Module Identifier GG23110  
Module Title THEORY AND PRACTICE IN GEOGRAPHY  
Academic Year 2002/2003  
Co-ordinator Dr Robert J Mayhew  
Semester Semester 1  
Other staff Deborah P Dixon, Dr Tony Jones, Sarah G Cant  
Pre-Requisite Acceptance to a Single or Joint Honours degree programme in Geography  
Co-Requisite Other core modules for Single or Joint Honours Geographers  
Course delivery Lecture   12 Hours 6 x 2 hours  
  Seminars / Tutorials   8 Hours 4 x 2 hours  
  Practical   8 Hours 4 x 2 hours  
Assessment Semester Exam   2 Hours Answer two from four questions based on lectures given in weeks 1-5 & 11 inclusive   50%  
  Semester Assessment   Course Work: 2 x in-course assignments / projects based on work undertaken in weeks 6-10 inclusive   50%  
  Supplementary Exam   Resit of failed exam and / or resubmission of failed in-course assignments.   100%  

Learning outcomes

On completion of this module students will be able to:

a) describe the historical, philosophical and methodological development of the discipline of Geography from a number of key perspectives

b) evaluate the appropriateness of different conceptual and methodological approaches for undertaking research in Geography.

Brief description

This module reviews the key methodological and philosophical developments in geography and explores the ways in which these have been used in geographical research. It is divided into three sections:

Section 1
Lectures 1-5, discuss the intellectual heritage of Geography as a discipline prior to 1950 and is followed by all students.

Section 2
Lectures 6-10, develop two parallel streams of intellectual development in the subject - as a natural science and as a social science. B.Sc students follow a series of laboratory-based case studies which examine themes such as 'position fixing', the 'analysis of extreme events' and methodologiesfor field enquiries in physical geography: while B.A. students undertake a lecture and seminar programme examining the theoretical and methodological development of human geography from positivist spatial science to recent post-positivist perspectives.

Section 3
Lecture 11, unites the year group in an exploration of the continuing engagement of geographers with the themes of sustainability and policy relevant research.

Aims

The module aims to provide a robust philosophical and conceptual framework of the common heritage of the discipline of Geography together with a specialist appreciation of the knowledge, skills and understanding necessary to contextualise geographical research in either physical or human geography.

Reading Lists

Books
** Recommended Text
Cloke, P., Philo, C. and Sadler, D. (1991) Approaching Human Geography. Paul Chapman. ISBN 1-853-96100-0
Johnston, R.J. (1986) On Human Geography. Blackwell
Johnston, R.J. (1998) Geography and Geographers. 5th. Edward Arnold ISBN 0-340-65263-2
Livingstone, D. (1992) The Geographical Tradition. Blackwell ISBN 0-631-18586-0
Peet, R.. (1997) Modern Geographical Thought. Blackwell ISBN 1-557-86378-4
Rogers, A., Viles, H. and Goudie, A.. (1992) The Student's Companion to Geography. Blackwell ISBN 0-631-17089-6
Stoddart, D. (1986) On Geography. Blackwell ISBN 0-631-13488-3
Unwin, T. (1992) The Place of Geography. Longman ISBN 0-582-05107-X