Simon Fraser University
Engaging the World

Course Outlines

Summer 2025 - GEOG 312 OL01

Geography of Natural Hazards (4)

Class Number: 1887

Delivery Method: Online

Overview

  • Course Times + Location:

    Online

  • Exam Times + Location:

    Jun 24, 2025
    Tue, 1:00–3:00 p.m.
    Burnaby

  • Prerequisites:

    One of GEOG 100, 104 or 111 or one of EASC 101 or 104.

Description

CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:

An exploration of human response to our hazardous Earth. The dynamic causes of natural hazards such as earthquakes, hurricanes, landslides and floods will be illustrated. Students will gain an appreciation for how humans perceive, predict, and recover from hazards and how their effects may be reduced. Breadth-Social Sci/Science.

COURSE DETAILS:

Largely via the motivating force of fear, natural hazards can mobilize massive numbers of individuals and resources in short periods of time. The 21st century response to natural hazards has been significantly impacted by globalization, disaster capital and the geospatial revolution. This course will explore the human-related effects of geophysical hazards including: earthquakes, landslides, volcanic eruptions, tsunami, severe weather, river floods, and sea-level rise, through a geographic lens. Discussion groups will evaluate local to global scale examples of natural hazards culminating in perspectives on improved response and mitigation.

Asynchronous course components:

  • Weekly lecture modules
  • Weekly tutorial assignments
  • Geoscapes project

Synchronous course components:

  • Final Examination (in-person – scheduled during the final exam period)

There are no tutorials in the first week of class.

COURSE-LEVEL EDUCATIONAL GOALS:

  • Demonstrate how natural hazards are understood through scientific investigation/ analysis.
  • Estimate risk based on frequency and severity components of specific hazards.
  • Visualize connections between natural hazards and the spaces in which they occur.
  • Identify changes in the impacts of natural hazards due to factors such as global population growth, socio-economic development and global distribution of wealth.
  • Contextualize the human dimensions of hazards by exploring the stories of those directly involved in hazard case studies.
  • Evaluate successful mitigation strategies for the adverse effects of natural hazards.

Grading

  • • Tutorial assignments 35%
  • • Geoscapes Project 25%
  • • Final Exam (in-person – scheduled during the final exam period) 40%

REQUIREMENTS:

Technical requirements:

  • Internet connected device (computer recommended) for weekly access to CANVAS (SFU’s online learning management system).
  • Periodic access to web-based tools and resources such as Google Earth (https://www.google.com/earth/), and potential for web-based (e.g., Zoom) interaction with the instructor during live office hour/tutorial sessions.

Materials

MATERIALS + SUPPLIES:

Tutorial resources will be provided through CANVAS (SFU’s online learning management system).

REQUIRED READING:

Readings in Natural Hazards – Open-textbook available at no cost online.

REQUIRED READING NOTES:

Your personalized Course Material list, including digital and physical textbooks, are available through the SFU Bookstore website by simply entering your Computing ID at: shop.sfu.ca/course-materials/my-personalized-course-materials.

Registrar Notes:

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: YOUR WORK, YOUR SUCCESS

At SFU, you are expected to act honestly and responsibly in all your academic work. Cheating, plagiarism, or any other form of academic dishonesty harms your own learning, undermines the efforts of your classmates who pursue their studies honestly, and goes against the core values of the university.

To learn more about the academic disciplinary process and relevant academic supports, visit: 


RELIGIOUS ACCOMMODATION

Students with a faith background who may need accommodations during the term are encouraged to assess their needs as soon as possible and review the Multifaith religious accommodations website. The page outlines ways they begin working toward an accommodation and ensure solutions can be reached in a timely fashion.