Examines environmental change in American West landscapes across time, covering physical science backgrounds and human-environment interactions.
Past student reviews · Joseph Mason
Grading focused on main ideas and applied knowledge rather than busy work, with students noting that writing assignments were manageable and not expected to be journal-worthy.
Explain at a basic level the distinctive landforms and other features of major regions of the American West.
Describe at a basic level current scientific perspectives on the mechanisms and causes of recent and future changes in vegetation, fire regimes, and hydrology of the American West.
Use and critically evaluate key information resources to characterize the environments of the recent past and change since then, from first-hand accounts by Native peoples of the West to General Land Office records and historical or modern images.
Critically evaluate news reporting and advocacy of popular media on environmental change in the American West.
Critically analyze debates on the environmental impacts of major land uses in the American West, such as irrigated agriculture, outdoor recreation, forest products production, and livestock grazing, taking into account the economic, cultural, and political interests and perspectives of the various sides in each debate.
Develop an in-depth understanding of recent scientific research or public advocacy/activism on one specific aspect of environmental change in the American West.
Present explanations of issues of environmental change at the level of an intermediate undergraduate class.
Source: UW Guide
All recorded terms · compare terms & instructors
Sophomore standing
This is a best-effort interpretation; check the catalog requirements above.
Raw average: 4.33/5 from 30 quality ratings. The adjusted rating blends this with the UW review average (3.66/5), weighted as 20 additional ratings. Smaller samples stay closer to that average. Each captured review is counted once in the prior; this does not correct who chooses to leave a review.
RMP profile ↗ · All captured review dates; profile matched by name.
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JOSEPH ADLAND MASON is recorded teaching in Spring 2008, Spring 2010, Fall 2012, Spring 2015, Fall 2017, Spring 2020, Spring 2022, Spring 2024, Spring 2026. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.
Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.
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| Section | Mode | Enrolled / capacity | Waitlist |
|---|---|---|---|
| LEC 001 | Classroom Instruction | 0 / 40 | 0 |
Times are Central. Select a meeting for details; export includes recorded dates for the selected sections. Enrollment reflects scan time.
Past student reviews · Joseph Mason
Students found the course interesting and low-stress, with a professor who was knowledgeable and passionate about the subject matter.
Recent recorded grades — Spring 2022: 3.63 GPA, 84.8% A/AB (n=46 letter grades); Spring 2024: 3.70 GPA, 89.5% A/AB (n=38 letter grades); Spring 2026: 3.58 GPA, 77.8% A/AB (n=18 letter grades).
Past student reviews · Joseph Mason
Grading focused on main ideas and applied knowledge rather than busy work, with students noting that writing assignments were manageable and not expected to be journal-worthy.
Past student reviews · Joseph Mason
Students appreciated fair grading and responsive feedback, while one student found the lectures dry and the in-class exams designed to trip them up.
Latest available · Spring 2026— not enough history to project Spring 2027.
Through Spring 2026
Not enough comparable courses for Spring 2027 in UW–Madison.
Descriptions, prerequisites, and recorded course offerings.
Observations at scan time; dates do not imply when a catalog change took effect.
Changing Landscapes of the American West
Recorded 2026-10-14[
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"title": "Changing Landscapes of the American West",
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]Original comments behind the course and instructor summaries.
Recorded grade distributions by term, section, and instructor.
Explore recorded gradesRecorded 2026-10-14
Recorded model configuration, reasoning, and tool conversations.
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