MSc. Geography
GEOG800: FIELD RESEARCH AND MASTER’S THESIS (12 CU):GEOG801: PHILOSOPHY AND METHODOLOGY IN GEOGRAPHY (3 CU) :
The fundamental nature and scope of the field of Geographic perspectives on the development of geographical sciences. Phases of development of geographic thought. Transition from medieval to modern geography, National Schools of Geography. Issues in geographical inquiry Environmentalism, Possibilism/probabilism, Humanism, positivism, Idealism, Materialism, etc. Systematic versus Regional geography. Major themes in geographical research; the quantification debate, the systems approach, the welfare approach, Marxist/radical alternative perspectives. Techniques in geography: Stochastic modeling, models, paradigms, explanations and predictions. The computer and GIS revolution in geography. Development of geographic thought in Nigeria.
GEOG802: RESEARCH METHODS (3CU) :
Types of Geographic research. The issue of relevance in geographic research. Problem definition. Hypotheses formulation and testing. Sampling and quantification. Use of primary and secondary data. Role of literature review in research. Presentation of research report. Putting it together. Writing a mini research proposal.
GEOG832: QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS (3 CU) :
Parametric methods: analysis of variance, correlation analysis, regression analysis, factor analysis, trend surface analysis. The use of computer for data analysis.
GEOG891: POSTGRADUATE RESEARCH SEMINAR I (3 CU) :
Formulation and writing of a formal research proposal – including definition of research problem, statement of objectives and working hypotheses, proposed methodology, and literature review. Presentation and defense of the research proposal at the Departmental Seminar.
GEOG892: POSTGRADUATE RESEARCH SEMINAR II (3 CU) :
Individual presentation and Masters/Doctoral research in progress (preliminary report). First-hand Field and/or laboratory investigation leading to the production of a Masters project report or Thesis.
RGIS803: FUNDAMENTALS OF GIS:
The historical development of cartography and spatial data collection procedures. The fundamental principles and application of GIS, remote sensing and computer modeling. Introduction to key GIS concepts and techniques; processing and applications of GIS data on natural and environmental resources and land information, census, geo-demographics, health, cadastral systems, and infrastructure management.
GEOG811: ADVANCED GEOMORPHOLOGY (3 CU) :
System approach to the study of geomorphology. Geological background to geomorphological studies. Process study, particularly weathering and its products, fluvial processes and mass movement. Study of structural and nonstructural landforms in Nigeria. Research methodology in geomorphology.
GEOG812: LABORATORY AND FIELD TECHNIQUES (3 CU) :
Sample collection and analysis for specific purposes. Grain size frequency analysis and interpretation of granulometrical data. Landform analysis from topographic maps. The use of air photographs in Geomorphology. Field study of slopes. Geometry of stream drainage.
GEOG813: ADVANCED CLIMATOLOGY (3 CU) :
Physical basis of climate. Atmospheric circulation systems with a particular reference to the tropics. Tropical weather systems. Local factors in climatology. Climate in relation to health, agriculture and water supply. Climatic variability, trends and fluctuations. Techniques in climatology. Climate change and predictions.
GEOG814: APPLIED CLIMATOLOGY (3 CU) :
Meteorological instruments and instrumentation. The WMO, GARP, GATE, WAMEK. National meteorological agencies. The weather station. Principles of applied climatology. Elements of hydro-climatology. Climate and Architecture. Climatic resources and economic activities. Advertent and inadvertent weather modification.
GEOG815: DRAINAGE BASIN GEOMORPHOLOGY (3 CU) :
Drainage basin characteristics and processes. Analysis of drainage basin form and process. Spatial and temporal processes. Drainage basin hydrometry. Principles of hydrometeorology. Hydrograph analysis. Small and large instrumented watersheds. Drainage basin modeling and responses. Floods.
GEOG816: ADVANCED BIOGEOGRAPHY (3 CU) :
Factors in the environment of organisms. Environmental complex. The concept of limiting factor and tolerance. Principles and concepts relating to the organization and interrelationship of species. Principles and concepts pertaining to biotic communities. Vegetation classification and mapping. Forest and Savanna environmental systems in Nigeria. Research methodology in biogeography. Vegetation mapping and the mapping of animal distribution. Applied biogeography.
GEOG817: ADVANCED PEDOLOGY (3 CU) :
Soil developments in various bio-climatic environments. Criteria for characterizing and evaluating soil development. Influence of geomorphology in soil evolution with particular reference to Nigeria. Micropedological techniques. Principles of soil survey. Conventional soil survey methods. The application of soil survey to the development of land use capability and land classification. Field and practical projects.
GEOG818: WATER RESOURCE EVALUATION (3 CU) :
Contemporary water supply and demand situations. Bases of water resources evaluation. Drainage basin instrumentation. Evaluation of surface water resources. Methodology of groundwater exploration. Groundwater resources of Nigeria. The problem of water pollution. Drainage basin management. Spatial aspect of water supply planning.
GEOG819: LAND RESOURCE ANALYSIS (3 CU) :
Principles of land resource evaluation, regionalization and classification genetic, landscape and parametric systems. Practical systems of land capability evaluation, in soil science, agriculture, hydrology, meteorology, climatology, and for military, civil engineering and recreational planning purposes. Methods in land capability evaluation, reconnaissance survey, landscape sampling, field techniques, laboratory analysis, application of remote sensing and data management.
GEOG804: SPATIAL ANALYSIS (3 CU) :
Spatial processes. Diffusion processes distance and diffusion, hierarchy and diffusion, the spread of innovation. Interaction processes – basis for interaction, analysis of flows, and structure of interaction. Spatial patterns; line-properties of networks, evolution of networks, points-properties of point patterns, settlements as point. Patterns: Areas-field areas, territorial areas. Practical applications spatial analysis.
GEOG851: ADVANCED ECONOMIC GEOGRAPHY (3 CU) :
Scope and methodology of Economic Geography. Models of economic Geographical forms and structures. Economic development models and problems. Economic sector theories – problems of spatial application. Industrial development and industrial impact analysis regional case studies. Energy economics and economic development. The role of agricultural development in economic development. Tertiary production and the growth of modern economies. Regional markets and regional economic cooperation. Introduction to the concept of environmental economics. The meaning and implications of sustainable economic development.
GEOG852: INDUSTRIAL GEOGRAPHY (3 CU) :
Approaches to industrial location analysis. Classical and behavioral location theory and a critique of models of industrial location. Allocation- location, Monte-Carlo, Markov Chain and Centre-periphery models. Analytical techniques and methods of Industrial geography – shift and share analysis. Historical development of manufacturing. International distribution of industries. Industrial location, regional policy and assisted areas. Manufacturing location in Africa with special reference to Nigeria. Industrial impact measurement. Case studies: Iron and Steel, clothing, motor vehicles, electronics and petrochemical industries.
GEOG853: AGRICULTURAL GEOGRAPHY (3 CU) :
Theories and models of agricultural land use. Spatial processes and dynamics in agricultural development. Space economics and agriculture. Ecological systems and agricultural development. Spatial structure, organization and dynamics of Nigerian agriculture.
GEOG841: DEMOGRAPHIC ANALYSIS (3 CU) :
Trends and differentials in fertility, mortality and growth of world, regional and sub-regional populations. Determinants of fertility levels and differentials; dimensions of demographic policy and planning. Spatial patterns of population flows – migration, urban growth, rural stagnation. Techniques of demographic analysis. Population resources, technology and environmental conservation.
GEOG842: URBAN GEOGRAPHY (3 CU) :
This course is concerned with contemporary urban issues in developing countries. Themes to be covered are as follows: Urban environmental concerns and their relationship with the general forces, historical and contemporary, that shape the cities of the developing world, the major elements of human settlement (the environment of work, shelter, leisure) as a base of human understanding and human need, that is, the family, then house, neighborhood and city implied by their expressed desires, behaviour patterns and struggles for something better, matching these alternative forms of settlement (relating human needs) with effective means. Urban housing, urban transport, urban social services, etc. will provide the framework for examining these issues.
GEOG843: URBAN ANALYTICAL TECHNIQUES AND URBAN MODELLING (3 CU) :
Models of urban form and structure. Techniques of analysis of the internal structure of the city. Techniques of urban economic analysis. Measurement of centrality. Gravity models and delimitation techniques of urban region, trade area, or zones of influence. Urban and regional models and modeling.
GEOG861: ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND PLANNING (3 CU) :
The concept of systems in environmental design. Eco systematic equilibrium. Forms and sources of pollution. Problems of pollution measurement. Pollution instrumentation. Pollution and meteorology; atmospheric elements as rectifying systems. Hydrographic Surveys. Meteorological and environmental instrumentation. Cultural landscape and its deterioration. Conservation and maintenance of environmental components.
GEOG862: ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT (3 CU) :
The course deals with the role of environmental impact assessment in the planning and operation of development projects. Topics to be treated are the philosophical and institutional basis for environmental impact assessment, by means of case studies to examine the techniques of assessing the impacts of projects on the social and economic systems, on aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, on air quality and noise in the affected areas.
GEOG872: POLITICAL GEOGRAPHY (3 CU) :
The theory of political geography. Approaches to the study of political geography. Recent trends in political geography and international relations. Research problems in political geography. Political geography and planning processes. Political geography in Nigeria. Africa and global geo-political strategies.
GEOG873: MEDICAL GEOGRAPHY (3 CU) :
Scope and conceptual issues in medical Geography; Environments and disease patterns –a cross-cultural perspective; STD and HIV\Aids Studies; population and health problems; Gender issues and reproductive rights; location and maintenance of health facilities; WHO, International and National health institutions and programmes; Spatial analysis\mapping of major disease occurrences.
GEOG875: ADVANCED TRANSPORT GEOGRAPHY (3 CU) :
Development of Transportation Geography between 1960 and 1999. Gravity Model and its applications Network Analysis: Graph Theoretic methods, Application of Linear and dynamic programming to Network Analysis. Transport and Regional development case studies on seaports and regional development case studies on Highways and regional development, examples to be given from Africa, Europe and South America. Maritime studies, Ports and hinterlands, shipping, urban transportation problems, Rural Transportation, Quantitative Techniques in Transportation studies: Regression Analysis, Linear programming, dynamic Programming.
GEOG882: REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT (3 CU) :
The concept of regional planning and development Regional development theories. Techniques of regional analysis: basic regional statistics, population projection, regional accounting, economic-base analysis, regional input-output analysis. Regional planning and development issues and strategies(e.g. regional planning approaches to waste management, economic development, health care, transportation, water energy, pollution urban-centred regions).Regional planning and governance: institutionalization of regional planning and development.
RGIS804: DATA BASE MANAGEMENT:
Database (definition, data, types of data -spatial, relational, functions of database); Database Management Systems (definition, components, reasons for database management systems, advantages of database management systems, users of database management systems, applications of database management systems); Database Design - stages in database design (requirements collection and analysis, conceptual design, logical design and physical design); Database Creation: issues in database creation, database software etc; Database Management; GIS Database.
GEOG892: RESEARCH SEMINAR II: