Overview

Description

CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:

An examination of landforms, processes, laws, and theories of development; types and distributions. Quantitative/Breadth-Science.

COURSE DETAILS:

Description An introduction to a wide range of earth surface processes, exploring how the landscape around us was constructed, and how weather, water, ice and gravity play a role in reshaping the landscape. Quantitative/Breadth Science.  

Details The landscape around us is a product of many processes; it was uplifted by tectonics, then worn down by the weather, by water, by ice and by gravity. Understanding these processes allows us to better place our societies within our physical environment. We can determine how valuable soils and sediments are created and moved around the landscape. We can better predict hazards such as landslides, floods, and coastal erosion. We can learn how past climate is recorded in the landscape, and how future climate will leave its mark.

In this course, we will explore a range of geomorphic processes, focussing primarily on the landscapes of BC and western North America. You will also develop critical thinking and inference skills through in a written report based on the field trip. Lab exercises will focus on identifying and analysing landforms, using cartography, aerial photographs and numerical data.

NOTE:   This is a quantitative course; a small number of assignments require grade 10 level mathematics (unit conversion, basic trigonometry).

Course structure
Weekly 2-hour lecture, with a 2-hour lab session most weeks (8 in total). REQUIRED 2-DAY FIELD TRIP leading to submission of a field report.
Lectures:            
Thursdays 10:30 to 12:20, WMC2220
Labs:                     
Thursdays 12:30 to 14:20, WMC2533 or 14:30 to 16:20, RCB 7110, WMC3513

Field trip details: There is a mandatory 2-day field trip for this course over the weekend of March 14-15. Attendance of this trip is required to complete the poster assignment for the course. If you are unable to attend this trip, you may have to consider delaying taking this course. Your mandatory supplementary course fee covers part of the transportation costs for this trip. Students should expect to pay up to $75 to the Geography Department to cover transportation (partial) and accommodation costs; supplementary fee will be confirmed in the first 3 weeks of classes. Students will be responsible for their own food costs throughout the trip. Expectations and considerations regarding safety, student conduct, required equipment, meals and accommodation will be discussed in class prior to trip. Be aware that during the field trip there will be periods of moderately-intense hiking and crossing roads and railroads; students must follow all instructions from teaching and support staff. Weather conditions will be highly variable; appropriate footwear and clothing must be worn. Students must at all times remain complaint with all student responsibilities, regulations, and policies as outlined in the current Academic Calendar, as well as relevant regulations and policies as outlined in the SFU Policy Gazette. This includes, but is not limited to, expected student conduct and the maintenance of appropriate medical insurance coverage. Students will sign a field activity plan to acknowledge the trip activities and risk, and an Assumption of Risk (waiver) form.

Grading

Materials

REQUIRED READING: