Course Syllabus

Class Description

This course investigates the interrelationships/geographical patterns of the physical elements of the human environment (e.g., weather/climate, landform, soils, water, natural vegetation). Physical concepts and processes are placed in an ecological context.

This course is 100% online asynchronous.  There will be no on-campus meetings, nor will there be any scheduled online Zoom meetings required.  This course will work on a weekly cycle, with each week beginning on Monday morning at (12:00am) and ending the following Sunday night at (11:59pm). 

Course Textbook

• Patrich, Jeremy. Physical Geography OER Textbook. This is a zero-cost open education resource that you can either download in the attachment below, and/or access the text Home Page Module for Resources.
• Audio & video lecture will be provided in the weekly modules and will reflect from McKnight's 13th edition Physical Geography: A Landscape Appreciation (not a required text to possess).

Student Learning Outcomes (Physical Geography)

• Classify the major landscape shaping processes and summarize how such processes operate over time to modify earth's physical landscapes. 
• Label the seven major parallels and demonstrate the significance of each parallel in relation to the global pattern of insolation. 
• Identify the principle component of the Earth-Sun relationship including Earth's movements, seasons, and solar energy balance.   
• Interpret the driving forces of atmospheric winds and the global pattern of winds in the Earth’s atmosphere.     
• Illustrate the rock cycle and contrast the processes that create igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic rocks.     
• Describe the processes responsible for plate tectonics and the surficial expressions created by such processes.

Important Dates

• Last day to add: 9-10-2026                Refund deadline: 8-27-2026              
• Last day to drop without W: 9-10-2026 Last day to drop with W: 11-20-2026

Attendance

• Students that do not participate in the first two weeks of class by submitting the coursework assigned will automatically be dropped.
• Exceptions can be made depending on the circumstance and if students properly communicate with me ahead of week 2's submission deadline if something is preventing you from completing your coursework by the established deadline. 
• To be considered present for the first week of class, you will need to complete Week 1’s Module.  

Student Success Center & Student Services

• The area of Student Services at Cerritos College supports student development and success through educational, cultural, and social support programs and services. Student engagement is an integral part of the Cerritos College community, and all students are encouraged to explore available services and campus activities. 

• The effectiveness of each of our programs and services are assessed through a program review process that is based on the Council for Advancement of Standards in Higher Education (CAS). The student learning outcomes of each of our departments are developed and assessed as part of a three-year planning cycle.  

• The online Success Center provides various resources at your disposal for online and in-person support with online tutoring for ESL and writing.  In-person appointments can be made as well.

Student Accessibility Services (SAS)

Students with limitations due to disability may receive support services and instruction from Student Accessibility Services (SAS). Those students with physical, visual, hearing, speech, mental health, learning and intellectual disabilities as well as other health conditions, acquire brain injuries, autism, and ADHD are served. SAS provides in-person as well as some remote services. Counselor and Specialist appointments are available in-person, on Zoom, or by phone (562) 860-2451.

Campus Resources & Canvas Support

• The Campus Resources site you can find a list various resources and locations for places like the school Bookstore, Food & Housing, Library, EOPS, Financial Aid, and other services. I encourage you to utilize these resources available if you need assistance at any point. 
• Student Health Services is also on campus and available.
• For Canvas Support, please contact me by email or call (562) 860-2451 if you need technical assistance.

Academic Honesty & Communication

I truly understand that temptation is a thing, given that we are all human beings without perfection. Therefore, please refrain from cheating on assignments in any manner.

• Given that we have a lot of writing assignments due, please avoid using AI software for "assistance". I do have the capability to also check and see if such programs are being used in an improper manner for coursework. Do your best to make good use of the time we have together and manage things appropriately.  Again, you also have the option to contact me if you experience any difficulties along the way.  
  • Students caught cheating or plagiarizing will receive a grade of zero on the assignment or exam in question and possible further action will be taken. There is no reason to cheat or get caught plagiarizing, if you want to succeed you have to simply put in the work and properly communicate if you encounter any difficulties.  Cheating or plagiarizing is very easy to detect, so please refrain from bringing on avoidable consequences that will negatively impact your academic tenure.
• Email is the best way to get in contact with me, especially if you message me through Canvas Inbox. I usually respond to emails within 24hrs of sending them, if not much sooner. If a Zoom meeting is needed, then please provide advanced notice (at least two days prior) and email me first so that we can figure out a time to meet online to talk to me face-to-face.

18 Week Term Workload

• An 18-week course, rather in-person or online is a bit longer in term than is offered at most campuses in the state, but this 18-week term will provide students with the opportunity to consume more geographic knowledge. 
• You are expected to review course materials, study, and submit all assignments by the assigned due dates.  You should set aside between 4-6 hours out of each week to thrive at your best in this class.
• All the lectures will be recorded with accessibility captioning provided.  I advise students to be sure that you have adequate access to a stable internet connection to avoid technical issues arising.  
• Every week a combination of weekly assignments, discussions, quizzes/exams, projects, and research assignments will be due.  More than likely, on average 2-3 assignments will be due each week.
• All coursework is due at the end of the assigned week which falls on a Sunday night by 11:59pm. 
• Completing the assigned reading, which will consist of readings from the textbook and the uploaded PowerPoint/Zoom presentations. You are expected to read through the provided textbook chapters assigned, outside sources assigned via articles and videos. Part of the “reading” will also consist of engaging with maps, images, and data. Assignments for each week will be posted to Canvas every Monday at 12:01 a.m.

Late Work Policy & Microsoft Office 365

• Late work will not be accepted unless approved by me due to an "urgent" or unforeseen circumstance.  I truly understand that life happens, but it is your responsibility to adequately communicate with me if something is preventing you from submitting your coursework by the assigned deadlines.
• Therefore, completing the extra credit assignments can help make up some points on missed assignments as there will be around 2-3 extra credit assignments given throughout the term. Also, I may ask for proof and documentation whether makeup work or late submissions are requested. I have no problem extending a courtesy for students depending on the circumstance of your track record in the course, technical issues, or otherwise. Although, please resist any possible temptation to exploit this opportunity more if provided to you. FYI, based on the grading scale provided, the final grades are already curved by a few points based on traditional grading standards. 
• For Microsoft Office 365, access is free for students.

Classroom Etiquette/Netiquette

Let's do each other all a favor and maintain a high level of respect for one another.  Honestly, I don't think that I need to go into detail about how respect should be demonstrated but I will give a few examples.

• Thinking before you interact with one another without a negative impulse,
• Being mindful of each other's human experience
• And gauge the context of things before reacting. 
• This goes for me as your instructor as well. If I fall short of what I just outlined in any way, please feel free to inform me of that because one of my biggest hopes is for you all to feel comfortable. Approachability is something that I work on every day, so please feel free to talk to me if something or someone in our classroom is bothering you.  
• Given that this course will be rendered in an online asynchronous format, respect for your classmates, myself and the classroom in its entirety is expected. Unbecoming behavior in any other form (the Discussion forum particularly: cyberbullying, harassment, etc.), will not be tolerated.  Please maintain a high level of respect and decency throughout the semester, such a perspective & adherence will resort in a high-quality learning environment.  Students caught cheating or plagiarizing will receive a grade of zero on the assignment or exam in question and possible further action will be taken. 

Assignments and Grading

• You will have a total of 33 mandatory assignments due by the end of term. Each assignment will have instructions along with rubric provided in Canvas. You can also refer to the Course Calendar at the end of this Syllabus to see the due dates for each assignment.  Your final grade will be calculated based on 300 points total from all the mandatory assignments that are due.  Also, a few opportunities for extra credit will be provided throughout the term. 

Table 1: Grading Scale & Assignments

Grading Scale

Orientation & Syllabus Review	4.5 (1.5%)	A	88.5% and above
Course Introduction Quiz	4.5 (1.5%)	B	78.5% to 88.4%
Critical Analysis	6 (2%)	C	67% to 78.4%
Climate Change Action Plan	15 (5%)	D	60% to 66.9%
Natural Processes Recurrence	30 (10%)	F	59.9% and below
Landscape Map Quizzes (2)	30 (10%)
Weekly Assignments (12)	42 (14%)
Discussions (12)	48 (16%)
Exams (Midterm & Final)	120 (40%)
	300 Total (100%)

Course Calendar

Table 2: Course Calendar & Due Dates

Course Calendar

Week	Dates	Weekly Topics & Assignments Due	WA	Disc	Ch.
1	August 17th – August 23rd	Orientation & Syllabus Review Introduction to Earth Course Introduction Quiz			1
2	August 24th – August 30th	Portraying Earth	1	1	2
3	August 31st – September 6th	Critical Analysis Introduction to the Atmosphere		2	3
4	September 7th – September 13th	Insolation & Temperature, Atmospheric Wind	2	3	4-5
5	September 14th – September 20th	Landscape Map Quiz 1 Atmospheric Moisture	3		6
6	September 21st – September 27th	Atmospheric Disturbances	4	4	7
7	September 28th – October 4th	Climate Change Action Plan Climate & Climate Change		5	8
8	October 5th – October 11th	The Hydrosphere, Cycles & Patterns in the Biosphere, Midterm Review	5	6	9-10
9	October 12th – October 18th	Extra Credit Discussion 1 Midterm Exam		(1)	1-8
10	October 19th – October 25th	Soil	6	7	12
11	October 26th – November 1st	Internal Processes	7	8	14
12	November 2nd – November 8th	Landscape Map Quiz 2 Weathering & Mass Wasting	8		15
13	November 9th – November 15th	Fluvial Processes	9	9	16
14	November 16th – November 22nd	Glacial Modification of Terrain	10	10	19
15	November 23rd – November 29th	Extra Credit Assignment 1 - Catch Up Week	(1)
16	November 30th – December 6th	Coastal Processes	11	11	20
17	December 7th – December 13th	Natural Processes Recurrence Desert Landscapes & Rising Sea Levels Final Exam Review	12	12
18	December 14th – December 18th	Final Exam *Friday 12-18-2026 11:59pm, last day of semester*			9-10, 12, 14-16, 19-20