Course Finder

IGETC AREA 3B (Humanities)

Satisfies Global Citizenship

• Advisory: FRENCH 3.

This course traces the development of French culture from the French Revolution to the present. It examines the fundamentals of French culture including history, geography, politics, immigration, regional identity, education, literature and the arts, and religion. It also addresses the place of France within the European Union, and some challenges faced by Francophone countries. The course will be taught in French except in cases of linguistic difficulty as determined by the professor.

• Corequisite: Any course in French.

This course -- taken in tandem with another course in the discipline -- enables a student to apply course content in a meaningful and relevant way to a particular activity. In this hands-on course, students engage in applied learning through unpaid experiential activities organized by the student (in conjunction with SMC’s applied/service learning center) and approved by the instructor. Students will develop a customized reading list relevant to their particular activity, complete a minimum of 15 hours of volunteer work with that activity, and submit academically-sound written reports regarding the activity. By applying course material to their experience, students develop a deeper understanding of the discipline.

Formerly Entertainment Technology 42.

This course is an introductory overview of the electronic game development process that underlines the historical context, content creation strategies, and future trends in the industry. The course will also explain how games are produced, tested, and released. This course will also cover the history of game platforms up to the most recent systems, and the expanded growth in Mobile, Casual, and Serious game development.

• Advisory: GAME 1, GAME 2.

This is a faculty-supervised studio course that will enable students to produce game prototypes for portfolio inclusion. Working in teams, students will develop original game design documents, turning them into physical prototypes for common tabletop game formats such as board games, card games, or dice games. Instruction will focus on iterative design, playtesting, and successful communication. Each team will develop multiple prototypes, and team members will assume different roles for each design.

Formerly Entertainment Technology 44.

The focus of this course is on building a solid understanding of play mechanics: the formal elements of play, the dramatic elements that make a game meaningful to its players, and the system dynamics that shape the overall experience. Lectures will use historical and current games and genres to illustrate key concepts. Topics include strategy and tactics, resource management, emergent complexity, puzzles and puzzle development, and the business of games. Students will also learn the process of design through prototyping and playtesting.

• Advisory: GAME 10.

Formerly Entertainment Technology 13.

This is a faculty-supervised studio course that will enable students to produce 2D game prototypes for portfolio inclusion. Working in teams, students will develop original game design documents into playable software prototypes. Instruction will focus on the fundamentals of multi-platform software authoring including interactive storytelling, navigation metaphors, technical constraints, and usability. Students will gain experience working with media (text, graphics, animation, video, and audio), using authoring environments, and writing scripts to control interactivity. Emphasis will also be placed on iterative design, playtesting, and successful communication. Each team will complete one major 2D game prototype for portfolio development.

This course uses the Unity game engine.

• Advisory: GAME 20.

Formerly Entertainment Technology 49.

This is a faculty-supervised studio course that will enable students to produce 3D game prototypes for portfolio inclusion. Working in teams, students will develop original game design documents into playable software prototypes. Instruction will focus on advanced principles of multi-platform software authoring as well as on iterative design, playtesting, and successful communication. Each team will complete one major 3D game prototype for portfolio development.

This course uses the Unity game engine.

C-ID: GEOG 110.

IGETC AREA 5A (Physical Sciences, non-lab)

• Prerequisite: None.
• Skills Advisory: Eligibility for English 1.

*Maximum credit allowed for Geography 1 and 5 is one course (4 units).

This course surveys the distribution and relationships of environmental elements in our atmosphere, lithosphere, hydrosphere and biosphere, including weather, climate, water resources, landforms, soils, natural vegetation, and wildlife. Focus is on the systems and cycles of our natural world, including the effects of the sun and moon on environmental processes, and the roles played by humans.

• Prerequisite: None.

This course is a study of hazards and their effect on humans and the natural environment. It includes an analysis of volcanoes, earthquakes, floods, droughts, hurricanes, tornadoes, catastrophic mass wasting, fires, and the effects of terrorism. This course focuses on appropriate responses from law enforcement personnel, fire technicians, and public sector managers.

C-ID: GEOG 125.

IGETC AREA 4 (Social & Behavioral Sciences)

Satisfies Global Citizenship

• Prerequisite: None.

This course introduces Global Studies through a survey of the world’s major geographic regions. Students will encounter core concepts related to processes of global connection and change, while also developing basic geographic literacy in the distribution of human and natural features on Earth. Students will examine and discuss significant issues -- cultural, social, political-economic, and environmental -- impacting humanity today as both problem and possibility. In particular, this course considers the diverse localized impacts of globalization as a continuing story of peoples and places isolated and connected by imperial, colonial, and international systems of the past and present.

Geography 11 is the same course as Global Studies 11. Students may earn credit for one but not both.

C-ID: GEOG 140.

IGETC AREA 4 (Social and Behavioral Sciences)

Satisfies Global Citizenship

• Prerequisite: None.

This course surveys the physical and human geography of California and the process shaping its landscapes. Topics include natural features and resources, such as geology, climate, plants and animals, and hydrology. Historical and current trends in human population, migration, and settlement patterns are considered, including a review of the state’s major cultural groups. Primary and advanced economic activities are examined within modern rural and urban settings. Emphasis is on the profound connections between these topics, on California’s unequaled diversity, and the rapid change that is transforming our people and its landscapes.

C-ID: GEOG 120.

IGETC AREA 4 (Social & Behavioral Sciences)

• Prerequisite: None.
• Skills Advisory: Eligibility for English 1.

This course is a study of humanity and its planetary home of distinctive places, spaces, landscapes, and environments. The course systematically considers geographic patterns, processes, and issues, beginning with the basic questions of Where? and Why There? Specific topics examined include human population change and migration; agriculture and food systems; urban-economic development; cultural and environmental change in an age of globalization, with specific attention paid to language, religion, ethnic identity, and biodiversity; and international geopolitics.

C-ID: GEOG 155.

• Prerequisite: None.

Formerly same course as CIS 20.

GIS are computer-based systems used to collect, store and analyze geographic information. This course will present the concepts of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) science and its applications to spatial data management. Topics include: Identification and acquisition of GIS data; Assessment of vector and raster data, scale, resolution, map projection, coordinate systems, georeferencing and Global Positioning Systems (GPS). Spatial analysis and modeling with GIS will also be presented.

Geography 20 is the same course as GIS 20. Students may earn credit for one course only.

• Prerequisite: Geography 20 (same as GIS 20).

Formerly same course as CIS 23.

This course emphasizes GIS principles and methodology used in both the private and public sectors. Hands-on applications using both raster and vector data and technology will expose students to more advanced understanding of GIS. Students will learn various methods of data acquisition, including Global Positioning Systems (GPS) as well as the World Wide Web. The add-on modules extend the analytical capabilities of ArcMap and allow input of map features and conversion of feature themes from raster to vector. This course will also provide an introduction to several of ArcMap’s extension including Spatial Analyst and 3D Analyst. Students will complete a Model Builder to be used in siting new solar sites. Spatial Analysis will include slope and aspect maps, neighborhood and zone analysis. The course will present single and multi-layer statistical operations including classification, coordination, and modeling analysis.

Geography 23 is the same course as GIS 23. Students may receive credit for one, but not both.

• Prerequisite: None.

This course introduces methods for visualizing the natural and cultural features of Earth’s surface. Fundamentals of traditional map and air-photo interpretation are covered, as well as newer technologies including satellite imagery, global positioning systems (GPS), and Internet-based applications. Emphases are placed on use and interpretation of maps and other geospatial information. Class time will combine lecture and lab work.

• Prerequisite: None.

This course provides a general introduction to Cartography, broadly defined as the art, science, and ethics of map making and map use. The emphases include map scale, map projection, reference and thematic map reading, symbolization and map design. A variety of modern geospatial technologies and tools are covered, including Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Global Positioning System (GPS), Remote Sensing, and web mapping. The course includes both lecture and hands-on application.

Geography 25 is the same course as GIS 25. Students may earn credit for one, but not both.

• Prerequisite: None.

This course introduces students to the basic concepts of remote sensing, characteristics of remote sensors, and remote sensing applications in academic disciplines and professional industries. Emphases are placed on remote sensing data acquisition; digital image processing and interpretation. The course is designed for students interested in the Earth Observing System, environmental monitoring techniques, and image analysis.

Geography 26 is the same course as GIS 26. Students may earn credit for one, but not both.

C-ID: GEOG 130.

IGETC AREA 5A (Physical Sciences, non-lab)

• Prerequisite: None.

This course is a survey of the earth’s atmosphere, with special reference to the causes and regional distribution of weather and climate. The nature and causes of winds, clouds, precipitation, and severe storms are studied. Students will learn techniques of local weather observation and prediction.

• Prerequisite: None.

This course combines classroom and laboratory studies with actual field studies in geography. Field experiences are designed to apply basic geographic concepts and techniques in the study of diverse landscapes and the processes shaping them. Students will attend two 3-hour lecture classes and are required to attend two planned weekend field trips that include California coastal, mountain, and desert locations.

• Prerequisite: None.

This course combines classroom and laboratory studies with actual field studies in geography. Field experiences are designed to apply basic geographic concepts and techniques in the study of diverse landscapes and the processes shaping them.