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In part because of the rapid global spread of English and other international languages, the majority of the world's students are attending school in a second or other language. Thus, there is a need to ensure that students from all countries can master an international language to a level that will permit them to contribute to academic research and publication. The rapid growth of national Internet networks and their integration into larger, international networks has made possible the creation of virtual graduate courses and graduate programmes for students around the globe. This paper describes how the author uses WebCT at the University of British Columbia to provide a highly interactive Internet course for international graduate students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Regional geography courses have declined in status and number at many North American universities. Yet it is regional courses which students with limited geographical education at the high school level may identify as typical geography, and thus regional courses may play a significant role in recruitment of geography majors. Regional courses on the students' country or state/province offer an excellent opportunity to showcase how geographic perspectives can enrich our understanding of the familiar, both in terms of place and discipline. This paper discusses the pivotal role a regional geography course has been given in a new university's geography curriculum, and the innovative structuring of the course so as to avoid some of the deficiencies of common instructional patterns which may deter some students from pursuing further geographic education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]