Aims of the module
This module is aimed at students with no previous knowledge of physical geography and seeks to develop an understanding of the processes that have combined together through time to create the landscape we see today. Geological processes and the rocks they form create a base upon which the geomorphological component of the course is taught. Weathering, pedology, glaciation, periglaciation, and fluvial processes lead into a study of the components of the hydrological cycle. Throughout the module the links between the physical landscape and human activities are emphasised.

Learning outcomes
On completion of this module students will be able to:

• understand the geological processes that have created the landscape;
• understand the geomorphological processes responsible for the creation of landscape features;
• understand the component parts of the hydrological cycle;
• understand the changing nature of climatic and environmental conditions over time.

Syllabus / Curriculum design
Igneous rocks; sedimentary and metamorphic rocks; superposition/succession; plate tectonics; geomorphological weathering and coastal processes; glacial erosion, deposition and periglaciation; hydrological processes; processes involved in soil development; weather and climate.