AP Human Geography (APHUG) Course Description
About the AP Program:
“College Board’s Advanced Placement® Program (AP®) enables willing and academically prepared students to pursue college-level studies—with the opportunity to earn college credit, advanced placement, or both—while still in high school. Through AP courses in 38 subjects, each culminating in a challenging exam, students learn to think critically, construct solid arguments, and see many sides of an issue—skills that prepare them for college and beyond. Taking AP courses demonstrates to college admission officers that students have sought the most challenging curriculum available to them, and research indicates that students who score a 3 or higher on an AP Exam typically experience greater academic success in college and are more likely to earn a college degree than non-AP students.” |
AP Human Geography Course Description:
“This course introduces students to the systematic study of patterns and processes that have shaped human understanding, use, and alteration of Earth’s surface. Students employ spatial concepts and landscape analysis to examine socioeconomic organization and its environmental consequences. They also learn about the methods and tools geographers use in their research and applications. The curriculum reflects the goals of the National Geography Standards (2012)” |
Course Organization:
- Unit 1 - Thinking Geographically
- Unit 2 - Population and Migration Patterns and Processes
- Unit 3 - Cultural Patterns and Processes
- Unit 4 - Political Patterns and Processes
- Unit 5 - Agriculture and Rural Land Use Patterns and Processes
- Unit 6 - Cities and Urban land Use Patterns and Processes
- Unit 7 - Industrialization and Economic Development Patterns and Processes
For more information, see the AP Human Geography Course and Exam Description (pgs. 25-131)
Who Might Be Interested in AP Human Geography?
This course is one of the most useful you will ever take! Through taking this course, you will be trained to ask and answer questions that pertain directly to the world around you, such as:
- How do maps lie to us? (Unit 1)
- Why are more children born in the least economically developed places? (Unit 2)
- Why is English the world’s global language? (Unit 3
- Why did Russia invade Ukraine? (Unit 4)
- Why are restaurants like Chipotle becoming increasingly popular? (Unit 5)
- Why is San Francisco a popular city for tech companies? (Unit 6)
- Why are there so many Starbucks restaurants? (Unit 7)
In addition, if you like Youtube channels such as the following, AP Human Geography may be the right course for you:
Although this is a challenging course, it is incredibly useful and relevant to everyday life. It also serves as a good introduction to the AP program and AP level coursework that you will be undertaking in future years at Debakey.
Course Expectations:
This is a college level course that is being offered to students in the 9th grade. While the content in the course isn’t particularly difficult to learn, the quantity of information and the speed at which the course moves can be challenging for many students. There is typically an adjustment that most students need to make to their habits in order to be successful. Many students that had success in 8th grade struggle with the transition to AP Human Geography since success in this course requires:
- Consistent study habits and completion of assignments in and out of class
- Completion and comprehension of reading outside of class
- Strong writing skills that demonstrate depth of understanding and strong analytical skills
- The ability to manage time in order to balance course requirements with the rigorous Debakey coursework
- The commitment to take the end of year AP exam and prepare throughout the year
Although an adjustment period is usually necessary, most students end up doing well once they adapt to the level of the course.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How does AP Human Geography compare to Pre AP World Geography?
A: Both courses are similar in that they cover similar content in a similar order. Additionally, both courses are designed specifically with the intent of preparing students for the upper level history courses offered in 10th and 11th grade. There is a strong emphasis on building writing, critical thinking, and analytical skills in both courses.
AP Human Geography is much more intensive than the Pre AP course, meaning that topics are explored in much more depth and at a faster pace than in the pre AP course. Since one of the goals of an AP course is earning college credit through taking a college level class, students are expected to have a much more advanced and thorough understanding of the same topics covered in Pre AP world geography. AP students are expected to learn more terminology, geographic models, and case studies than students in the pre AP course (but it’s worth it!)
Q: Is AP Human Geography easy?
A: A commonly asked question, but not one with an easy answer. It really depends on what you mean by “easy.” In 8th grade, classes might seem “easy” because students can rely on natural intelligence to earn high scores. Many students that earn high grades in 8th grade could do so without studying or working independently to learn the material. Many students assume that they will experience a similar level of success in AP Human Geography without having to adjust their habits. This is usually not the case. So, the course wouldn’t be considered “easy” from the perspective that intelligence without added effort would be enough for success.
On the other hand, students that adjust their habits accordingly and are able to dedicate themselves inside and outside the classroom generally do not find the course material to be particularly difficult to understand.
Q: What is the expected workload like in this class?
A: As stated before, students will have to get used to studying more than they have in the past and working independently more than they have in the past. However, this does not necessarily mean that the workload in the course is overwhelming. Most students that took the course in the 2021-2022 school year indicated that the workload was ”about right” and also reported spending about 1-2 hours a week outside of class working on things related to AP Human geography (see below)
Advice/Comments from 2021-2022 AP Human Geography Students:
“I always see the concepts in the real world, and its weird how its everywhere (and its kinda scary). I also learnt not to study everything in a small amount of time, and I learnt what studying style works best for me. “ -Sana A
“I learned that everything we learn in school is so intimately connected, it's almost impossible to miss something. For example, carrying capacity is in aphug and biology and I believe even geometry had a connection at one point. It is so eye-opening because the more you learn, the more you realize you don't know and how everything in the world and in the courses we take pertain to one another. “ -Siena B.
“AP Hug taught me topics that can be valuable in the real world. Sometimes in conversation I will even say, ‘oh we talked about that in AP HUG.’ I also learned how to use my resources more wisely and had good practice studying for AP exams.” -Keira W.
“Studying and reviewing concepts is crucial to this class. I wish I would have took that more seriously. It is important to do excessive review over topics and to do work the day it is given. Doing corrections on taken quizzes and tests and establishing understanding on difficult topics is very important.” -Nevaeh E.
“The only advice I can offer is to not forget about this class. Even considering as much as we learn, it is easy to prioritize other classes with a quiz the next day or four hours of homework due over the course with just classwork. But, this only leads to worse performance [down the line]. By actively trying to learn and remember everything throughout every class period, the ap exam is easier, class exams are easier, and less stress is wasted that could have been avoided altogether.” -Siena B.
“This course doesn't give that much homework but that doesn't mean it's an easy class. Make sure you know your vocabulary words (like every single one).” - Madeline Y