This report of the Fund for the Improvement of Post-Secondary Education (FIPSE) is organized into seven chapters. Chapter 1 discusses the objectives, rationale, and design of the project. Chapter 2 examines the formative evaluation process that was used to make improvements in the course syllabuses while they were undergoing development. Syllabuses from five of the eight centers designated as FIPSE Centers of Excellence were selected for inclusion in this report and comprise chapters 3 through 7. In order to accomplish the project objective of attempting to improve the degree of consonance between preservice courses for geography teachers and the middle school geography curriculum, professors, school district personnel, and inservice teachers collaborated to develop new introductory geography syllabuses at the eight centers. Four of these chapters employ a world regional approach, reflecting the regional organization of the middle school curriculum in Texas, North Carolina, Alabama, and Massachusetts. Chapter 4, designed for teachers in northern Virginia, is organized topically and employs regional examples. Evaluation of the syllabuses suggests two things about the course development process. First, the courses progressed through several stages similar to the contextual filters mode for course planning. Second, the data suggests that the course syllabuses are useful and helpful for students. the course descriptions include course outlines, lists of required and supplemental readings, course objectives, and some sample lesson plans or examination information. (DK)