or regional network is down for a prolonged period. If you encounter technical difficulties when taking a test, please contact me directly. If you experience a prolonged absence from school due to illness or personal situation, please let me know.

Attendance Policy

Students are expected to regularly attend lectures. Lectures will start promptly, so please show respect to the instructor and other students by arriving on time. If you are ill, you may request access to Zoom or a recording of the lecture. It is the responsibility of the student to arrange with the instructor an opportunity to complete missed material during excused absences (SUU Policy #6.30).

Course Fees

3 Credit(s) | $40.50 Fee

ADA Statement

Students with medical, psychological, learning, or other disabilities desiring academic adjustments, accommodations, or auxiliary aids will need to contact the Disability Resource Center, located in Room 206F of the Sharwan Smith Center or by phone at (435) 865-8042. The Disability Resource Center determines eligibility for and authorizes the provision of services.

If your instructor requires attendance, you may need to seek an ADA accommodation to request an exception to this attendance policy. Please contact the Disability Resource Center to determine what, if any, ADA accommodations are reasonable and appropriate.

Academic Credit

According to the federal definition of a Carnegie credit hour: A credit hour of work is the equivalent of approximately 60 minutes of class time or independent study work. A minimum of 45 hours of work by each student is required for each unit of credit. Credit is earned only when course requirements are met. One (1) credit hour is equivalent to 15 contact hours of lecture, discussion, testing, evaluation, or seminar, as well as 30 hours of student homework. An equivalent amount of work is expected for laboratory work, internships, practica, studio, and other academic work leading to the awarding of credit hours. Credit granted for individual courses, labs, or studio classes ranges from 0.5 to 15 credit hours per semester.

Academic Freedom

SUU is operated for the common good of the greater community it serves. The common good depends upon the free search for truth and its free exposition. Academic Freedom is the right of faculty to study, discuss, investigate, teach, and publish. Academic Freedom is essential to these purposes and applies to both teaching and research.

Academic Freedom in the realm of teaching is fundamental for the protection of the rights of the faculty member and of you, the student, with respect to the free pursuit of learning and discovery. Faculty members possess the right to full freedom in the classroom in discussing their subjects. They may present any controversial material relevant to their courses and their intended learning outcomes, but they shall take care not to introduce into their teaching controversial materials which have no relation to the subject being taught or the intended learning outcomes for the course.

As such, students enrolled in any course at SUU may encounter topics, perspectives, and ideas that are unfamiliar or controversial, with the educational intent of providing a meaningful learning environment that fosters your growth and development. These parameters related to Academic Freedom are included in SUU Policy 6.6.

Academic Misconduct

Scholastic honesty is expected of all students. Dishonesty will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent (see SUU Policy 6.33). You are expected to have read and understood the current SUU student conduct code (SUU Policy 11.2) regarding student responsibilities and rights, the intellectual property policy (SUU Policy 5.52), information about procedures, and what constitutes acceptable behavior.

Please Note: The use of websites or services that sell essays is a violation of these policies; likewise, the use of websites or services that provide answers to assignments, quizzes, or tests is also a violation of these policies. Regarding the use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI), you should check with your individual course instructor.

Emergency Management Statement

In case of an emergency, the University's Emergency Notification System (ENS) will be activated. Students are encouraged to maintain updated contact information using the link on the homepage of the mySUU portal. In addition, students are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the Emergency Response Protocols posted in each classroom. Detailed information about the University's emergency management plan can be found at https://www.suu.edu/emergency.

HEOA Compliance Statement

For a full set of Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) compliance statements, please visit https://www.suu.edu/heoa. The sharing of copyrighted material through peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing, except as provided under U.S. copyright law, is prohibited by law; additional information can be found at https://my.suu.edu/help/article/1096/heoa-compliance-plan.

You are also expected to comply with policies regarding intellectual property (SUU Policy 5.52) and copyright (SUU Policy 5.54).

Mandatory Reporting

University policy (SUU Policy 5.60) requires instructors to report disclosures received from students that indicate they have been subjected to sexual misconduct/harassment. The University defines sexual harassment consistent with Federal Regulations (34 C.F.R. Part 106, Subpart D) to include quid pro quo, hostile environment harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking. When students communicate this information to an instructor in-person, by email, or within writing assignments, the instructor will report that to the Title IX Coordinator to ensure students receive support from the Title IX Office. A reporting form is available at https://cm.maxient.com/reportingform.php?SouthernUtahUniv

Non-Discrimination Statement

SUU is committed to fostering an inclusive community of lifelong learners and believes our university's encompassing of different views, beliefs, and identities makes us stronger, more innovative, and better prepared for the global society.

SUU does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, citizenship, sex (including sex discrimination and sexual harassment), sexual orientation, gender identity, age, ancestry, disability status, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, genetic information, military status, veteran status, or other bases protected by applicable law in employment, treatment, admission, access to educational programs and activities, or other University benefits or services.

SUU strives to cultivate a campus environment that encourages freedom of expression from diverse viewpoints. We encourage all to dialogue within a spirit of respect, civility, and decency.

For additional information on non-discrimination, please see SUU Policy 5.27 and/or visit https://www.suu.edu/nondiscrimination.

Pregnancy

Students who are or become pregnant during this course may receive reasonable modifications to facilitate continued access and participation in the course. Pregnancy and related conditions are broadly defined to include pregnancy, childbirth, termination of pregnancy, lactation, related medical conditions, and recovery. To obtain reasonable modifications, please make a request to title9@suu.edu. To learn more visit: https://www.suu.edu/titleix/pregnancy.html.

Disclaimer Statement

Information contained in this syllabus, other than the grading, late assignments, makeup work, and attendance policies, may be subject to change with advance notice, as deemed appropriate by the instructor.