AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY-BANGLADESH

Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences

Department of Economics
BBA Program

COURSE OUTLINE

Academic Term: Fall 2015-2016

I - Course Code and Title: BBA- 2213: Economic Geography

II- Nature (Core/Major/Elective): Core Course

III - Credit: 3 Credit Hours

IV - Course Description

Economic Geography examines activity and production as a function of geographical location. It explains
political economy of Bangladesh under the historical perspective, how economic activities are located,
looks at primary, secondary and tertiary production; services; a comparative analysis of global
demography; MDGs; effects of technology; national, regional and strategic political and commercial
alignments and realignments; natural resources; the less developed, more developed, and developing
worlds; core and periphery; multinational corporations and the global village.

V – Objectives

At the end of the course, the students will be able to:

 Understand the fundamental concepts with respects to Economic Geography;

 Use the concepts to evaluate the real life challenges in regard to Economic Geography.

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VI – Topics to be Covered

TOPICS Specific Time Frame Suggested Teaching

Objective(s) Activities Strategy(s)
Overview of the course To elucidate the The students must turn Each class lecture
contents, requirements, importance of off their mobile during will be of 90 minutes
grading system and other the course and the class. duration, totaling 24
policies; Discussion of the overview the 1st week lectures.
vision and mission of the course outline;
AIUB; To familiarize
and understand
the vision and
mission of the
university

TOPICS: I Specific Time Frame Suggested Teaching

Objective(s) Activities Strategy(s)
Definition & Concepts

1.1 Geography Presentation , Debates Lecture and

1.2Economic Geography Understand and and Group Discussion presentation
1.3 Scope of Economic comprehend the
Geography principles,
1.4 Elements of Economic concepts 1st week
Geography of Economic
1.5 Themes of Economic Geography
geography
1.6 Classification of Economic
Geography
1.7 Goals of Economic
geographer

TOPICS:II Specific Time Frame Suggested Teaching

Objective(s) Activities Strategy(s)
Geo-political and Economic
History of Sub-continent

2.1 Indus Valley Civilization Familiar with the Documentary Lecture and Visual
2.2Aryan invasion Geo-political Presentation, Debate, Presentation
2.3 Maurya Dynasty economy Group work
2.4 Mogul Period of Bangladesh.
2.5 British Rule In Sub- How society has
continent been changes 2nd week and 3rd week
2.6 genesis of Bangladesh over the period
of more than 3
thousand years
and its impact on
human beings

TOPICS:III Specific Time Frame Suggested Teaching

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 Population & Development Objective(s) Activities Strategy(s)
3.1 Facts related to world- lecture and Group-
population Identify the Presentation & debate discussion with the
3. 2 Major Theories population among the students students
3.3 Causes of Population boom dynamics and its 3rd and 4th week
3. 4 Effects of population boom interrelationship
3.5 Demographic indicators and mutually
3.6 Demographic profile of reinforcing
Bangladesh Citizens effects with
3.7 Steps reducing population development
growth

TOPICS: IV Specific Time Frame Suggested Teaching

Agricultural & Industrial Objective(s) Activities Strategy(s)
Revolution

4.1 History of agricultural Group-activities among Lecture

revolution To understand students And Literature-
4. 2 Impacts of agricultural the Collection by the &
revolution causes and students
4. 3. History of industrial impacts Presentation
revolution of agricultural, 5th week
4. 4 Impacts of industrial industrial and
revolution green revolution
4.5 History of green revolution
4.6 Impacts of green revolution
4.7 Food Security

TOPICS : V Specific Time Frame Suggested Teaching

Energy Sources and Objective(s) Activities Strategy(s)
Environmental Pollution
5.1 Major sources of energy Group-activities among Lecture
5.2 Types of environmental Understanding the students and
Pollution about Presentation & Presentation
5. 3. Deforestation human
5.4. Global Warming: Causes environment 6th Week
and Effects relation
5.5 Greenhouse effect and sustainable
5.6 Conservation of energy development
5.7 Adverse Impact of Climate
Change

Review/ Assignement 6th week Lecture &

Presentation and Course work Group-discussion

MID TERM 7th week

TOPICS : VI
Poverty and Microcerdit
6.1 Poverty? To assist Intercalative discussion
6.2 Types of poverty students to Among the students,
6. 3 Causes of poverty understand the 8th and 9th week collection of literature by
6.4 Indicators of poverty nature, causes the students
6.5 Consequences of poverty and effects of

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6. 6 Micro Credit Poverty and
6.7: Eligibility microcredit as a
6.8: Major Organization tools of
6.9: Roles of Microcredit alleviating
6.10: Weakness poverty
TOPICS: VII Specific Time Frame Suggested Teaching
MDG Objective(s) Activities Strategy(s)
7.1: MDG Make the Group-activities & Lecture and group
7.2: Goals, Targets and students familiar debate among students discussion with the
Indicators with MDGs and students
7.3: MDG Assessment implication of 9th and 10th week
7.4: Bangladesh Achievement policies and
programs of
globe and
Bangladesh

TOPICS: VIII Specific Time Frame Suggested Teaching

Objective(s) Activities Strategy(s)
Development Strategies
8.1 Traditional vs Modern Intercalative discussion Lecture and
Approach to Development? Provide the tools presentation
8.2 Development Policies of and insights And debate among the
World Bank for the Developing necessary to students
Countries understand and 10th and 11th Week
8. 3. Relationship between analyze the
food-production and hunger concept of
8.4. Basic Needs approach? development and
8.5 Limitation of Basic Need its replication
Approach

TOPICS : IX Specific Time Frame Suggested Teaching

International and Regional Objective(s) Activities Strategy(s)
Trade
9.1 Advantage of Int.Trade Group-activities among Lecture
9.2Theory of Absolute and Make the student the students and
Comparative Advantage familiar with the Presentation & Presentation
9.3 Free trade and international
Protectionism trade trade 12th week and 13th
9.4 Trade Barriers theory, Trade week
9.5 WTO Barriers,
9.6 Levels of Economic Policies, level of
Integration economic
9.7 Regional Trade SAARC integration etc.
9.8 SAPTA Treaty Analyze the
9. 9. SAFTA Treaty trade situation
9.10 Obstacles of trade in among the
SAARC SAARC nations
9.11 Steps in accelerating trade
in the SAARC countries
Review/ Assignement/ 13th Week Presentation and Debate Group Discussion
Presentation and Course work
Final Term 14th Week

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Notes:
 Course coordinator reserves the full right to change / modify the course-outline (if required)
based on the consent of the Head of the Department.

VII - Course Requirements

1. Minimum 85 % attendance in the class is required for attending quiz
2. Two presentations / debate.
3. Total 4 quizzes
VIII – Evaluation
Mid Term Exam Final Exam
1. Attendance/
Class Participation 10% 10%
2. Quizzes 20% 20%
3. Assignments/Presentations 20% 20%
4. Exam 50% 50%

Total 100% 100%

Final Grading: 40% (of Mid Term) + 60% (of Final Term)

IX – Textbook/ Reference / Materials

Hartshorn, Truman A. and John W. Alexander, Economic Geography, Third Edition. New Jersey;
Prentice Hall, 2004.
O.J. Wheeler, P.O. Muller, G.I. Thrall and T.J. Fik, John, Economic Geography, Third Edition, John
Willy and Sons, Inc: (2000).

Economic Geography Course Manual, Prepared by Department of Economics, AIUB.

References

Huque Rumana, Regional Trade in the SAARC Countries, 2004

Ahmad Neaz, Population and Development: AIUB, 2005.
Ahmad Neaz, Geo-Political Economy of Bangladesh in Historical Perspective: AIUB, 2005.
Ahmad Neaz, Development, Equity and Globalization, AIUB, 2005.

Course Teacher

Farhana Rafiq
Assistant Professor
Department of Economics
Email: farhana_r@aiub.edu