Delivery Type	Delivery length / details
Lecture	3 x 2 hours fieldtrip preparatory lectures
Practical	4 x 4 hour practicals
Other	Depending on destination, up to 12 days may be spent on a residential fieldcourse.

Delivery Type

Delivery length / details

Lecture

3 x 2 hours fieldtrip preparatory lectures

Practical

4 x 4 hour practicals

Other

Depending on destination, up to 12 days may be spent on a residential fieldcourse.

Assessment Type	Assessment length / details	Proportion
Semester Assessment	Short report(s) (combined length <1500 words)	30%
Semester Assessment	Group project report (2500 words)	50%
Semester Assessment	Oral presentation	20%
Supplementary Assessment	Students who fail to attend the field course without good reason will not be permitted a resit. Students who attend the field course but fail the assessment will be given the opportunity to resubmit failed assessments by a date to be agreed with the module co-ordinator. Students whose reasons for failing to attend the field course are condoned will be permitted to submit a 5,000 word project for assessment of a type and by a date to be agreed with the module co-ordinator, for a maximum mark of 100%.	100%

Assessment Type

Assessment length / details

Proportion

Semester Assessment

Short report(s) (combined length <1500 words)

30%

Semester Assessment

Group project report (2500 words)

50%

Semester Assessment

Oral presentation

20%

Supplementary Assessment

Students who fail to attend the field course without good reason will not be permitted a resit. Students who attend the field course but fail the assessment will be given the opportunity to resubmit failed assessments by a date to be agreed with the module co-ordinator. Students whose reasons for failing to attend the field course are condoned will be permitted to submit a 5,000 word project for assessment of a type and by a date to be agreed with the module co-ordinator, for a maximum mark of 100%.

100%

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this module students should be able to:

Identify topical and relevant research problems in geography

Design research strategies for data collection and analysis that are relevant to designated research questions.

Demonstrate proficiency in a range of data collection/analysis techniques, which may include observation, interviewing, ethnography, questionnaire surveys, archival inquiry, textual analysis, field survey, soil/sediment sampling, geomorphological mapping.

Communicate research findings through both written reports and oral presentations.

Content

The module objectives will be delivered through a series of lectures and practical classes which will culminate in a residential field course (depending on student numbers, several home-based and overseas destinations may be offered). The topics covered in any particular year may vary slightly depending on staffing arrangements and fieldtrip destination, but will normally include:

Human impacts on the environment.
Natural hazards.
Interpreting the human and physical landscapes.
Aspects of cultural, political and economic geography.
Aspects of environmental change.

Brief description

Through analysis of relevant and topical themes in human geography, physical geography, and at the human/physical interface, the module will address the following objectives:

To provide an opportunity to apply theoretical, technical and scientific laboratory methods to the more complex, uncontrolled field environment, and to appreciate how processes that might be regarded as 'general' are mediated by the social and environmental character of a specific place.
To prompt students' capacity to identify a problem or research question, and to develop approaches to solving or answering this through hypothesis testing, research design and data collection.
To encourage, where appropriate, consideration of the ethical aspects of research processes.
To develop a sense of place, awareness of difference, and tolerance for others.
To promote certain transferable skills required in practical work and seminars, such as teamwork and observation.

Skills Type	Skills details
Application of Number	Where appropriate, students will be trained in statistical techniques to analyse their field data.
Communication	Both written and oral communication of field information will be developed via group discussions, reports and an oral presentation.
Improving own Learning and Performance	Students will be responsible for taking their own field notes, preparing an oral presentation and submitting individual field reports.
Information Technology	Written reports, literature/information searches, and where appropriate data analysis, to be undertaken electronically.
Personal Development and Career planning
Problem solving	Developed through staff- and self-directed project design and execution.
Research skills	Students will be required to complete a number of research projects and design/execute at least one which will involve: problem identification, research design, data acquisition, analysis, presentation and interpretation.
Subject Specific Skills	Observation and interpretation of human/physical landscape phenomena.
Team work	Developed through a series of staff directed and student devised projects.

Skills Type

Skills details

Application of Number

Where appropriate, students will be trained in statistical techniques to analyse their field data.

Communication

Both written and oral communication of field information will be developed via group discussions, reports and an oral presentation.

Improving own Learning and Performance

Students will be responsible for taking their own field notes, preparing an oral presentation and submitting individual field reports.

Information Technology

Written reports, literature/information searches, and where appropriate data analysis, to be undertaken electronically.

Personal Development and Career planning

Problem solving

Developed through staff- and self-directed project design and execution.

Research skills

Students will be required to complete a number of research projects and design/execute at least one which will involve: problem identification, research design, data acquisition, analysis, presentation and interpretation.

Subject Specific Skills

Observation and interpretation of human/physical landscape phenomena.

Team work

Developed through a series of staff directed and student devised projects.

Course Delivery

Assessment

Learning Outcomes

Content

Brief description

Module Skills

Reading List

Notes