Module Identifier GG23110  
Module Title THEORY AND PRACTICE IN GEOGRAPHY  
Academic Year 2006/2007  
Co-ordinator Dr Deborah P Dixon  
Semester Semester 1  
Other staff Dr Gareth C Hoskins, Professor Tony Jones  
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   8 Hours. 4 x 2 hours  
  Seminars / Tutorials   10 Hours. 5 x 2 hours  
  Practical   2 Hours. 1 x 2 hours  
Assessment
Assessment TypeAssessment Length/DetailsProportion
Semester Exam2 Hours Answer two from four questions based on lectures given in weeks 1-5 & 11 inclusive50%
Semester Assessment Course Work: 2 x in-course assignments / projects based on work undertaken in weeks 6-10 inclusive 50%
Supplementary Exam2 Hours Resit of failed exam50%
Supplementary Assessment Resubmission of failed in-course assignments.  50%

Learning outcomes

On successful completion of this module students should 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.

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.

Content

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 1-3, discuss the intellectual heritage of Geography as a discipline prior to 1950 and is followed by all students.

Section 2
 Lectures 4-9, 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 10, unites the year group in an exploration of the continuing engagement of geographers with the themes of sustainability and policy relevant research.

Reading Lists

Books
** Recommended Text
Cloke, P., Philo, C. and Sadler, D (1991) Approaching Human Geography Paul Chapman. 1853961000
Johnston, R.J (1998) Geography and Geographers 5th. Edward Arnold 0340652632
Johnston, R.J (1986) On Human Geography Blackwell
Livingstone, D (1992) The Geographical Tradition Blackwell 0631185860
Peet, R. (1997) Modern Geographical Thought Blackwell 1557863784
Rogers, A., Viles, H. and Goudie, A. (1992) The Student's Companion to Geography Blackwell 0631170896
Stoddart, D (1986) On Geography Blackwell 0631134883
Unwin, T (1992) The Place of Geography Longman 058205107X

Notes

This module is at CQFW Level 5