It introduces students to the philosophical, socio-economic, physical, and technological foundations underlying contemporary environmental issues. Regions, regional identities, and regionalism. Emphasis is placed on processes that account for the earth's natural landscapes and their geographic variability. This course is an introduction to the history of geography, and to the research philosophies and methodological concepts applied in the discipline. An examination of the statistical techniques commonly used in the analysis of geographic data.
Emphasis is placed upon spatial sampling, hypothesis testing, correlation and regression.
Emphasis is placed on selected themes in the physical, historical, cultural, political, and economic geography of the area. Detailed regional study will be limited to two or three selected countries and will help to illustrate the rapid changes taking place in Western Europe. Topics of investigation include imperialism, population growth, political boundaries, and economic transition. The basic principles of meteorology with special attention to weather conditions on the Canadian prairies. Theories of location, models of regional economicdevelopment, problems resulting from different levels of economic development.