AP Human Geography

Subject Area
Credits 1
Prerequisites

Grade 9 students need an A- in Humanities I or Humanities I in Action

Grade 10 students must take Humanities II or Humanities II in Action concurrently with this course.

Grade 11 students need a B+ in Humanities II or Humanities II in Action

Grade 11 students need a B+ in AP Language and Composition or Junior English.

Home Learning
Heavy
Course Description

This course is particularly useful for students looking to work in the fields of public administration, town planning, architecture, anthropology, sociology, geographic information science (GIS), marketing, or any field that takes account of the spatial dimensions of human activity. The course introduces students to an analytical study of the social, cultural and economic landscapes that characterize our world. Students will study the evolving locational patterns of human activities and examine a range of theories and theoretical models, which may account for their spatial distribution. Topics for study include: population studies, the political organization of space, cultural patterns, urban and rural landscapes, economic development and industrialization.

Learning Outcomes

This course is highly conceptual, and students will be expected to:

  • Use and think about maps and spatial data sets to both pose and solve problems, to think critically about what is revealed and what is hidden in different maps and spatial arrays.
  • Understand and interpret the implications of associations among spatial phenomena, to see how tastes, values, political regulations and economic constraints all work together to create particular kinds of cultural landscapes.
  • Recognize and interpret the relationships among patterns and processes at differing scales.
  • Define and explain regions, explaining and analyzing how particular patterns of human activity have evolved.
  • Characterize and analyze the changing interconnections between places.
Assessment
  • Critical reading
  • Class and online discussions
  • Formative and summative assessments
  • Multimedia presentations
Grades
10,
11,
12
Grading Scheme
Standards-based Course
The Student Experience

“Definitely keep up with your notes because it piles up really quickly -- some of the chapters are quite long. Most of the content is covered in class through lectures, so always make sure to take notes and listen. Using all the resources in Schoology will help you be successful in the course, as well as reviewing answers on AP Classroom. My best textbook/workbook recommendation for the AP exam is Princeton Review.”
- Andrea Kim (Class of 2023)

“Success in AP Human Geography has much to do with memorizing key terms and historical examples of each one. This way, you can grasp a much deeper understanding of class concepts. A lot of students benefited from using Quizlet as a tool for memorization.”
- Anonymous