AP Human Geography, Semester A

Course Description

Advanced Placement® (AP) Human Geography A is the first semester in a two-semester series that introduces students to the systematic study of the patterns and processes that have shaped human understanding, use, and alteration of Earth’s surface. Students will employ spatial concepts and landscape analysis to examine human social organization and its environmental consequences. In AP Human Geography A, students will be introduced the tools and theories geographers use to study population settlement and migration, the role of culture in society, and the nature and function of states. 

About AP® Courses 

Advanced Placement (AP®) courses are equivalent to college-level courses. We highly recommend that you review the College Board’s AP Human Geography Course Information page before beginning this course. Students are required to take the UTHS final exam for each semester course to earn high school credit. Students wanting to earn college credit may take the AP® exam offered by the College Board after completing the semester B course; however, it is not required to receive credit for the course from UT High School.

Semester Topics

• Unit 1: Geography: It's Nature and Perspective
• Unit 2: Population and Migration
• Unit 3: Culture: Cultural Patterns and Processes
• Unit 4: Political Geography

Course Objectives

Upon completing this course, you will be able to—

• use concepts such as space, place, and region to examine geographic issues; 
• apply mathematical formulas and graphs to interpret geographic concepts; 
• use population density to explain the relationship between people and the environment; 
• explain how push and pull factors contribute to migration; 
• explain the diffusion of culture and cultural traits through time and space; 
• explain how geographers assess the spatial and place dimensions of cultural groups in the past and present; 
• evaluate the geopolitical forces that influence the contemporary political map; 
• explain how the political, economic, cultural, and technological elements of globalization challenge state sovereignty.

Required Course Materials

Please visit the Computer Requirements page to view minimum device, internet, and application requirements for all UT High School courses. Generally, a desktop or laptop device five (5) years or newer with access to an office suite, such as Microsoft Office or Google Workspace, will be adequate to participate in most UTHS courses. 

Unless otherwise noted, students are responsible for purchasing or securing all the following course materials:

• Textbook: A textbook is not required for this course; however, we highly recommend students purchase an AP Human Geography review or preparatory guide.
• Interactive Notebook: A paper or digital composition book is acceptable. For paper composition books, please also have the following items on hand:
  • Pens or Pencils
  • Tape or Glue
• Miscellaneous Items:
  • Barron's AP Human Geography Flash Cards (Optional)

Course Organization

Students must complete the course in sequence: You will not be able to access the next unit until all work in the preceding unit is completed. You may take your final exam only after completing all units and submitting all graded assignments.  

• Units: Each unit includes multiple lessons and graded assignments as well as ungraded practice quizzes to help you check your understanding of the material.
  
  
• Summative Assessments: Each course includes two online, virtually proctored summative assessments testing your understanding of the material presented in the preceding 2-3 Units.
  • Format: Online, Multiple-choice
  • Time Allowed: 1 hr 30 min
    
    
• Final Exam: Each course includes an online, virtually proctored final exam testing your knowledge of all material presented in the course.
  • Format: Online, Multiple-choice
  • Time Allowed: 3 hrs 20 min

Course Grade Weighting

Your final course grade is calculated by weighting the three assignment groups displayed in the table below:

Online Proctored Exams

All course exams, including both summative assessments and the final exam, must be completed online. Students must test online with Proctorio and are required to add the Proctorio extension to either their Microsoft Edge or Google Chrome browser—installation instructions are provided in the student's course. Proctorio uses a student's computer, web camera, and microphone to record video of both the student and their desktop during the exam. Then, UTHS instructors review the student's exam video data collected by Proctorio. Only authorized UTHS staff and instructors can view the exam recordings. Student data is not shared with any persons or organizations outside of UTHS and are deleted after one year. We encourage you to visit Proctorio's Data Security and Privacy site pages to learn more about how we protect student date.