Course credit
3 credit hours
Course description
Principles of urban geography, including urban growth and change, structure and dynamics, and analysis and planning in North American cities.
Delivery
This course is available in a web-based format, utilizing web pages and WebCT, a computer conferencing program. WebCT requires Internet access and a web browser — no additional software is required. Students may need access to someone who can assist with computer set-up.
Prerequisites
none
Instructor
Murray Austin, Professor Emeritus
C. Murray Austin, A.B., M.A., Ph.D., Professor of Geography & Regional Science
I am originally an Easterner, having been born in New Jersey and lived much of my early life in Pennsylvania (outside of Philadelphia). I was a "Navy Brat" and thus lived in several different places while growing up. During that time I lived in Japan, as well as several States. I moved from Philadelphia to Kansas in 1970 to teach at the University of Kansas and mostly lived and taught in the Midwest (including teaching at Wisconsin- Madison as well as UNI) from then until I retired and moved to Florida.
I began my academic career at the University of Pennsylvania in 1962 earning my A.B. with honors in Economics in 1967. I then completed my M.A. (1969) and Ph.D. (1970) in Regional Science (a combination of Regional Economics, Geography, and Urban & Regional Planning.) While teaching at the University of Kansas (1970-73), I spent a term as a visiting professor at the University of Wisconsin (Madison). In 1973 I joined the faculty at the University of Northern Iowa, where I have been since. While at UNI, I have had many opportunities to travel, teach, and pursue research abroad. In 1985 I was a visiting professor at Queen’s University in Belfast, Northern Ireland and later that year I was Scholar-in-Residence in Geography at The University of Heidelberg, (then West Germany). In 1991 I was a Fulbright Scholar at the Science University of Malaysia in Penang, Malaysia (while there, I also visited, consulted, and lectured in Thailand, and Singapore). In 1991 I was named an Honorary Fellow in Geography at The University of Edinburgh (Scotland, UK); which I retained until 2001. In 1998 I was a Research Fellow at The Institute of International Social Science Research at The University of Edinburgh.
My professional interests have been eclectic -- including Urban Studies, Urban & Regional Planning, Environmental Management, Transportation, Tourism, and Politics in addition to my involvement in several subfields of Geography. I have taught courses in Economic Geography (basic and applied), Urban Geography, Transportation Geography, Urban & Regional Analysis & Planning, Europe, European Cities, The Nature & Scope of Geography, and Geographic Research & Bibliography. I have written extensively of the geographic effects of globalization, including the effects on Local Government, State Sovereignty, and Economic Development Policy. I have also been interested in the rise of movements of National (and Ethnic) Identity (what I have termed "The Politics of Division"). I have been active in Geography’s Professional Associations and organizations. I continue my involvement in retirement by “teaching” three courses on the Web through UNI’s extension Division (this course, Human Geography, and Political Geography).
Outside of my profession, I am an avid golfer, eater and cook, I follow politics and sports. I enjoy reading, especially history, politics, spy and detective novels, and natural science. My wife and I fell in love with Scotland. For a number of years we spent our summers in North Berwick (near Edinburgh) where we belonged to two wonderful golf clubs. Now that we are retired we split our year between Florida in the winter, and Scotland in the summer. If you are interested in our two Scottish clubs check out the following web sites: www.northberwickgolfclub.com/ and www.craigielawgolfclub.com/intro/index.html. The latter club has as a member the 2005 British Open Silver Medalist (the low amateur) and member of the Walker Cup Team for GB &I (Lloyd Saltman). These sites also contain information about the area in Scotland where we live.
In retirement my wife and I are enjoying the pleasures of travel. In 2004 we went to Tuscany (Italy) and attended a week long cooking school. In 2005 we went to France and Germany for a week to taste wines and feast on the local cuisine. We also go on several golf breaks to Northern Ireland, the Scottish Highlands, and elsewhere. We plan to continue seeing different parts of the world as long as we are able to travel. In the future, we hope to see South Africa, Spain, Portugal, Thailand, the Baltic, and Central Europe as well as go back to many of the places we have already visited.
Evaluation
8 journal assignments, 8 essay assignments
Objectives
This course has four principal objectives. The reading, essay assignments, and personal journal entries are designed to further these objectives. The objectives are: To develop a general understanding of America's cities, urban system, and the process of urbanization in North America.
To see the ways this understanding can be applied to better appreciate Iowa's cities and towns (or those of any specific state or region) is a related goal.
To encourage a better understanding of cities and towns that the student has directly experienced and to see how those cities reflect the general principals and theories of urban development.
To expand the student's capability to think logically and "scientifically" about urbanization, urban change, and urban development.
To better understand how and why geography (the spatial dimension) matters to the understanding of cities and urban areas.
In addition this course is designed to help students learn to generally think constructively and critically, to expand their analytic skills, to increase their base of general knowledge, and to better prepare them to be responsible citizens who are better able to participate in public discourse and decisions.
Course organization
This course relies on the efforts of the student. The grades will be based on eight essay exams (ranging in length from approximately 2 to 3 pages to approximately 7 to 10 pages) plus a personal journal that is to be kept regularly and turned in eight entries. The journal is to help the student think about the material covered in the textbook and see how it relates to the discussions in the course syllabus and to “the real world."
The syllabus is designed to guide the student through the course. Each assignment is outlined and contains a "narrative" provided by the instructor that is intended to provide an overview and a context for the reading of the text. Each assignment also has several study questions to incorporate into the journal entry as well as specifying the assignment for that part of the course (both the essay topic and the material to be covered in the journal installment).
Basic outline
Assignment 1 Course Introduction
Assignment 2 The origins and Growth of Cities & Urban Systems
Assignment 3 Urban Form and Structure
Assignment 4 Development & the Economy of Cities
Assignment 5 Cities as Social Systems
Assignment 6 Urban Problems and Urban Governance
Assignment 7 Urban Policy, and Planning
Assignment 8 The Future of the American City
Written assignments
Journal Entries
Students are to keep a personal journal of thoughts related to the readings. The journal should contain three things: a brief discussion of the questions posed at the end of each assignment description, an attempt to relate the reading in each assignment to some current events or debates, and some attempt to make personal observations based on the students own ideas and experiences.
This journal shall be organized to follow the course outline and is to be submitted in sequence with each Assignment. The journal is basically the same thing Knox and McCarthy call a “portfolio” (see page 18 of the text book).
Essay Topics
There are eight essay assignments. There is a required essay for each assignment. The topics of each of these essays is specified at the end of each Assignment description and should reflect the material in the text, the ideas included in the assignment descriptions in this syllabus, your thoughts as expressed in your journal, and some evidence of other related materials. The essays should cite references appropriately as needed.
Grading
Journal Entries and Essays will have the following values:
| Journal Entry 1 | 5 points |
| Journal Entry 2 | 10 points |
| Journal Entry 3 | 10 points |
| Journal Entry 4 | 10 points |
| Journal Entry 5 | 10 points |
| Journal Entry 6 | 10 points |
| Journal Entry 7 | 10 points |
| Journal Entry 8 | 10 points |
| Essay 1 | 10 points |
| Essay 2 | 25 points |
| Essay 3 | 25 points |
| Essay 4 | 25 points |
| Essay 5 | 25 points |
| Essay 6 | 25 points |
| Essay 7 | 25 points |
| Essay 8 | 15 points |
| Total | 250 points |
In all written work, the first requirement is that the assignment be done as described by the student taking the class. In addition the journal will be graded on the basis of the effort and thought that was put into it. Personal opinions (when expressed as such) will not count against the student, but neither will they be of great benefit unless backed up with sound evidence and argument. The essays will be evaluated on their content, organization, responsiveness to the topic, use of material from the text, and evidence of applying additional reading and research.
I will try to provide the feedback necessary for improvement as it is needed. I will also allow one rewrite of each essay assignment in an effort to improve the grade.
The grade distribution is as follows:
Textbook(s)
Paul L. Knox & Linda McCarthy, 2004: Urbanization: An Introduction to
Urban Geography. 2nd edition. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey,
Pearson/Prentice Hall.
Texts are available from the vendor of your choice or
University Book and Supply
1009 West 23rd Street, Cedar Falls, IA 50613
Phone: 319-266-7581 or 800-728-7581
Fax: 319-277-1266
E-mail: bookstore@panthersupply.com
To enroll
ONLINE
GIS enrollment information
IN PERSON
UNI Continuing Education
2637 Hudson Road (corner of 27th St. and Hudson Rd.)
Cedar Falls, IA 50614-0223
Campus map (Look for Building 31)
For more information
Cindy Klodt, Guided Independent Study
UNI Continuing Education
319-273-2123 or 800-772-1746
ContinuingEd@uni.edu