Geography

The Geography Department at the University of Hawaii at Manoa was founded in 1931 and began offering Ph.D. degrees in 1967. Since then, more than 280 students have earned graduate degrees here in preparation for successful careers in the private sector, government service, in universities and with NGOs. Currently, there are approximately 65 graduate students in residence.

The department offers exceptional advantages for graduate studies. We have an excellent, active and enthusiastic faculty with research interests across the breadth of the discipline. We maintain an emphasis on field-based research in the Asia-Pacific region and our graduate students have conducted research in more than fifty countries. Our location within the Asia-Pacific region facilitates contact with and access to its environments and cultures. The department has been highly ranked by both the Gourman Report and the National Research Council and our students have consistently won national awards and research grants

• GEOG 101 The Natural Environment (3) Introduction to physical geography including weather, climate, vegetation, soils, geology, and landforms. Environmental issues and natural hazards. DP
• GEOG 101L The Natural Environment Lab (1) A survey of field and laboratory methods commonly used by physical geographers. Pre: 101 (or concurrent). DY
• GEOG 102 World Regional Geography (3) World's major cultural regions; geographic aspects of contemporary economic, social, political conditions. FGB
• GEOG 104 Digital Earth (3) Cartographic representation and meaning in a digital age. Earth models, map projections, coordinate systems, scale, distance, and direction. Data types and transformations in graphic and digital representation. Manual, automated, and web-based map making and analysis.
• GEOG 151 Geography and Contemporary Society (3) Elements of economic geography and resource management, population and urban geography; application to current problems of developed and underdeveloped worlds. FGC
• GEOG 300 Introduction to Climatology (3) Elements and controls of climate. World patterns of insolation, temperature, evaporation, precipitation, atmospheric circulation. Climatic classifications. Pre: 101 or ATMO 101 or ATMO 200, or consent. DP
• GEOG 302 Global Environmental Issues (3) Use and abuse of natural resources and humanity's progress toward developing a sustainable relationship with its supporting environment. A-F only. (Once a year)
• GEOG 303 General Geomorphology (3) Introduction to geomorphological concepts, process mechanics, and relationships between forms and processes. Emphasis on various subdisciplines of geomorphology: coastal hillslopes, fluvial, aeolean, and glacial. Pre: 101 and 101L, or GG 101 and GG 101L. DP
• GEOG 305 Water and Society (3) Interaction of people with water at household, community, regional, national, and international scales, from cultural, political, economic, and biophysical perspectives. Pre: sophomore standing or higher, or consent. DS
• GEOG 309 Introduction to Biogeography (3) Introduction to ecosystem concept; environmental adaptations for energy and nutrient transfer; characteristics, dynamics, productivity, and distribution of principal vegetation communities. Human dominance. Pre: sophomore standing or higher, or consent. DB
• GEOG 310 Introduction to Planning (3) Perspectives on planning; planning tools and methods; specific Hawai'i planning–research problems from a multidisciplinary approach. Pre: junior standing or consent. (Cross-listed as PLAN 310) DS
• GEOG 320 Economic Geography (3) Examines how factors of production like land, labor and capital; economic activities like consumption, trade, production, and investments; and institutions like state, markets, and corporations alter economic space. A-F only. Pre: 102 or 151. (Fall only) DS
• GEOG 322 Globalization and Environment (3) Debates on globalization and development, population and resources; root causes of environmental degradation; impacts of globalization on environmentalism and environmental change; social approaches to managing environmental change. Pre: 102, 151, or consent. (Once a year) DS
• GEOG 324 Geography of Global Tourism (3) Tourist landscape in relation to resources, spatial patterns of supply and demand, impacts of tourism development, and models of tourist space. Flows between major world regions. Pre: sophomore standing or higher, or consent. (Cross-listed as TIM 324) DS
• GEOG 325 World Resources and Economic Development (3) The pattern of world economic development. Agricultural resources and industries. Mineral resources, energy and metal industries. Manufacturing industries in development. The network of world trade, regional associations, and international economic aid. DS
• GEOG 330 Culture and Environment (3) Introduction to cultural geography, the cultural landscape, and perceptions of the environment across different cultures. Pre: 102 or 151, or consent. DS
• GEOG 335 Politics, Nations, and States (3) Examines the political organization of space in the sovereign state system. Contemporary and historical analyses of boundaries, geopolitics, homelands, nations, nationalism, and territory. Pre: sophomore standing or higher, or consent. DS
• GEOG 340 Geography of North America (3) Overview of the physical and cultural geography. Regions and characters. Patterns of population, natural resources, industry, agriculture, and transportation/communication networks. Pre: 101 or 102 or 151, or consent. DS
• GEOG 352 Geography of Japan (3) Regional synthesis of physical and cultural features; economic, social, political geography; origins and development of cities. DS
• GEOG 353 Geography of China (3) Topics: environmental parameters and resource base, ecological control and resource management, institutional and technological transformation of agriculture, industrial potential and industrial location, settlement patterns and rural urban symbiosis. DS
• GEOG 355 Geography of South Asia (3) Introduction to physical and human geography of India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Himalayan kingdoms. Environmental, economic, social, cultural, and political factors in development.DS
• GEOG 356 Geography of Southeast Asia (3) An investigation of the development context of Southeast Asia including socioeconomic, cultural, and environmental resources. Problems and prospects for change. (Cross-listed as ASAN 356)DS
• GEOG 365 Geography of the Pacific (3) Physical character of the Pacific; cultural, political, economic geography of Melanesia, Micronesia, Polynesia (except Hawai'i). DS
• GEOG 366 Geography of Honolulu (3) Development of Honolulu and O'ahu from 1778. Evolution of function, land use, and social patterns. Contemporary planning and environmental issues arising from urban growth. DS
• GEOG 368 Geography of Hawai'i (3) Regional, physical, cultural geography. Detailed study of people and resources.DS
• GEOG 370 Aerial Photo and Image Interpretation (3) (2 Lec, 1 3-hr Lab) Introduction to the measurement, interpretation, analysis, and use of aerial photographs and digital imagery. Pre: 104, or consent.
• GEOG 375 Introduction to Cartography and Air Photo (3) (2 Lec, 1 3-hr Lab) Principles of cartography: compilation and measurement from aerial photographs, alternate forms of data presentation, symbolism, design, and map projection.
• GEOG 376 Map Design and Production (3) (3 2-hr Lab) Compilation, design and production of maps for presentations, research, and illustration using artists and mapping software. Pre: junior standing or higher, or consent.
• GEOG 380 Statistical Methods in Geography (3) Quantitative statistical methods will be explored for describing and interpreting geographic/environmental phenomena. Topics will include data display, measurement, sampling, spatial statistics, dimensional analysis, nonparametric and parametric models. Pre: 101 or 102 or 151 (or concurrent) or consent.
• GEOG 385 Research Methods in Human Geography (3) Introduction to the methodologies and practice of research in human geography. Combines lectures, workshops, and assignments. Students will conduct and report upon their own research. Pre: 102 or 151, or consent. DS
• GEOG 388 Introduction to GIS (3) Design, implementation, and use. Database construction and documentation. Techniques for spatial data manipulation and display. Evaluation of existing systems. Student research projects. Pre: 104 or consent.
• GEOG 389 GIS Data Visualization (3) Display techniques for statistical and terrain data. Cartographic communication models, data models, algorithms and symbol conventions. Techniques for assessing map design. Pre: 380 or SOCS 225 or ECON 321, or consent. DS
• GEOG 399 Directed Reading (V) Limited to senior majors with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.7 or a minimum GPA of 3.0 in geography.
• GEOG 400 Vegetation and the Climate System (3) Role of vegetation in the climate system; links to hydrology and biogeochemical cycling; vegetation and climate history; evolution of terrestrial ecosystems; effects of global warming. Pre: 101 or 300 or 401 or 402 or 405 or ATMO 101 or ATMO 200 or ATMO 302 or ATMO 303 or ATMO 310, or consent.DP
• GEOG 401 Climate Change (3) Approaches to the study of past and future climate change. Pre: 101 or 300 or 401 or 402 or 405 or ATMO 101 or ATMO 200 or ATMO 302 or ATMO 303 or ATMO 310, or consent. DP
• GEOG 402 Agricultural Climatology (3) Analyzing climatic data; relation to photosynthesis, phenological development, and crop yields. Crop-weather models as guides to improved land-use planning and agronomic practices. Pre: 101 or 300 or 400 or 401 or 405 or ATMO 101 or ATMO 200 or ATMO 302 or ATMO 303 or ATMO 310, or consent.DP
• GEOG 403 Fluvial Geomorphology (3) Introduction to the single most important geomorphic agent shaping the terrestrial environment. Focus on fluvial process, fluvial dynamics, fluvial landforms, and sediment transport. Pre: 101/101L or 303 or GG 101/101L. DP
• GEOG 404 Atmospheric Pollution (3) Examination of air quality problems from scientific and policy perspectives. Includes case studies that explore economic, political, technical, and legal aspects of pollution control. Pre: junior standing or higher, or consent. DS
• GEOG 405 Water in the Environment (3) Water fluxes in the environment. Occurrence and movement of water; methods of quantification. Water balance of soil-plant system: precipitation, interception, infiltration, runoff, soil moisture, evapotranspiration, and groundwater recharge. Pre: 101 or 300 or 400 or 401 or 402 or ATMO 101 or ATMO 200 or ATMO 302 or ATMO 303 or ATMO 310, or consent. DP
• GEOG 408 Conservation and Evolutionary Biogeography (3) Theories and techniques for the analysis of spatial microevolutionary patterns, taught from an interdisciplinary perspective. Examples and readings emphasize Hawai'i and the Pacific region. Pre: either 309, BIOL 265 or ZOOL 485, or consent. (Alt. years)
• GEOG 409 Cultural Biogeography (3) Coevolution of human societies and plants over the last 10,000 years. Foraging, farming and urban societies economies; spread and modification of selected plants; issues of preservation of genetic resources and traditional plant knowledge. The form and function of gardens. A-F only. Pre: junior standing or higher, or consent. (Cross-listed as TPSS 409) DS
• GEOG 410 Human Role in Environmental Change (3) Human impacts through time on vegetation, animals, landforms, soils, climate, and atmosphere. Special reference to Asian/Pacific region. Implications of long-term environmental change for human habitability. Pre: with a minimum grade of B, one of 101, BIOL 101, BIOL 123 and either 322 or BIOL 310; or consent. (Cross-listed as BIOL 410) DB
• GEOG 411 Past Global Change and the Human Era (3) Study of past environments to understand present and future global change. Focus on terrestrial Quaternary environments and global processes. Pre: junior standing or higher, or consent. DP
• GEOG 412 Environmental Impact Assessment (3) Introduction to analytical methods for identifying, measuring, and quantifying the impacts of changes or interventions in resource, human-environment, and other geographic systems. Pre: junior standing or higher, or consent. (Alt. years) (Cross-listed as PLAN 412)
• GEOG 413 Resource Management (3) Management of land, water resources, coastal fisheries, forests and agriculture. Focus on problems facing Hawai'i and the Pacific. A-F only. Pre: junior standing or higher. DS
• GEOG 414 Building Community Resilience (3) Intended to give you a good understanding of the natural forces behind the most common natural disasters, and the human actions that reduce or increase vulnerability to natural disasters. Junior standing or higher. (Spring only) (Cross-listed as PLAN 414)
• GEOG 415 Nature-Based Tourism Management (3) Principles of nature-based tourism, including a survey of impacts, objectives, planning, and management systems. Junior standing or higher. Pre: 324/TIM 324 or TIM 101. (Cross-listed as TIM 415) DS
• GEOG 421 Urban Geography (3) Origins, functions, and internal structure of cities. Problems of urban settlement, growth, decay, adaptation, and planning in different cultural and historical settings. Dynamics of urban land use and role of policies and perceptions in shaping towns and cities. Pre: 102 or 151 or 330, or consent. (Cross-listed as PLAN 421)DS
• GEOG 422 Agriculture, Food and Society (3) Examines historical and contemporary development of the global agro-food systems. The impacts of technological, political and economic changes to food security, environment and development. Open to nonmajors. Pre: junior standing or higher, or consent. DS
• GEOG 423 Marine Policy (3) Introduction to the law and policies concerning the marine environment, commerce and security. Role of science, law and politics in historical and current policies for maritime trades, navigation safety, marine resources, and marine exploration. Pre: junior standing or higher, or consent. DS
• GEOG 424 Regional Analysis (3) Spatial dynamics and environmental implications of urban and rural development. Concepts of regions, process of regional development, patterns of spatial interaction, and theoretical bases for development strategies; emphasis on Hawai'i. Pre: junior standing or higher, or consent. DS
• GEOG 425 The Geography of Film (3) Landscapes of film. How movies work by conveying a sense of space and a sense of place. Genres and landscapes. Pre: junior standing or higher, or consent. DH
• GEOG 426 Environment, Resources and Society (3) Human interaction with the environment. How market, property institution, and technological change affect the environment. Epistemological basis of environmental policies. Debates on controversial environmental issues. Pre: 102, 151, or consent. DS
• GEOG 432 Cultural Geographies of Tea (3) Examines cultural practices of tea in different parts of the world, focusing on history and culture of tea in China, Japan, and England. Also includes changing technologies and economies of tea worldwide. Junior standing or higher. DS
• GEOG 435 Political Geography of Oceans (3) The geopolitics of the oceans and the law of the sea as applied to regions of conflict and cooperation in marine resource development and preservation. Focus on Indo-West Pacific, South China Sea, Arctic Ocean. Pre: junior standing or higher, or consent. DS
• GEOG 436 Geography of Peace and War (3) Geographical factors underlying conflict in the world. Pre: sophomore standing or higher, or consent. DS
• GEOG 453 Environment and Society in China (3) Explores the relationship between environment and society in the Chinese society, including both traditional nature-culture connections and modern human-environmental issues. Examines China's long-range cultural change, environmental transformations, and modern development challenges. Pre: 102 or 151, or consent. DS
• GEOG 468 Topics in Geography (3) Selected topics in geography not offered in the regular geography curriculum. Pre: 101 or 102 or 151, or consent.
• GEOG 470 Remote Sensing (3) (2 Lec, 1 3-hr Lab) Introduction to the principles of remote sensing and image processing skills. Topics include electromagnetic spectrum, sensors, aerial photo and satellite imagery interpretation, geometric and radiometric correction, digital image processing. Research project, lab. Pre: 370 or consent.
• GEOG 472 Field Mapping (3) Techniques for field measurement and recording of cultural and physical data. Field sketching, Brunton surveying, plane table mapping, oblique photo compilation, topographic mapping, and representation of field data. Pre: junior standing or higher, or consent. DS
• GEOG 476 Advanced Cartography (3) (3 2-hr Lab) Special topics: computer mapping, relief representation, map reproduction methods, use of color, analytic map interpretation, experimental cartography. Pre: consent.
• GEOG 489 Applied Geographical Information Systems (3) (2 Lec, 1 2-hr lab) Application of GIS technologies to various problems or issues in social, natural, and environmental sciences. Research project, lab. Pre: 388 or consent. (Once a year)
• GEOG 490 Senior Thesis (3) Preparation of research paper under individual faculty supervision. Recommended for admission to graduate program. Pre: senior GEOG major and consent.
• GEOG 492 Practicum in Geography (V) Internship in applied geography under professional and faculty supervision. Field placement integrated with academic study. Repeatable up to six credit hours maximum. Pre: senior major and consent.
• GEOG 493 Capstone Undergraduate Seminar (3) Current and historical geographic literature provides a background for local and global issues. Through discussion, written reviews, and research reports, the geographic perspective in modern life will be explored. Pre: senior GEOG major.
• GEOG 600 Seminar in Climatology (3) Methods of determining energy budget and water balance; applications in agriculture, hydrology, climatic classifications. Theory of climatic change. Bibliography. Pre: 300 or 400 or 401 or 402 or 405 or ATMO 303 or ATMO 310 or ATMO 320; or consent.
• GEOG 610 Cultural Geographies of Tourism (3) Social and cultural analysis of tourism practices, with emphasis on Hawai'i, Asia and the Pacific. Tourism in relation to consumer culture, transnational flows of people and images, post-colonial politics, performance and identity formation. (Cross-listed as ANTH 610)
• GEOG 618 Human Environment Systems (3) Role and potential of systems science in analysis of human environment interaction, especially resource management. Framework and methodology for problem structuring; overview of techniques. Pre: graduate standing or advanced undergraduate standing with consent.
• GEOG 620 Theories and Policies of Development (3) Will critically examine what constitutes progress, advancement, or betterment in this highly uneven world, where inter-regional, inter-class, inter-group, and inter-gender differences in development are expanding. Graduate standing only. A-F only. (Fall only)
• GEOG 621 Human Geographies of the Ocean (3) Core course in the ocean studies specialization in human geography introduces graduate students to themes and methods of human geography and cognate fields as applied to the oceans. Repeatable one time with consent.
• GEOG 622 Advanced Environmental Impact Assessment (3) Theory and practice of environmental impact assessment. Policy and planning frameworks supporting environmental assessment in the U.S. and abroad. Cumulative environmental effects and strategic environmental assessment. Pre: 412 or consent. (Cross-listed as PLAN 622)
• GEOG 628 (Alpha) Resource Systems (3) Resource development and use in a time perspective. Ecological and socioeconomic impacts, concepts, definitions, and methodology. (B) renewable; (C) nonrenewable. Pre: consent.
• GEOG 630 Urban and Regional Planning in Asia (3) Key issues and policies in urban planning, rural-urban relations, rural regional planning, and frontier settlement in Asia and the Pacific. Repeatable one time. Pre: PLAN 600 or consent. (Cross-listed as PLAN 630)
• GEOG 637 Environment and Development (3) Theories and practice of development; how changing development paradigms shape different ideas concerning the environment and the management of natural resources; emerging debates in development and environment in post-modern era. (Cross-listed as PLAN 637)
• GEOG 638 Asian Development and Urbanization (3) Theories of globalization and sustainability in development, impacts of globalization and sustainability on development planning and policy formation, selected case studies of Asia-Pacific development. Pre: (ASAN 600 or PLAN 630) with a grade of B or above. (Cross-listed as ASAN 638 and PLAN 638)
• GEOG 639 Community-based Natural Resource Management (3) Concepts and theories of community, resource access, and governance. Practical challenges to CBNRM in contemporary political economy. Pre: graduate standing. (Cross-listed as PLAN 639)
• GEOG 652 Contemporary Japan Seminar (3) Selected physical and human features that represent economic, social, and political life of modern Japan. Repeatable with consent of instructor. Pre: consent. (Cross-listed as ASAN 652)
• GEOG 654 Seminar in Geography of Southeast Asia (3) Repeatable with consent of instructor. Pre: consent.
• GEOG 665 Seminar in Geography of the Pacific (3) Investigation of geographic problems of Melanesia, Micronesia, Polynesia. Repeatable with consent of instructor. Pre: consent.
• GEOG 680 Geospatial Analysis of Natural Resource Data (3) The application of geostatistics to estimate spatial dependence to improve soil and regional sampling; provide insight into underlying soil, geographic, and geologic process, and to provide quantitative scaling up of point measurements to fields, regions, and watersheds. State-space modeling also will be included. A-F only. Pre: 388 or ZOOL 631; or consent. (Cross-listed as TPSS 680)
• GEOG 692 Faculty Seminar Series (1) Graduate seminar required of all MA students and recommended for PhD students. Single credit course in which faculty present ongoing research in their fields. Pre: consent. Co-requisite: 695.
• GEOG 693 Technology and Natural Risks Methods of Analysis (3) Survey of tools for evaluating risks to human health from technological and natural hazards. Historical and international context of methods. Pre: 455 or consent.
• GEOG 695 Concepts and Theories in Geography (3) Concepts, theory, models. Geographic approaches to spatial and environmental problems. Required of entering graduate students unless waived by department. Pre: consent.
• GEOG 696 Research Design/Methods in Geography (3) Elements of research design, practical field experience, exposure to research and ideologies, broad exposure to heritage and ethos of the discipline. Pre: 695.
• GEOG 699 Directed Research (V) Repeatable unlimited times. CR/NC only. Pre: consent.
• GEOG 700 Thesis Research (V) Repeatable unlimited times.
• GEOG 703 Geomorphology (3) Current understanding of geomorphological concepts, processes, and the dynamic relationship between human landscape modification and system response. Pre: consent.
• GEOG 710 (Alpha) Special Topics (V) Study and discussion of significant topics, problems. (B) regional and locational analysis; (C) geography, environment, and culture; (H) Multi-objective decision analysis. Repeatable two times. Pre: 455.
• GEOG 720 Critical Resource Geography (3) Graduate seminar to provide geography students a roadmap through the important literature and research on political economic theories of population, natural, and critical resources. Graduate standing only. A-F only. (Fall only)
• GEOG 728 Seminar: Resource Management in Asia-Pacific (3) Examination of resource management problems in Asia and the Pacific. Problems of resource use—agriculture, forestry, energy, minerals, ocean, air quality. Pre: graduate status.
• GEOG 735 Seminar: Political Geography (3) Topics vary; may include borders, boundaries, geopolitics, homelands, identity politics, nations and nationalism, social categorization, the sovereign state system, territoriality. Repeatable one time. Pre: graduate standing or consent. (Once a year)
• GEOG 750 Research Seminar: Biogeography (3)
• GEOG 752 Research Seminar: Resource Management (3)
• GEOG 757 Research Seminar: Cultural Geography (3)
• GEOG 758 Research Seminar: Conservation (3)
• GEOG 761 Research Seminar: Cartography (3)
• GEOG 762 Research Seminar: Remote Sensing (3)
• GEOG 763 Research Seminar: Agricultural Geography (3)
• GEOG 764 Research Seminar: Social Geography (3)
• GEOG 766 Society and Space (3) Advanced seminar on social production of space. Topics include spatial metaphor in social theory; western spatiality from the renaissance through the enlightenment, modernity and post modernity; and geography of the body, home, landscape, and nation. Pre: graduate standing or consent.
• GEOG 800 Dissertation Research (V) Repeatable unlimited times.

Requirements

1. Application form;
2. One official copy of transcripts directly from the registrar of each institution attended;
3. Official GRE (GEN) scores (required of all doctoral applicants; strongly recommended for M.S. applicants);
4. Official TOEFL score report (Foreign applicants); and
5. Application fee $100
6. Interest statement;
7. Three letters of recommendation from former professors or employers;
8. Curriculum vitae (one page).

Scholarships

• Graduate Assistantships
• Achievement Scholarships