Learning objectives include:

identification of basic geomorphic processes operating in karst and arid landscapes

understanding the linkage between geomorphic process and spatial patterns of 
landforms

ability to differentiate between physical and chemical weathering processes, and to 
appreciate the role of weathering as a denudational agent

recognition of various forms of sub-aerial erosion, and how these vary spatially 
across karst and arid landscapes

appreciation of the methods of scientific inquiry and observation, and how these 
have laid the groundwork for technological advances in geomorphic research and 
understanding


This course meets the following General Education Abilities by accomplishing the
specific learning objectives listed below:

Communicate effectively through writing.  This is met by a series of writing 
assignments associated with supplemental reading and data analysis.
 
Communicate effectively through speech.  This is met by oral presentations, 
discussion leading, and classroom participation.

Computer Literacy is addressed through course administration, student-faculty 
electronic interaction, and data analysis activities and assignments.

Critical Thinking is central to the learning objectives of this class, and is 
developed through homework assignments, lecture, classroom discussion, and inquiry-
based learning efforts.

Karst landscapes
Limestone chemistry and weathering
Caves, sinkholes, and collapse features
Speleothem growth and development
Records of geomorphic and climatic change

Arid landscapes
Classic pediment-bajada-playa sequences in Basin and Range settings
The counter-intuitive importance of water as an agent of erosion
Arroyos, climatic change, and land-use
Wind erosion and deposition
Sand dunes:  morphology and genesis

Unifying Themes