CGS Geography Courses
CGS GEO 101 Introduction to Cultural Geography
3 cr.
A survey of world patterns of culture, such as population, language, religion, urban and rural settlement, and their causal relationships, emphasizing the global diversity of world cultures, contrasting world views and the issues thus raised.
Prerequisites: none.
General Education Requirements: SS
Last Taught: Spring 2021, Spring 2020.
Current Offerings: https://catalog.uwm.edu/course-search/
CGS GEO 102 Roots and Diversity (ES)
3 cr.
The geography of American ethnic minority groups. An introduction to ethnic geography that examines the experience of people of African, Asian, Hispanic, and Native heritage in the United States and Canada. These ethnic minorities are studied using the major themes of cultural geography such as spatial distribution, migration patterns and locational patterns.
Prerequisites: none.
General Education Requirements: CD, SS
Last Taught: Fall 2019.
Current Offerings: https://catalog.uwm.edu/course-search/
CGS GEO 110 World Regional Geography
3 cr.
Introduction to cultural geography through the study of representative and significant world regions. Examples will compare and contrast present and potential ethnic, social, political, and environmental problems across select regions of the world, and explore basic solutions.
Prerequisites: none.
General Education Requirements: SS
Last Taught: Fall 2023, Spring 2023.
Current Offerings: https://catalog.uwm.edu/course-search/
CGS GEO 123 Physical Geography: Weather and Climate
4-5 cr.
Study of earth's atmospheric elements in both the short term weather events and long term climate and climate change. Two or four hours of lab per week depending on the credit. Field trips may be required.
Prerequisites: none.
Course Rules: May not be taken for credit by students who have completed CGS GEO 120 or CGS GEO 125.
General Education Requirements: NS+
Last Taught: Fall 2022, Fall 2021.
Current Offerings: https://catalog.uwm.edu/course-search/
CGS GEO 124 Physical Geography: Landforms
4-5 cr.
Study of the evolution and distribution of Earth's surface features landforms and physical landscapes along with the processes shaping them. Study covers plate tectonics, volcanoes, faults, rivers and river flow, glaciers, beaches, dunes, landslides, etc. Two or four hours of lab per week depending on the credit. Field trips may be required.
Prerequisites: none.
Course Rules: May not be taken for credit by students who have had GEO 120 or GEO 125.
General Education Requirements: NS+
Last Taught: Spring 2023, Spring 2022.
Current Offerings: https://catalog.uwm.edu/course-search/
CGS GEO 125X Physical Geography
4-5 cr.
The geography of Earth's physical characteristics, including weather and climate, climate types, water, soils, Earth materials, landforms, and Earth resources; study of the processes and interactions creating Earth's physical geographic patterns.
Prerequisites: none.
Course Rules: Two or four hours of lab per week depending on the credit. Field trips may be required. May not be taken for credit by students who have completed CGS GEO 120, CGS GEO 123 or CGS GEO 124.
General Education Requirements: NS+
Last Taught: Fall 2024, Fall 2023, Spring 2020.
Current Offerings: https://catalog.uwm.edu/course-search/
CGS GEO 130 Human Impact on the Environment
3-4 cr.
A natural science course describing the alteration of the physical environment with the resulting effects on air, water, soils, vegetation, animal life and humans. Field trips may be required. Meets DPI requirements for environmental education at some UW baccalaureate institutions.
Prerequisites: none.
Course Rules: If 4 cr, also LS with lab work.
General Education Requirements: NS
Last Taught: Fall 2023.
Current Offerings: https://catalog.uwm.edu/course-search/
CGS GEO 170 Disasters-Living on the Edge
3 cr.
Study of various environmental hazards, their causes, impacts on humans, and mitigations.
Prerequisites: none.
Course Rules: CGS GEO 170 and CGS GLG 170 are jointly offered and count as repeats of one another.
General Education Requirements: NS
Last Taught: Spring 2025, Fall 2024.
Current Offerings: https://catalog.uwm.edu/course-search/
CGS GEO 250 Global Sustainability & Climate Resilience
3 cr.
An interdisciplinary exploration of current sustainability issues and solutions, taking both global and local perspectives through the lenses of the geosciences and other fields in the natural sciences.
Prerequisites: none.
Course Rules: CGS GEO 250 and CGS GLG 250 are jointly offered and count as repeats of one another. Counts as a repeat of CGS INT 290 and CGS INT 283 with similar topic.
Current Offerings: https://catalog.uwm.edu/course-search/
CGS GEO 270 Global Climate Change: Past, Present, and Future
3 cr.
Examines contemporary scientific thought on the cycles of climate change, past climate conditions, current state of the atmosphere, and predictions for future change/adaptation strategies.
Prerequisites: none.
Course Rules: CGS GEO 270 and CGS GLG 270 are jointly offered and count as repeats of one another.
Last Taught: Fall 2023.
Current Offerings: https://catalog.uwm.edu/course-search/
CGS GEO 299 Independent Study
1-3 cr.
Individual study under the supervision of an instructor. May be taken more than once for credit if topics are different.
Prerequisites: consent of instructor.
Course Rules: Repeatable.
Current Offerings: https://catalog.uwm.edu/course-search/
CGS GEO 350 Environmental Conservation
3 cr.
Study of the human use, conservation, and management of the Earth's resources; ecosystems; human interactions with the environment; human population growth; impact of technology on the environment; and practical solutions to environmental problems. Field trips may be required. Prereq: One semester of college work or consent of instructor. GEO 350 meets DPI requirements for environmental education at some UW baccalaureate institutions.
Prerequisites: none.
General Education Requirements: SS
Current Offerings: https://catalog.uwm.edu/course-search/