ESC-10038 - Module Specification
School of Geography, Geology and the Environment
Faculty of Natural Sciences

Programme/Approved Electives for 2020/21

Available as a Free Standing Elective

Co-requisites

None

Prerequisites

None

Barred Combinations

None

Description for 2020/21

This module provides a foundation of knowledge and understanding of the nature of the discipline of Physical Geography, including its context within a broader scientific framework, its professional conventions, and the principles and concepts underlying current approaches to the subject. The module is intended for students who plan to pursue Physical Geography to a higher level within the Single Honours Geography or Dual Honours Physical Geography programmes. Teaching includes a series of 1-hour lectures (with web support and directed reading), one day of field research and a workshop following the fieldwork. In addition to the summative assessments, formative assessments within the module that will help students to prepare for the exam include a workbook completed as part of the field exercise.

The module aims to provide students who intend to pursue Physical Geography to a higher level with a foundation of knowledge and understanding of the nature of the discipline, including its context within a broader scientific framework, its professional conventions, and the principles and concepts underlying current approaches to the subject.

Intended Learning Outcomes

outline underlying principles and key concepts in the discipline of Physical Geography, and describe the plural and contested nature of the discipline, in a variety of modes of presentation appropriate to the discipline: 1
apply theoretical and historical concepts in Physical Geography to questions concerning applied geographical questions: 1,2
outline the academic and professional structures underpinning the discipline of Physical Geography: 1
apply the experience of fieldwork to evaluations of practical techniques in physical geography: 2
carry out basic fieldwork activities and communicate their outcomes in a fieldwork report: 2
describe the application of Physical Geography to practical situations such as hazard and resource management, and its relevance in different employment situations: 1,2

Study hours

8 hours fieldwork
2 hours fieldwork workshop
6 hours assembly sessions
60 hours guided use of online resources
14 hours independent reading and reflection
30 hours essay research and preparation
30 hours exercise research and write-up

School Rules

None

Description of Module Assessment