Environment and Sustainability Single Honours (Level 3)
Geography Dual Honours (Level 3)
Geography Major (Level 3)
Geography Minor (Level 3)
Geography Single Honours (Level 3)
Geology Major (Level 3)
Geology Major (Level 3)
Geoscience Single Honours (Level 3)
Geoscience Single Honours (Level 3)
Physical Geography Dual Honours (Level 3)
Physical Geography Major (Level 3)
Physical Geography Minor (Level 3)
This course gives students the opportunity to develop a high level of expertise in a specific field of geography: the study of glaciers and glacial landscapes. The main themes of the course are: the characteristics and behaviour of glaciers; the role of glaciers as part of the global system; and the impact of glaciers on the landscape. In recent Earth history 30 per cent of the Earth's land surface has been covered by glaciers. At present, glaciers cover about 10 per cent of the land. Seventy five per cent of the world's fresh water is contained in glaciers, which provide irrigation water for some of the most densely populated areas of the world. The development potential of large areas of our planet is dependent on our ability to mitigate glacial hazards, to harness glacial resources, and to penetrate the glacial barrier to the immense terrestrial and marine resources of the polar regions. The whole global environmental system is dominated by the planet's glacial character, and an understanding of the Earth's surface is impossible without an understanding of the characteristics of glaciers. This module explores those characteristics.
- their knowledge and understanding of the principles, theory, and practice of glaciology and glacial geomorphology;
- their knowledge and understanding of specific places and physical environments outside their immediate everyday experience;
- their ability to conceptualise patterns, processes, interactions and change in the physical environment as interconnected systems at a range of spatial and temporal scales;
- their ability to analyse, evaluate and report published glaciological and geomorphological research.
demonstrate clear, detailed and specific knowledge about glaciers, glacial landscapes and glacier-science research that has been carried out in a geographical context (1, 2);
describe, explain and illustrate with reference to specific geographical examples the main characteristics of glaciers and the ways in which they affect landforms and landscapes (1, 2, 3, 4);
summarise and evaluate a selection of key debates and research publications in glaciology and glacial geomorphology, presenting a sustained and reasoned written argument that acknowledges and illustrates the contested and provisional nature of knowledge and understanding in the discipline (3, 4).
40 hours lecture preparation and follow-up
30 hours preparation of coursework essay
60 hours guided independent study using web-based support
This document is the definitive current source of information about this module and supersedes any other information.