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GEG-30045 - Module Specification
School of Life Sciences
Faculty of Natural Sciences

For academic year: 2025/26 Last Updated: 04 December 2025

GEG-30045 - International geographical field course
Coordinator: Angela Turner Tel: +44 1782 7 34955
Lecture Time: See Timetable...
Level: Level 6
Credits: 30
Study Hours: 300
School Office: 01782 734414

Programme/Approved Electives for 2025/26

None

Available as a Free Standing Elective

No

Co-requisites

None

Prerequisites

None

Barred Combinations

None

Description for 2025/26

This international field course gives you the opportunity to put your learning into practice in an international setting. Our current location is Geneva and the French Alps where you can explore diverse geographical phenomena in a renowned mountainous region. Through hands-on fieldwork, you can investigate topics such as glacial processes, alpine ecosystems, and cultural landscapes. Field activities may include qualitative data collection, geographical mapping, and environmental analysis. This immersive experience enhances your understanding of geographical concepts and methodologies while fostering problem-solving skills in unfamiliar terrain.

Aims
This module will further develop your fieldwork competences by extending the repertoire of skills and expertise that have previously been gained at level 5. You will be exposed to a wide range of methods and techniques of relevance to conducting geographical research in the context of a different physical, socio-economic, cultural and political environment. This will highlight the need for flexibility and adaptability to secure your own research goals. You will explore, collate and present the results of a research topic that you have defined in the field, receiving feedback from peers and academic staff.

Intended Learning Outcomes

identify and apply a range of appropriate research strategies, methods and techniques of relevance to a range of geographical phenomena: 1,2,3
integrate information from primary (e.g. fieldwork) and secondary (e.g. literature) data sources to develop new insights into a number of key geographical themes: 1,2,3
work independently and as part of a group to conduct geographical research in an unfamiliar environment, including collection and analysis of data: 1,2,3
clearly present fieldwork findings and critically reflect on the data collection process: 1,3

Study hours

Semester 1
12 hours lectures / workshops / groupwork / presentation
12 hours practical work on campus or within the local or regional area (field work, lab work)
26 hours preparation and reading for field classes
45 hours working on portfolio of field experience
24 hours reading and researching ideas for independent research proposal
Semester 2
12 hours lectures / workshops / groupwork
64 hours (8 days * 8 hours) residential field work
68 independent study preparing final research proposal
30 hours on data analysis and preparing final presentation assessment
7 hours completing field diary whilst on the fieldtrip

School Rules

A minimum 10 students are required for the module to run, with the only selection criteria being completion of level 5. An additional fee is payable by the students for this module to cover the costs of travel and accommodation. Student numbers on this module are necessarily capped at 30 for logistic reasons. In the event that the module is oversubscribed, selection criteria will be based on students with the highest 30 overall average marks attained to date.

Description of Module Assessment

1: Portfolio weighted 40%
Portfolio of field experience
A portfolio reflecting on a series of field days (campus or local environment) during semester one. This will include engagement with methods and techniques suitable for advanced fieldwork. This assessment has an equivalent word count of 2,500 words.

2: Research Proposal weighted 30%
Research proposal
A 2500 word report covering the proposed topic of research on the international field course including an annotated bibliography, methods, techniques, equipment, ethics, field itinerary and risk assessments. The purpose is to ensure that students are well prepared and understand the limitations of carrying out research in the field.

3: Presentation weighted 30%
Presentation
A 15 minute presentation, plus 5 minutes question time, outlining the results generated on the field course including reflections on their research design and evidence of their fieldwork experience (daily notes or evidence of a field diary). Students are encouraged to be creative with their presentation (e.g. power point slides, interactive activities, handouts, physical aids) in line with their chosen topic of research. This will be delivered after the field course back at Keele campus.

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: 04 December 2025