GEOG 2100 — Physical Geography

Course description

Weather and climate, landforms, soils, and biogeography, with lab.

Physical Geography is a lower-division undergraduate course in Geography (GEOG 2100), carrying 4 credits, and is typically offered spring.

Prerequisites

None. This course is open to any student who meets general enrollment requirements. It is one of the courses that later, more advanced courses build on, so a solid grasp here pays off downstream.

What you will be able to do

By the end of the course, a student who does the work should be able to:

• Explain the core concepts, terms, and methods of physical Geography.
• Work standard problems in geography accurately and show the reasoning behind each step.
• Carry out laboratory or field procedures safely and correctly, and interpret what the results mean.
• Communicate your work and conclusions clearly in writing and in class discussion.

Each section publishes its own specific, measurable outcomes on the syllabus; these are representative.

How it is taught

A mix of instruction and guided practice. Most weeks include a lab, studio, or problem session where an instructor is present to help you work through the material while it is fresh. Scheduled hands-on time is a required part of the course and cannot be made up casually.

Workload and assessment

As a 4-credit course, expect roughly 8–12 hours of work outside scheduled class time each week, on top of lab or studio hours. Grades are typically based on a mix of laboratory, studio, or fieldwork, regular homework or problem sets, quizzes or exams, and in-class activities, in proportions each instructor sets. Late-work, attendance, and academic-integrity policies are on the section syllabus, which is the authority in any conflict with this page.

Where it fits

Physical Geography counts toward the Geography program and is available as an elective to students in related majors; it may also apply to a minor or a general-education category. See the Geography course list for the full sequence, and your degree audit for exactly how it applies to your requirements. If you are not sure whether to take it, your academic adviser can tell you where it lands in your plan.

Topics you can expect

Sections vary, but a typical offering of Physical Geography spends time on:

• The vocabulary of geography and the questions the field is trying to answer.
• Core methods, and how practitioners actually apply them.
• Reading, evaluating, and citing evidence, sources, or specifications.
• A recurring problem type worked from a blank page to a defended answer.
• The notation, tools, or software that is standard in the area.
• How the individual pieces fit into a larger system or argument.

The section syllabus sets the actual schedule and the order these are covered in; this list is representative, not a contract.

Materials and cost

Plan on a course fee for consumable lab, studio, or field materials (listed with the section at registration), plus one text. The course fee is charged with tuition and covers materials the course consumes; personal protective equipment or a few small supplies may be your responsibility. Where a no-cost open option covers the learning outcomes, the department uses it, so wait for the section syllabus before buying anything. Any figure here is illustrative — UW–Porter Falls is fictional and sets no real prices.

Common questions

Can I enroll without the prerequisite? There is no prerequisite, so no override is needed.

Will it count toward my major or a general-education requirement? It always counts toward Geography. Whether it satisfies a category in another major, a minor, or general education depends on that program's rules — check your degree audit or ask your adviser.

How heavy is the workload? Budget about 8–12 hours per week beyond scheduled class time, plus your lab or studio hours. Students who fall behind in the first three weeks tend to stay behind, so pace the early work.