Graduate Classes

GEO5058 Survey of Geographic Thought (3) explores the history of geography as a discipline, ranging from classical origins to contemporary philosophical schools and debates.

GEO5115 Environmental Field Methods (3) demonstrates the design, implementation and presentation of a field-based project employing sampling, GIS, GPS, and exploratory statistical methods.

GEO5118C Introduction to Geographic Research (3) surveys research design and methods, strengths and weaknesses of alternative strategies, reliability and validity measures, and methods of writing.

GEO5165C Quantitative Geography (3) uses R and RStudio for descriptive and inferential statistics in geographic research. Emphasizing reproducibility the course topics include grammars for data and graphs,  classical statistical tests, correlation, linear, logistic, and quantile regression, regression trees, geographic regression, and spatial autocorrelation. Students are required to have their own laptops. Grading is based on two exams and several (5-8) problem sets. No textbook.

GEO5305 Biogeography (3) investigates the spatial distributions of flora and fauna, vegetation dynamics, ecosystem change, and issues related to biodiversity, invasive species, wildfire policy, and debates over wilderness.

GEO5378 Landscape Ecology (3) offers a review of methods on analyzing geographic patterns of natural phenomena, including ecological conservation, natural resource management, landscape and urban planning, as well as human-environmental interactions and implications. Familiarity with software packages such as ArcGIS is assumed. Prerequisite GIS5101.

GEO5417 Race and Place (3) integrates various concepts and topics concerned with the spatial construction and effects of race and ethnicity, including identity, segregation, political and cultural landscapes, and environmental justice.

GEO5425 Cultural Geography (3) explores how the development of society, its customs, language, beliefs, traditions, and political ideologies vary in cohesiveness at local, national, and international scales.

GEO5451 Medical Geography (3) reviews the literature and techniques for locating, accessing, and understanding public health evidence, as well as evaluating environmental hazards that pose risks to human health and safety and policy repercussions to public health provisions.

GEO5453 Global Health (3) explores and evaluates public health problems, and examines global health inequality.

GEO5472 Political Geography (3) examines of how political processes play out over space, from the local to the global levels, and the affect of electoral geographies, geopolitics, war, and nationalism.

GEO5545 Advanced Economic Geography (3) examines   several themes in-depth dealing with economic landscapes, including input-output analysis, historical materialism, post-Fordism, services and telecommunications, and the global economy.

GEO5555 World Systems Theory (3) is a systematic interrogation of the birth and historical trajectory of the contemporary capitalist world economy, including dependency and modernization theory, and current topics in ethnic conflict and the global economy.

GEO5704 Transport Geography (3)  offers a review of the literature and techniques for the spatial impacts of transportation systems, including functionality, and their role on society, the economy, energy, the environment, and sustainability.

GEO5705 Communications Geography (3) examines the geopolitics of telecommunications, the space-shrinking impact of technologies, and their economic and social effects, including cyberspace.

GEO5908r Directed Individual Study (1–6). (S/U grade only.) May be repeated to a maximum of nine semester hours.

GEO5918r Supervised Research (1–3) can be taken to a maximum of THREE (3) credit hours, and may apply to the master’s degree. S/U grade only.

GEO5934r Seminar in Current Topics (1–3) is a variety of subjects offered on an occasional basis under the heading of “Special Topics.”

GEO5947r Supervised Teaching (1–3)  can be taken to a maximum of THREE (3) credit hours, and may apply to the master’s degree.

GEO5971r Thesis (1–9) requires a minimum of SIX (6) credit hours for the master’s thesis. S/U grade only.

GEO6093 Professional Development in Geography (3) reviews procedures for students to assume academic and non-academic employment arising from the attainment of a PhD in Geography.

GEO6980r Dissertation (1–12) can be taken to a maximum of TWELVE (12) credit hours for the doctoral degree.

GEO8964r Preliminary Doctoral Examination (0) is  required to proceed to doctoral candidacy. P/F grade only.

GEO8976r Master’s Thesis Defense (0) is required to pass the master’s degree. P/F grade only.

GEO8985r Dissertation Defense (0) is required to pass the doctoral degree. P/F grade only.

GIS5034 Introduction to Remote Sensing (3) covers the foundations and use of remote sensing for environmental and cultural applications. Focus on aerial photography and photogrammetry, various sensing systems, applications, and digital image processing. Corequisite GIS5034L.

GIS5034L Introduction to Remote Sensing Lab (1) lab provides hands-on practice experience with equipment and computers to demonstrate the concepts and techniques used in the remote sensing class GIS5034 using ERDAS Imagine and ArcGIS software. Corequisite GIS5034.

GIS5038C Advanced Remote Sensing (3) focuses on the quantitative analysis of remotely sensed data; multidimensionality of images acquired by a range of sensors, digital image processing, and applications in urban and environmental examples. Examples make use of the ERDAS Imagine software. Prerequisite GIS5034 and GIS5034L.

GIS5073 GIS Land Survey Methods (3) focuses on the theory and practice of techniques that locate objects in space using land survey methods.

GIS5101 Geographic Information Systems (3) is an introduction to the expanding field of geospatial technology, how digital maps represent the world, locational measurements by GPS, spatial data structures, scenario-building, modeling/analysis, and decision support. Corequisite GIS5101L.

GIS5101L GIS Lab (1) lab is hands-on computer practice in using ArcGIS. Corequisite GIS5101.

GIS5106 Advanced GIScience (3) reviews the theoretical and applied field of GIScience, addressing spatial cognition and representation, spatial pattern analysis and interpolation, linear modeling, simulation and visualization, data mining and reasoning, quality and uncertainty, and distributed and interactive GIS. Prerequisite GIS5101.

GIS5103 GIS Programming (3) explores contemporary research methods and applications in analytical geography, particularly computational skills of GIS practitioners. It examines how advances in spatial data analysis and geographical modeling have largely outpaced the capabilities of standard statistical software. How the multidisciplinary nature of the spatial sciences often translates into the need to deal with disparate data sources, formats and programming languages.  Students are strongly encouraged to bring their own laptop to class and to use it for all exercises.

GIS5111 Spatial Modeling in GIScience (3) introduces advanced spatial modeling theories and techniques operationalized in GIS, including spatial optimization, GIS for transportation, and spatial decision support systems. The course works through examples using TransCAD and Maptitude GIS software and the CPLEX Optimization suite.

GIS5112 GIS Databases (3) is a practical demonstration of the structure and functionality of GIS databases; their query and manipulation of digital spatial data. It focuses on core data structures and modeling concepts in databases to understand the technical aspects of GIScience.

GIS5122 Applied Spatial Statistics (3) uses R and RStudio to emphasize reproducible geographical research. The course explores the ways spatial autocorrelated data (point pattern data, lattice data, and geostatistical data) are examined and modeled. Topics include exploratory analysis, kernel density, distance-based functions, point-pattern models, Moran’s I, spatial regression, variography, and kriging. Students are required to have their own laptops. Grading is based on a few problem sets and a final project. No textbook is required.

GIS5131 Geographic Visualization (3) examines the design and implementation of effective visualization of geographic data, phenomena, patterns, and processes. Theoretical basis of cartography, visual perception and communication models, the creation, analysis, display of statistical surfaces, and interactive and animated mapping techniques.

GIS5305 GIS for Environmental Analysis & Modeling (3) focuses on how GIS is operationalized on data representing environmental, such as space-time variability, data acquisition and integration, interpolation , error and uncertainty, environmental decision support systems, modeling techniques. Applications include hydrological modeling, terrain modeling and landform analysis, landscape pattern analysis, land suitability analysis, soil erosion modeling, and wildfire modeling. The course makes use of the TerrSet software for GIS.

GIS5306 Environmental Change Modeling (3) examines various modeling techniques for simulating and understanding environmental change, and how such changes affect the human dimension. Familiarity of basic modeling packages, such as ArcGIS, is assumed. Prerequisite GIS5101.

GIS5331 Florida GIS Applications (3) is a computer-based course that evaluates the breadth of environmental and social applications of GIS specific to the State of Florida. It allows students to explore software functionality, evaluate spatial data quality, design methodologies, generate maps and spatial reports, and critically evaluate the practicality, feasibility, and reliability of measuring and monitoring Florida applications that include, but are not limited to, wetland management, severe storm impacts, and urban developments for tourism and retirement.

GIS5400 GIS Applications in Social Sciences (3) investigates practical examples from the fields of health, economic geography, real estate, housing, transportation, criminology, and others to illustrate how spatial analysis techniques are used to address problems in a GIS environment. Special focus on data needs, implementation of methods, and understanding the spatial assumptions and issues that underpin analyses.

GIS5605 GIS Local Government (3) explores the professional and institutional application of GIS in government, industry and business. Prerequisite GIS5101.

GIS5950 GIScience Capstone (6) typically the terminal class for the master’s in GIS, opportunity for students to apply and demonstrates GIScience theory and techniques in a vocational environment. Prerequisites GIS5101 and GIS5106.

1) This list only applies to MS/MA in Geography and PhD in Geography students.
2) If a student would like to select any of these courses as their degree electives, approval from his/her major advisor is required.
3) If a student identifies other courses not on this list but are relevant to his/her degree training, s/he may use those courses as electives with the approval of the major advisor.
4) This list is subject to changes and will be updated regularly.
Compiled 03-09-2021

• URP5425 – Methods of Environmental Analysis
• URP5847 – Growth and Dev. of Cities
• URP5716 – Transportation and Land Use
• URP5525 – Health Behavior and Education
• URP5312 – Perspectives and Issues of Comprehensive Planning and Growth Management
• URP5421 – Introduction to Environmental Planning and Natural Resource Management
• URP5445 – Climate Change and Community Resilience
• URP5059 – Community Involvement and Public Participation
• PCB5425 – Population Ecology
• OCB5639 – Marine Benthic Ecology
• OCE5065 – Marine Conservation Biology
• OCP5056 – Introduction to Physical Oceanography
• CAP5771 – Data Mining
• BSC5936 – Advanced Quantitative Methods
• BSC5936 – Selected Topics in Biological Sciences (Topic: Bio Quantitative Methods 1 and 2)
• BSC5936 – Quantitative Methods in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
• STA5323 – Introduction to Mathematical Statistics
• STA5856 – Time Series and Forecasting Methods
• STA5198 – Epidemiology for Statisticians
• STA5207 – Applied Regression Methods
• STA5238 – Applied Logistic Regression
• STA5635 – Applied Machine Learning
• MET6155 – Advanced Topics in Climatology
• PAD5079 – UAS/Drones in EM
• PAD5078 – Applications of UAS
• PAD5935 – UAS 3 Implementation
• PAD5397 – Foundations of EM
• PAD5848 – Intelligence Community
• PAD5907 – Indiv Study (Disaster Systems)