Jan Vermeer, Ein Geograph in seinem Arbeitszimmer, 1669
Jan Vermeer, Ein Geograph in seinem Arbeitszimmer, 1669
Geography at Northwestern State University, located in historic Natchitoches, Louisiana, is a broadly based curriculum that includes courses in Regional Geography, Cultural Geography, Physical Geography, and Geographic Information Systems. Regional emphasis is on Europe, North America, Latin America and Africa. Geography is part of the Department of Social Sciences at NSU, and is closely tied to the other programs in the Department, including Anthropology, History, Political Science, and Sociology. At present there is not a major in Geography, but Geography is part of the new Bachelor of Arts program in Heritage Resources. At present, there are two instructors in Geography at NSU, Dr. Dean Sinclair and Dr. Bill Manger. Dr. Sinclair received his Ph.D. from Louisiana State University and Dr. Manger received his Ph.D. from Arizona State University. In addition to his teaching activities, Dr. Sinclair is the Book Review Editor for the journal Southern Studies: An Interdisciplinary Journal of the South.
Geography is also closely involved in the new Master of Arts in Heritage Resources at Northwestern State University. Heritage resources are the physical remains and oral traditions of past human activities. They include archaeological sites, historic structures, archival records, oral traditions, and cultural landscapes. To get further information about this exciting program, visit www.nsula.edu/heritageresources. Geography is also an important component of the new Bachelor of Arts in Heritage Resources, and is one of the three areas of concentration available in that major.
Also, beginning in Fall 2007, NSU will begin offering a Geography minor. This represents a substantial increase in the visibility of Geography at the University.
COURSE OFFERINGS IN GEOGRAPHY
SPRING 2008
Map Quizzes
Geography 1020
Quiz One
Quiz Two
Quiz Three
Quiz Four
Geography 3050-North America
Key for Test One Map Quiz
Key for Test Two Map Quiz
Geography 3030-Africa
Key for Test One Map Quiz
Key for Test Two Map Quiz
LINK TO TEXTBOOK
The textbook that I used to use for Geography 1010 and 1020 has a useful website for reviewing some of the important themes used in the course. Blank maps for the map quizzes can also be downloaded from this site.
BLANK OUTLINE MAPS
In addition to the textbook site above, blank maps can also be downloaded from the following sites:
Eduplace
Worldatlas
National Geographic
Australia
East Asia
Europe
Middle and South America
North Africa and Southwest Asia
North America
Oceania
Russia
South Asia
Subsaharan Africa
VIRTUAL FIELD TRIPS FOR GEOGRAPHY 1010 AND 1020
Geography 1010
RECENT CLASS PROJECTS
Eurofest 2000
Physical Geography Field Trip to Chaplins Lake
Walking Tour of Downtown Natchitoches, Fall 2000
Ameritour 2001
Nissan Challenge 2002
Chaplins Lake Walk 2002
Cultural Geography Field Trips, Fall 2002
Middle American-Caribbean Trade Fest 2003
The Geography of Social Problems in Louisiana
EuroTour2004
Celebrating Indigenous Peoples of Middle and South America
Cultural Geography Walking Tour of Sacred Places in Natchitoches, 2006
Heritage Fest 2006
RELATED GEOGRAPHY SITES
NEW SITE NEW SITE NEW SITE NEW SITE NEW SITE NEW SITE NEW SITE NEW SITE NEW SITE NEW SITE NEW SITE
The Association of American Geographers (AAG) is the main organization for Geographers in the United States. The website for the organization, www.aag.org is interesting and very informative concerning careers in Geography, opportunities for study, and other aspects of Geography.
There is also a website that the AAG has just created that deals with places, and it should be a lot of fun to watch it develop over the next few years.
One of the best sites for basic information on places around the world is the Factbook published by the Central Intelligence Agency. The site includes maps and other information concerning political systems, imports and exports, population, and other tidbits that might be useful.
A new site for basic demographic information from the United States government can be found at the following at MapStats. MapStats provides you with one-click access to key government-wide statistical data, eliminating the need to search multiple confusing sites to get information on income, poverty, housing, crime, education, retail sales and many other community indicators. This website integrates two award-winning internet applications giving you easy access to the latest government statistics for states, counties, and cities as well as comparative statistics over time. Data for metropolitan areas, congressional districts, and federal judicial districts are also linked to this site.
FIELD TRIPS AND RESEARCH AREAS
Poverty Point Trip with the MAHR Students
Poverty Point, Louisiana
A Map of Utopia, from Thomas More's Utopia
GEOGRAPHERS IN ACTION
Geographers do many different things, from city planning to teaching to engaging in analysis of foreign crisis. One continuous theme, though, is that geographers go out and experience the world. Fieldwork is a common denominator for most geographers, and their work is informed by real life and real time contact with the landscape. Geographers go to locales both exotic and familiar, some of which are pictured here.
PERSONAL NOTES
Some personal notes and pictures that might be of interest to some people.
This site is maintained by Dean Sinclair, Associate Professor, School of Social Sciences
email: sinclaird@nsula.edu