Urban Geography (UST 290)
Fall Semester, 1999
Cleveland State University
Instructor: Dr. William M. Bowen
Office: UB 107
Phone: (216) 687-9226

Course Description: This course is an introductory, fresh, empirical examination of the spatial structure of the "information age" city. The city is seen as a product of the evolution of political, economic, and other social processes such as population migrations, technological progress, the location of residential, retailing, and industrial activities, fallible human decision processes, and the consequent problems that emerge. The course is designed to be of benefit for students who are (a) intellectually curious about urban regions, (b) preparing for careers involving planning, consulting, market research, local government administration, environmental management, real estate, and other areas where the ability to think clearly in terms of urban spatial dynamics may be of value.

Course Objective: The broad objective of this class is to discern and make sense of the ways that urban areas have changed and are changing, with particular reference to the differences both between and within them. More specifically, the successful student in this class will have a reasonably coherent overview of (a) the influences of economics, politics, and technology on the form and spatial processes present in urban areas, (b) the significance of transportation in shaping them, and (c) the opportunities for geographical knowledge to contribute to solutions to urban problems.

Course Requirements: Students are expected to (a) pass a test every two weeks (60%), (b) complete a SimCity Exercise (10%), (c) write a term paper (30%). For all written assignments, neatly type-written work using correct grammar, syntax, spelling, and style is expected. Late assignments will be accepted only at a cost of five percent (5%) of the relevant assignment grade per workday.

Term Paper: The paper is to be not less than 2500 words in length. It is to be a research paper (rather than a report) on an urban geographical topic of your choice. It is a research paper insofar as you are expected to evaluate or interpret or in some other way add to and participate in what you write. You are expected to consider the how, and why of the specific topic you select. The research paper requires that you develop a definite point of view toward your topic, take a stance, and express some independent thought. You are to posit a systematic approach to the topic and synthesize your discoveries about it and your interpretation, judgment, and evaluation of those discoveries. The paper is to acknowledge all other sources you have used (at least six credible sources are required). It is not (a) a summary of some articles or books, (b) the ideas of others, repeated uncritically, (c) a series of quotations skillfully put together, (d) unsubstantiated personal opinion. The research topic should be selected, your thesis constructed and submitted in writing, along with your list of at least six credible sources, by September 22 (this will account for 10% of the paper grade. A completed draft of the paper (approximately 2000 – 2500 words) should be submitted by November 22 (this will account for 25% of the paper grade). On December 1 I will return the papers, with comments. You are to respond to my comments and turn in the final paper, along with the draft, by December 10 (the final submission will account for 65% of the paper grade).

Textbook: Martin Cadwallader, Urban Geography: An Analytical Approach. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice Hall.

August 30 - September 3: Urban Geographical Theory

September 6 – 10: Models in Urban Geography

September 6: No classes: Labor Day

September 13 – 17: Patterns of Land Use and Land Value

September 20 – 24: Multivariate Land Value and Housing Models

SimCity Exercise Introduced

September 27 – October 1: Urban Retail Structure and Population Density Patterns

Test #2 (from Land Use through Housing Models)

October 4 – 8: Urban Social Areas

October 11 – 15: Urban Industrial Structure

Test #3 (from Retail Structure through Social Areas)

October 11: No classes: Columbus Day

October 18 – 22: The City of the Mind

October 22: Last day to withdraw with a "W"

October 25 – 29: Movement Patterns within Cities

Test #4 (from Industrial Structure through the Mind)

November 1 – 5: Residential Mobility

SimCity Exercise Due

November 8 – 12: The Decision Making Process in Residential Mobility

Test #5 (from Movement Patterns through Residential Mobility

November 15 – 19: The System of Cities

November 22 – 26: Interregional Migration

Test #6 (from Decision Making through the System of Cities)

November 25 – 28: No classes: Thanksgiving

November 29 – December 6: Urban Planning

Dec 15: 8:30 – 10:30: Final Test (from Interregional Migration through Urban Planning)