Course Catalogue

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Level 2 Geography course providing an understanding of key principles and current issues in human and physical geographies.

Lecture: Monday to Thursday - 10.00 am; Laboratory: once weekly - 11-1 or 2-4; tutorial: once fortnightly.

Grade D3 or equivalent in Geography or a cognate discipline at Level 1.

Exam (50%)

Essay (30%)

Practical assessment (20%)

(1) Globalisation and Localisation

■ To evaluate the geographical implications, expressed in economic, political and cultural terms, arising from globalisation, and its local impacts;

■ To assess critically the theories and their supportive evidence underlying the global/local nexus;

■ To critically assess the processes and agents linked to global and local shifts.

(2) Process and Form in Physical Geography

■ To examine the operation and effects of major processes in physical geography by interrelating process and form and demonstrating how landforms and processes change over time;

■ To introduce applied aspects of physical geography with reference to relevant case studies.

(3) Laboratory Practicals

■ To collect and evaluate sources of primary and secondary data;

■ To acquire quantitative and qualitative techniques appropriate for analysing data widely used by human and physical geographers.

(4) Tutorials 

■ To acquire the ability (with the aid of background reading) to contribute effectively to discussions on geographical issues using the requisite oral and presentation skills.

(5) Reading and Writing skills - the ability to be precise and, through oral and written presentation, develop skills of critical evaluation;

(6) Bibliographic skills - students will be expected to read widely and to make full use of academic resources.

By the end of this course students will be able to:

Subject specific learning objectives

(1) GLOBALISATION AND LOCALISATION

■ Critically assess the processes underlying global and local shifts within the world economy.

■ Appreciate and be critically aware of the linkages between economic shifts, geopolitical contexts and outcomes and cultural processes.

■ Apply the analytical, conceptual and theoretical frameworks underpinning global and local shifts.

■ Demonstrate a critical awareness of the essential spatiality of contemporary economic, political and cultural processes.

(2) PROCESS AND FORM IN PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY

■ Explain critically the major mechanisms of climate changes over various timescales and assess the impacts of such changes on geomorphic processes and landscape development.

■ Assess process/form relationships in geomorphology.

■ Demonstrate knowledge of the applications of physical geography to real world problems.

(3) LABORATORY PRACTICALS

■ Evaluate the appropriateness of data sources for specific purposes.

■ Apply quantitative and qualitative data analysis techniques appropriately.

(4) TUTORIALS

■ Contribute effectively to debate associated with geographic issues. 

Transferable skill-learning objectives

■ Further develop their ability to summarize arguments in a balanced way and, through oral and written presentations, to critically evaluate them.

■ Further develop their critical reading and writing skills through reading widely and making full use of academic resources.