The Ohio State University
Geography 597.01: World Uranization
Room 173, Mendenhall Lab






Instructor:Irene Casas Office Hours: T 1:30 – 3:30pm
                    Derby Hall 1145 or by appointment
                    Phone: 292-6127 e-mail: icasas@geography.ohio-state.edu
 

Description: Geography 597.01 is a 5 credit hours class, open to junior or senior ranked students. It fulfills the Capstone component of General Education Curriculum (GEC).

Objective: this course will introduce the student to world urbanization concepts, which include relationships between urbanization and economic development, geographic variations in urbanization at inter-urban and intra-urban scales of analysis, and basic urbanization concepts. This will be achieved by using as examples the different world regions.

Textbook: Brunn S. And Williams, J. eds. 1993. Cities of the World: World Regional Urban Development,
                   Second edition. New York: Harper Collins.

Additional readings from others sources might be assigned throughout the quarter, and
distributed in class.
 

Course Evaluation:
Homework:     3             45%     (15 % each)
Midterm:                        25%     ( Feb. 3, Thursday)
Final:                              30%     (March 14, Tuesday, 10:00 am)

Bonus questions will be placed on the web site for the class weekly. The answers have to be submitted by e-mail, no other way is accepted.

The address for the site is: http://geog-www.sbs.ohio-state.edu/courses/g597.01/urb597.htm

You can also access the site through the Geography homepage under the class category.
Extra points will be given for class participation and discussion.

Late assignments will be accepted, but 10 points (or equivalent) will be taken off for each day it is late (includes weekends).

Readings: you are responsible for the chapters assigned.

Lectures: will cover the important concepts in the readings, but new "stuff" will also be introduced.
Copies of the lectures may be found in the web site. However, things said in class might not match exactly the notes and viceversa. These can only be used as a guide for you to know what was discussed in class.

Tests: will consist of three sessions: multiple choice, short answers, and an essay question. Everything covered in class and in the readings is valid.
Make-up tests will only be given for medical reasons (with doctor’s note). If you know that you are not going to be able to take the test in the assigned date (because of an unexpected event: jury duty, court appearance, etc.), let us know ahead of time.

If you cannot reach us in office hours, call the department at 292-2514 and leave a message.
 
 

Reading/Schedule





Week 1:         Introduction,                                Chapter 1
Week 2:         US and Canada,                           Chapter 2
Week 3:         Europe,                                          Chapter 3
Week 4:         Russia,                                           Chapter 4             (Homework # 1 due, Thursday)
Week 5:         Latin America,                              Chapter 6             (Midterm, Feb. 3, Thursday)
Week 6:         Mideast and North Africa,         Chapter 8
Week 7:         Subsaharan Africa,                      Chapter 7             (Homework # 2 due, Thursday)
Week 8:         India,                                              Chapter 9
Week 9:         China,                                             Chapter 11           (Homework # 3 due, Thursday)
Week 10:       Southeast Asia,                            Chapter 10
 

Senior Final exam scheduled for week 10 of the quarter, either Monday or Tuesday afternoon. (Exact time and place should be decided)