Course Description
The capstone allows A.B./B.S. Geography majors to synthesize knowledge gained across diverse subfields of geography, while enhancing students’ appreciation of the discipline and connecting their education with future goals. It allows the department to assess learning outcomes and students’ abilities to think holistically and comparatively about social and physical landscapes.
Athena Title
Capstone in Geography
Semester Course Offered
Offered spring
Grading System
S/U (Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory)
Course Objectives
The capstone is designed for senior A.B. and B.S. Geography majors, providing them an opportunity to assess and integrate the range of geographic knowledge and skills developed over their undergraduate careers. The primary mechanism for accomplishing this is the construction and analysis of the portfolio, which is composed from coursework done in Area VI classes within the major. Through the portfolio, students demonstrate their achievement of the broader learning outcomes established by the department for all majors. These outcomes focus on students’ abilities to think holistically and comparatively about the social, physical, and natural dimensions of landscapes across the earth’s surface, as well as their abilities to: 1) Communicate geographic information using written, oral, graphical, and quantitative means; 2) Apply a geographical perspective and/or methods to describe, explain, and analyze the interconnections between human activities and the environment at varying spatial and temporal scales; 3) Implement a holistic problem-solving approach to conduct geographic research; and 4) Use geographic skills to address problems and possible solutions to present-day concerns. As such, student portfolios and the capstone course are important not only as a summation of undergraduate work majors have accomplished in the discipline, but also for departmental self-assessment of undergraduate education. In addition, the capstone provides a venue to address the ways geographic thinking contributes to students’ future careers and life goals. Through guest lectures, seminar style discussions, and reflective writing assignments, students focus on topics including, but not limited to, current events in the discipline, ethical issues in geographic research, career opportunities for geographers, future research and graduate education in geography, and professional development.
Topical Outline
Specific topics will vary by instructor, but the capstone will focus on: 1. Construction and analysis of the portfolio 2. Assessment of students’ achievements in meeting the four broad learning objectives for A.B. and B.S. majors in Geography Additional topics may include: 1. Current events in the discipline 2. Ethical issues in geographic research 3. Career opportunities for geographers 4. Future research and graduate education in geography 5. Professionalization