Undergraduate Courses

GS 1 - Introduction to Global Studies

Introduction to Global Studies is an interdisciplinary course that introduces students to different perspectives on global studies and exposes them to critical global economic and cultural issues and challenges. This course also examines globalization at a variety of different scales of analysis, ranging from global, to regional and national, to individual. The ultimate goal is to provide students with an understanding of the main conceptual approaches to global studies and thus enhance their ability to understand and evaluate important real-world issues and problems.

GEOG 1 - World Regional Geography

An introductory course that offers students an overview of the major regions of the world, their characteristics, and the contemporary human and environmental issues and challenges faced by each. The course is organized along lines of economic development, with coverage of the more developed regions preceding that of less developed parts of the world.

GEOG 5 - Population and Migration

This course introduces students to two of geography’s subdisciplines, both of great contemporary importance. Initially, students will learn about factors that influence population size, distribution, and structure, relating these to environmental, economic, and political impacts. Afterward, the focus shifts to migration, a very controversial process in many parts of the world. Several regional and national immigration case studies will be analyzed.

GEOG 6 - Resources and Energy

This course is a broad introduction to the geography of resources. Geographical resources include natural, human, capital, as well as energy. Resources are fundamental to many activities and much value is attached to their procurement, transformation and use. Most resources are used to produce an outcome of economic value, such as providing food, energy, or materials for manufacturing and construction. The strategic importance of resource development and the multiple uses of resources will be analyzed.

GEOG 60 - Introduction to Geographic Information Systems

This course introduces students to Geographic Information Systems (GIS) foundations, concepts, and application techniques. GIS are used to encode, store, analyze, and report spatial data and provide a repository, which can be constructed, maintained, edited and analyzed. By linking different information technologies such as mapping and database management systems, spatial information can be used to facilitate management and decisions in a wide array of fields. These include marketing, industrial and commercial location, resource inventory and management, environmental impact assessment, urban planning, transportation, tracking crime data.

GEOG 80 - Transport Geography

Contemporary economic processes, such as the globalization of trade and the emergence of economic blocs, have been accompanied by significant growth in the movements of people, freight and information. Transport geography is concerned about these movements along with the infrastructures, institutions and corporations supporting them. It tries to link spatial constraints and attributes with the origin, the destination, the extent, and the nature and purpose of movements. Transportation, therefore, has varied and complex impacts over populations, economies and geography.

GEOG 113C - Geography of East and Southeast Asia

This course examines East and Southeast Asia, commonly known as Pacific Asia. Pacific Asian societies have experienced various phases of development since the end of World War II. Topics include socioeconomic features of: Japan, China, South Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore and other countries such as Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam and the Philippines. Problems and prospects of development in the region as well as issues related to urbanization, transportation, agriculture and resource development are covered.

GEOG 160 - Intermediate Geographic Information Systems

This course expands the GIS foundations, concepts, and application techniques already acquired to the introductory course (GEOG 60: Introduction to Geographic Information Systems). It mainly focuses upon the professional applications of the GIS technology as well as the understanding of more advanced spatial analysis functions such as geocoding, classification, statistical surfaces, overlay and network analysis. The student is expected to become proficient in applying GIS for the analysis of problems in a wide array of fields.

Graduate Courses

Port Economics and Management

Course given at the Institute of Transport and Maritime Management, University of Antwerp (Belgium). Part of the international group of professors invited to offer sections of the course.

Hinterland Transport

Course given at the Institute of Transport and Maritime Management, University of Antwerp (Belgium). Part of the international group of professors invited to offer sections of the course.

Dr. Rodrigue's research interests mainly cover the fields of economic, transport and urban geography. Area interests involve East and Southeast Asia (particularly China) and North America, notably concerning transportation, distribution and trade issues. Specific topics cover transport systems and logistics, global supply chains and production networks, gateways and transport corridors, urban regions, economic integration, international trade and regional development. Current projects involve:

The Governance of Intermodal Transportation Assets
The Transport Geography of Logistics
Gateways, Corridors and Inland Freight Distribution
Globalization and Transport Terminals