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Geography & Economics Department Courses

World Geography SOC 080: The goal of this course is to provide an understanding of the following: 1) the human and physical characteristics of the Earth’s places and regions, 2) how people of different cultural backgrounds interact with their environment, and 3) how the United States and the State of Georgia are affected by conditions and events in near and distant places. Critical thinking and problem solving is the key medium of course delivery and students are expected to ask geographical questions; enquiring; presenting, and analyzing geographical source data; and developing and testing geographical generalizations. Students are expected to develop knowledge of all the regions of the world and acquire the skills of geographic reasoning that is presented through the study of physical and human systems and the critical factor of how these systems are patterned and changing over time. Students taking this class are not only expected to develop an accurate geographical locational awareness, but must be current on the social, political and economic problems facing those places. Taking this class in the eighth grade should make it possible for students to take advancement placement courses in Human Geography, Economics and Environmental Science in the junior and senior years.

Advanced Placement Macroeconomics SOC 410: The AP Macroeconomics course is a first year college level class designed to provide students with a thorough comprehension of the principles of economics that apply to an economic system as a whole. The topics covered include: the basic economic concepts, the measurement of economic performance of a nation, national income and price determination, the financial sector, employment, inflation and the critical factors responsible for the US and world economic growth or recession. The course is taught using the enquiry approach, which means that students will be expected to learn the theories and principles and be prepared to accurately apply them to solve problems. Through this process, students will understand the fundamental economic concepts and theories applicable to the free market and planned economic systems. Students opting for this course should be prepared to complete research papers and projects covered in college level courses. Students are encouraged to examine the economy in the short and long run and to develop a sophisticated understanding of some of the issues of price fixing and factors that contribute to even the value of a country’s currency. Students taking this class MUST be prepared, motivated, and ready to take the College Board examination in May.

Advanced Placement Human Geography SOC 470: This course is an introductory college class in human geography designed to provide students with a learning experience equivalent to that obtained in most first year college human geography classes. It introduces students to the systematic study of patterns and processes that have shaped human understanding, use and alteration of Earth’s surface. Students will be able to employ spatial concepts and landscape analysis to examine human-social organization and its environmental consequences. Because human geography is primarily concerned with the spatial distribution of people in relation to the environment and the results of human activities within this environment, students are challenged with decision-making and problem solving tasks, such as the growth of cites and the problems of sanitation and employment and the role of women in the process of economic development and improvement of living standards. Students taking this class MUST be prepared, motivated, and ready to take the College Board examination in May.

Honors Physical Geography SOC 471: The physical geography course is equivalent to a first year introductory class at college level in the fields of geomorphology, geology and components of environmental science. This course focuses on the processes largely responsible for transforming and forming features on the Earth’s surface. Students are expected to understand the interaction of the many natural and human forces shaping the world and impacting our activities. By taking and completing this course, students will come to better understand how people live in various physical environments that are extraordinarily complex, extremely diverse, infinitely renewing, and yet ultimately fragile. Individual and group field studies are expected. Topics covered will include landforms, climate, soils, vegetation, and water systems and management.
 

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