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GEG-20052 - Module Specification
School of Life Sciences
Faculty of Natural Sciences

For academic year: 2026/27 Last Updated: 16 September 2026

GEG-20052 - Mobilities: Travel, tourism and sustainability
Coordinator: Clare Holdsworth Tel: +44 1782 7 33167
Lecture Time:
Level: Level 5
Credits: 15
Study Hours: 150
School Office: 01782 734414

Programme/Approved Electives for 2026/27

None

Available as a Free Standing Elective

No

Co-requisites

None

Prerequisites

none

Barred Combinations

none

Description for 2026/27

In this module, you will explore mobility as a fundamental part of social life and a key concern within contemporary human geography. You will examine how travel, tourism and everyday movement shape places, identities and environments, while engaging with debates around sustainability, inequality and justice.
Drawing on real-world examples, you will investigate topics such as the tourist gaze, mobility justice, migration, protest, voluntourism and climate change. Through a combination of lectures, seminars and applied activities, you will develop the skills to understand and evaluate the opportunities and challenges associated with mobility in the 21st century.

Aims
This module examines mobility as a fundamental feature of social and spatial life, and as a source of social, political and environmental tension. It introduces key theoretical approaches to mobilities in human geography, including debates around sedentarism, tourism, mobility justice and sustainability. Through the study of travel and tourism, students develop an understanding of how mobility shapes places, identities and inequalities, and evaluate the challenges associated with creating more sustainable forms of mobility.

Intended Learning Outcomes

Explain and critically evaluate key concepts and viewpoints within mobilities literature: 2
Analyse the social, political and environmental dimensions of contemporary mobility: 1
Apply mobilities concepts to empirical examples and contemporary geographical issues: 1
Communicate geographical arguments and debates about mobilities using appropriate academic evidence and formats: 1,2

Study hours

Active learning
Interactive lectures: 18 hours
Workshops: 4 hours
Seminars: 8 hours
Structured engagement with online resources: 10 hours over the semester
Independent study:
Preparation and completion of assessments: 60
Independent study/reading in preparation for lectures and seminars: 50

School Rules

None

Description of Module Assessment

1: Podcast weighted 50%
Podcast: Mobility biography
Students will record a podcast-style audio essay reflecting on their own mobility practices using a one-week mobility diary and mobility map. The podcast will apply relevant theories and concepts from the module to analyse the social, spatial and environmental implications of everyday mobility, supported by appropriate academic literature. Length: 10 minutes (1000 word script)

2: Review weighted 50%
Seminar review
Students will produce two reviews based on seminar activities undertaken during the module. The reviews will reflect on the issues and debates explored in the seminar and develop these through engagement with relevant academic literature. Students should demonstrate understanding of key concepts and theories and use evidence to support their discussion. Word count 2000 words (2 *1000 word reviews)

The University undertakes a continuous review of its teaching and research provision to ensure programmes are of a high quality and changes may be made to modules where it is necessary and reasonable to do so. Please be aware that minor changes to modules, such as a change to an individual assessment, can occur up until enrolment, although we endeavour to give you as much notice as possible of any changes. Details about the circumstance in which changes are made to programmes can be found in the Student Agreement, available at: https://www.keele.ac.uk/legalgovernancecompliance/governance/actcharterstatutesordinancesandregulations/studenttermsconditions/

Last Updated: 16 September 2026