Coursework

Mapping activities

Mapping activity	Topic	Due
Activity 01	Process	9/1/26
Activity 02	Scale	9/8/26
Activity 03	Type	9/22/26
Activity 04	Debates	10/1/26
Activity 05	Hillshade	10/27/26
Activity 06	Rivers	11/3/26
Activity 07	Narrative	11/12/26
Activity 08	Exhibition prep #1	11/19/26
Activity 09	Exhibition prep #2	12/1/26
Activity 10	Exhibition prep #3	12/8/26

Labs

Lab	Topic	Due
Lab 1	NPS (National park style)	9/15/26
Lab 2	Adobe Illustrator	10/20/26
Lab 3	Pastiche!	10/27/26

Cartography challenges

Challenge	Topic	Due
Challenge 1	Basemap	9/8/26
Challenge 2	Color	9/22/26
Challenge 3	Data debates	9/29/26
Challenge 4	Winding Rivers	11/3/26
Challenge 5	Bending Lines	11/10/26

Curatorial reflection

On Thursday, October 8, you will submit a curatorial reflection which considers and contrasts two maps of your choosing, using principles learned in class.

Final map project

A final map project is the cornerstone assignment of GEOG 248. Focusing on a topic within their area of research/scholarly interest, students will use geospatial data to tell a place-based story through a thoughtfully-designed map. In addition to adhering to general principles of cartographic design, final map projects must reflect some kind of quantitative or qualitative analysis. Very short (~250 word) write-ups will accompany the submission of the final maps.

Students will use the geographical keywords below to guide their selection of a topic. These keywords will factor into the organization of the digital exhibition:

Table 1: Some geographical keywords

Environments	Concepts	Processes	Representations
Landscape	Place/belonging	Bordering	Figure-ground
Earth system	Region	Heterogeneity	Projections
Watershed	Gradient	Connectivity	Colors
Sustainability	Scale	Narrative	Maps as art
Urban systems	Power	Justice	Lettering

Note that you must submit a final map project to receive a passing grade.

Digital exhibition

In the final weeks of the semester, we’ll work together to create a digital exhibition.