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Academics

Geography ( Ph.D. )

 Nanjing Normal University   April 08, 2016

1. Training/Research Orientation

  • Physical Geography
  • Human Geography
  • Cartography and Geographical Information System
  • Remote Sensing for Geographical Environment
  • Environmental Geography
  • Ocean Geography

2. Program Duration and Credit

Three years generally, the maximum school years are not longer than 7 years (including the extension time).

20 credits of courses in total, at least 12 credits of academic courses.

3. Core Courses and Introduction

Frontier of geographical science
Objective of this course is to helt students understand scientific methodology of geo-science research; new idea, new theory and trend of current geography, and to understand new development of our school. This course including a total of 20 lectures, covering the basic elements of geography research:

  • Jiang Wang——Development of geography in 21 century
  • Guoan Tang——hypothesis, proposition and proving in geographical research
  • Yongjin Wang——theory and methodology innovation in global changing research 
  • Zucong Cai——hot points and questions in agrology
  • Hongbo Zheng——Surface process and globe changing: geography vs. geology
  • Jian Liu——Development in global climate changing
  • Hao Yang——Research hot point and development in ecological environment evolution in watershed
  • Zhenshan Lin——Introduction of dynamics of landscape ecology pattern
  • Min Xu——Ocean resources and environment
  • Guoxiang Wang——Production of nature resources and ecology recovery and reconstruction
  • Hongyu Liu——Landscape ecology and its application in geography
  • Xiaolin Zhang——Research paradigm in human geography
  • Yuqi Lu——Four genres in human geography
  • Zhenfang Huang——Innovation and development in recreational geography
  • Guonian Lv——Rediscovery of GIS
  • Qiao Wang——Development of ecology environment remote sensing of China
  • A-xing Zhu——Development of GIS spatial analysis
  • Yunmei Li——Development of water environment remote sensing
  • Changqin Zhu——Frontier and methodology of geographical information security
  • Linwang Yuan——Development in geo-modelling

Geographic Modeling and Simulation
This course focuses on the theory, methods and techniques of geographic modeling and simulation, using the mathematical method for geo-modeling and solving the problem of geography. The purpose is to help graduate students learn the building, solving and analyzing methods of common mathematical model, training students to use the research methods of geo-modeling to solve practical problems. The contents include:

  • introduce the concepts, principles, characteristics, classification of geo-model;
  • focuses on the basic steps to establish geographic model and common statistics, analysis, simulation and prediction method;
  • study the typical application cases of geo-modeling and simulation to guide students use geographic model to describe, analyze and solve practical problems of geography, and enhance the students' ability of analysis and level of application.

Principle of Human Geography
Guided by the basic principles of ‘Earth System Science’, this course will introduce fundamental subjects associated with Physical Geography, both in Theory and Methodology, aiming to strengthen students’ overall ability of scientific thinking, scientific innovation, as well as problem solving. The course is structured into Units according to the Earth’s different spheres (lithosphere, hydrosphere and pedosphere) and processes (physical, chemical and biological). 
Each unit is taken charge by a leading professor in the field. The contents of the course include:

  • Earth System and cycles; Physical geography and Earth System; Cenozoic evolution of Asian paleoenvironment; Eolian loess deposit in China;
  • Speleothem and high resolution record of Asian monsoon;
  • Pedosphere: Greenhouse gas emissions from terrestrial ecosystems;
  • Dating techniques in physical geography study.

Theory and Methodology of Physical Geography
Through teaching the basic principles, research methods and research fields in human geography, the course is expected to achieve the following three objectives:

  • to training the students doing academic presentation in English;
  • to make students familiar with English literature in human geography;
  • to make students understand the state-of-the-art issues and methods in human geography.

The contents include:

  • the core concepts, research methods and subfields in human geography;
  • the teachers of teaching group introduce typical research topics of the recent research progress and research methods;
  • the students report and discuss the English literature they have read;
  • the students present their research topic ideas and progress in human geography.

Frontiers in Geographic Information Science
The aims of this course are to develop graduate students’ ability in scientific thinking and capability in problem solving through theoretical discussion of research frontier in geographic information science (GIS) and practical exercises. The course will be taught by oversea first grade researchers (professors) and will be offered in a relative concentrated time schedule (varies from year to year depending on the availability of the faculty member). The
contents include:

  • research frontiers in GIS covering the recent developments and research questions in GIS and related fields.
  • practical problem solving ability development through case studies.
  • academic communication skill enhancement by providing a venue for graduate students to engage world-class researchers in cutting-edge research topics in GIS and related fields.

Quantitative Remote Sensing
The students are required to master the quantitative remote sensing theory, methods and applications, and to understand the latest application and the hot research field of remote sensing through the class teaching. The specific contents include:

  • basic theory of quantitative remote sensing
  • the application model of vegetation remote sensing
  • the application model of water environment remote sensing
  • atmosphere effect and atmospheric correction
  • the scale effect

4. Supervisors

Zucong Cai, Yong Zha, Suozhong Chen, Bin Fang, Zhenfang Huang, Genlin Ji, Nan Jiang, Xinggong Kong, Jijun Li, Yunmei Li, Zhenshan Lin, Hongyu Liu, Jian Liu, Xuejun Liu, Yi Long, Yuqi Lu, Guonian Lv, Yehua Sheng, Zhongchao Shi, Zhiyao Song, Jiulin Sun, Yizhong Sun, Guoan Tang, Zhuomin Tao, Min Wang, Yongjin Wang, Guoxiang Wang, Jian Wang, Qiao Wang, Zhenggui Wei, Qiyan Wu, Min Xu, Hao Yang, Shan Yang, Linwang Yuan, Jinbo Zhang, Maoheng Zhang, Shuliang Zhang, Xiaolin Zhang, Xueying Zhang, Qiguo Zhao, Yuan Zhao, Hongbo Zheng, Wenhui Zhong, Wei Zhou, Axing Zhu, Changqing Zhu.