Course Syllabus
Download the syllabus.
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Areas of Interests and Expertise
Awards and Achievements
Phone: 405-325-3044 Email: mshafer@ou.edu Live Session: Thursdays, 6-7 pm (Central) Zoom link: https://oklahoma.zoom.us/j/6431512136 |
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Dr. Mark Shafer Associate Professor, Geography and Environmental Sustainability Director, Southern Climate Impacts Planning Program Associate State Climatologist, Oklahoma Climatological Survey |
For a list of course activities, scroll to the bottom of this page.
Assumed Prior Knowledge
There are no prerequisites for the course, but students should be familiar with physical hydrological processes that can result in excessive precipitation and severe weather. These processes are covered in courses such as hydrometeorology, hydroclimatology, and physical geography. While a brief overview of the physical processes will be covered, the emphasis for the course is on the impacts of those processes, social and policy response, and mitigation options.
Course Materials
The course uses three books plus other material provided on Canvas:
- Natural Hazards: Earth's Processes as Hazards, Disasters, and Catastrophes (4th Edition), Edward Keller and Duane DeVecchio (2014); ISBN 978-0321939968
- The Social Roots of Risk: producing disasters, promoting resilience, Kathleen Tierney (2014); ISBN 978-0-8047-9139-7
- Planning for Post-Disaster Recovery: Next Generation, James C. Schwab ed. (2014); American Planning Association (also available at https://www.fema.gov/media-library-data/1425503479190-22edb246b925ba41104b7d38eddc207f/APA_PAS_576.pdf)
Lectures will be based upon concepts from these materials supplemented with other materials provided via Canvas or online resources. Reading these books will help you prepare to fully participate in class discussions and in your written work. Additional reading materials will be posted on the class link at http://canvas.ou.edu.
Many students have some background with physical processes of hazards through climatology or physical geography courses. There are many online sources explaining physical processes. Lecture videos covering the processes will be posted on Canvas in advance of those discussions. Consequently, the Keller and DeVecchio book may not be necessary for all students.
The Schwab book is available online. It should not be necessary to purchase it, but all students are expected to read it.
Grades
Breakdown
The final grade will be calculated based on the following points:
Class Participation 180 points (15 points per discussion)
Homework / Quizzes 220 points (20 points per assignment)
Term Project 200 points (2 parts 100 points each)
Midterm exams (2) 100 points each
Final exam 200 points
TOTAL 1000 points
Scale
Points necessary to earn a given final grade will be no higher than the following (i.e., a curve may be applied at the end of the semester to raise grades, but not to lower them).
A 900 D 600
B 800 F < 600
C 700
Course Components
Participation
Students should be prepared to participate actively in discussions. Class participation will be dependent upon regular participation in and contribution to class discussions (including an ability to identify and present significant points of readings and an ability to debate the material using an informed and researched argument). There are twelve discussions of new content (excluding exam week reviews) worth 15 points each (180 points total). Students are expected to participate in the online discussion or review the recorded video and prepare a brief summary.
Homework / Quizzes
Homework assignments will be associated with new content each week, except for the first week. Students should complete the assigned readings and view the posted videos prior to completing the homework assignment. Each homework assignment will be completed online and is worth 20 points. There will be 11 assignments for a total of 220 points. Homework assignments must be completed prior to noon (Central) on Thursdays of the weeks they are due. Late submissions will receive a deduction of 50%.
Term Project
The term project will consist of analysis of a significant disaster event. Each student will be assigned a separate disaster event to analyze. Events will be drawn from FEMA Major Disaster Declarations for events occurring in 2000-2019, https://www.fema.gov/disasters. Because this is part of the Hydrology and Water Security program, disasters must be one of the following types: Coastal Storm, Dam/Levee Break, Flood, Hurricane, or Tsunami. Only events from the United States will be considered (not the US Territories) due to the difficulty in locating some datasets outside the 50 states. Drought events, although not appearing on the FEMA declarations list, may be substituted with permission from the instructor. Students may provide preferences (up to 3 events) to the instructor within the first two weeks of class (see Week 2 module), although no guarantees are made that one of those choices will be assigned.
The paper will include:
- Part 1 - An overview of the event, including its physical and historical context and how physical, social and ecological systems were affected by the event
- Part 2 - Societal factors that enhanced or reduced vulnerability among particular groups or economic sectors, the recovery process, and what changes in engineering, planning, or policies have been made or could be made to reduce future impacts (physical, social and/or ecological)
See the Hazards Term Project for additional details outlining expectations for what should be addressed in each section and tips on formatting references.
Each section will be approximately 2,500 words (about 10 written pages, double-spaced) using 12-point font and 1-inch margins. A minimum of three distinct books, journal articles, or in-depth magazine articles or reports (with approval of instructor prior to submission) not used in the class must be cited in each segment of your paper, with at least six unique sources in total. Students are expected to identify and cite examples from other events to inform analysis of their case study.
In addition to points awarded for the content and quality of each segment, points will be assigned for overall clarity (including structure and grammar), and proper citations / references. References used must be cited within the text by (Name year) using APA style. Websites used must be cited in the text using in-text citation will full URL and date accessed listed in the references section.
Portions of the overall project will be due at intervals throughout the course. Each part will be graded and contribute to the overall score. Students will post projects to the class website in PDF format by the due dates specified in this syllabus, subject to revision notices posted on the class website. Scores for late work will be reduced by 50% unless prior arrangement with confirmation has been made with the instructor.
Exams
Two exams will be given during the course of the semester plus a final exam. There will be no new content during the weeks in which the exams are given. The online zoom session that week will be devoted to review for the exam; students should come prepared with questions to address during the discussion. Exams will be open online on Fridays between noon and 11:59 p.m. Central Time. Students will have one hour to complete the exam (two hours for the final) and only one attempt. Exams are open-book, but preparation is essential in being able to complete the exam in the allotted time.
Course Policies
Communication
The best way to reach me is via email to mshafer@ou.edu. I will usually respond within 24 hours, Monday-Friday. For questions related to an upcoming exam or assignment due date, do not wait until right before the deadline to email me, as there is usually a higher volume of email from this and other courses I teach. You can also call me at (405)325-3044 M-F normal business hours, although if I am on travel I may not respond as quickly as email. I typically check email over the weekend, but in triage mode, meaning I will notice if there is something urgent and may respond if I can do so quickly. Most routine responses or more in-depth explanations will be addressed the following Monday.
Late Policy
Assignments turned in after due dates will receive a deduction of 50%, unless prior arrangement has been made with me. If an assignment is missed, it should be turned in within one week of the deadline to receive partial credit. No extensions are granted for exams without prior arrangement with me.
UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA
ACADEMIC POLICIES AND STUDENT SUPPORT
Course Catalog
Search the OU Course Catalogue.
Student Handbook
Please familiarize yourself with the OU Student Handbook.
Online Library
Access digital materials and other resources at OU Libraries.
Academic Misconduct
In addition to the course conduct policies outlined by your professor in the Course Syllabus in the online classroom, please review the Graduate Student Handbook.
It is the responsibility of each student to be familiar with the definitions, policies, and procedures concerning academic misconduct. The Student Code is available from the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs, and is contained in the Student's Guide to Academic Integrity.
This site also defines misconduct, provides examples of prohibited conduct, and explains the sanctions available for those found guilty of misconduct.
Plagiarism
Plagiarism is the most common form of academic misconduct at OU. There is basically no college-level assignment that can be satisfactorily completed by copying. OU's basic assumption about writing is that all written assignments show the student's own understanding in the student's own words. That means all writing assignments, in class or out, are assumed to be composed entirely of words generated (not simply found) by the student, except where words written by someone else are specifically marked as such with proper citation. Including other people's words in your paper is helpful when you do it honestly and correctly. When you don't, it's plagiarism.
For more information about plagiarism, watch this video and then take this short course offered by University Libraries.
Reasonable Accommodation for Disabilities
The University of Oklahoma is committed to providing reasonable accommodation for all students with disabilities. Students with disabilities who require accommodations in this course should contact their professor as early in the semester as possible.
Students with disabilities must be registered with the Disability Resource Center prior to receiving accommodations in this course.
If you have a disability and you would like to make a request for reasonable accommodation, please see the Graduate Student Handbook or get in touch with the Disability Resource Center.
Adjustments for Pregnancy/Childbirth Related Issues
Should you need modifications or adjustments to your course requirements because of documented pregnancy-related or childbirth-related issues, please contact me as soon as possible to discuss your options. Generally, modifications will be made where medically necessary and similar in scope to accommodations based on temporary disability. Learn more about the rights of pregnant and parenting students by consulting the FAQ sheets provided by the Institutional Equity Office.
Title IX Resources
For any concerns regarding gender-based discrimination, sexual harassment, sexual misconduct, stalking, or intimate partner violence, the University offers a variety of resources, including advocates on-call 24/7, counseling services, mutual no contact orders, scheduling adjustments, and disciplinary sanctions against the perpetrator. Please contact the Sexual Misconduct Office 405-325-2215 (8-5, M-F) or OU Advocates 405-615-0013 (24/7) to learn more or to report an incident.
Religious Holidays
It is the policy of the University to excuse absences of students that result from religious observances and to provide for the rescheduling of examinations and additional required classwork that may fall on religious holidays without penalty. It is the responsibility of the student to make alternate arrangements with the instructor at least one week prior to the actual date of the religious holiday.
Copyright Policy
It is illegal to download, upload, reproduce, or distribute any copyrighted material, in any form and in any fashion, without permission from the copyright holder or his/her authorized agent. The University of Oklahoma expects all members of its community to comply fully with federal copyright laws. If such laws appear to have been violated by any user, the university reserves the right (1) to terminate that user’s access to some or all of the university’s computer systems and information resources and (2) to take additional disciplinary actions as deemed necessary or appropriate. Repeat offenders will be sanctioned and their privileges terminated.
Registration and Withdrawal
If you choose to withdraw from this course, you must complete the appropriate University form and turn the form in before the deadline. If you stop attending the course and doing the coursework without doing the required paperwork, your grade will be calculated with missed homework and examination grades entered as zero. This could result in receiving a grade of F in the course. Deadlines are shown in the Academic Calendar, which is available from the Office of the Registrar.
Student Grievances
In addition to any policies outlined related to submitting an informal or formal grievance by your professor in the Course Syllabus in the online classroom, please review the Graduate Student Handbook for more information about the process of submitting a formal grievance.
Course Summary:
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