Module Identifier

GG27720

Module Title

HUMAN GEOGRAPHY FIELDWORK

Academic Year

2008/2009

Co-ordinator

Dr Gareth C Hoskins

Semester

Semester 2

Pre-Requisite

Intending Geography Single Honours and Geography Major students only

Other Staff

Course Delivery

Delivery Type	Delivery length / details
Lecture	Up to 10 sessions Preparatory and retrospective lectures (these may include lectures, practicals and language support).
Practical	Practicals / Field Days. Maximum 8 days (including travel)
Lecture	18 Hours. 9 x 2 hours

Assessment

Assessment Type	Assessment length / details	Proportion
Semester Assessment	Assessment 100% coursework: research report 35%; group presentation 35%; Fieldwork diary 30%.	100%
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 assessments by a date to be agreed with the module co-ordinator for a maximum mark of 40%. Students whose reasons for failing to attend the field course are condoned will be permitted to submit a project for assessment of a type and by a date to be agreed with the module co-ordinator, for a maximum mark of 100%.

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this module, students should be able to :-

critically discuss the significance of geographical variation and context with respect to a range of social, economic, political and cultural processes.

identify research problems and design appropriate research strategies including the selection of appropriate methods for data collection and analysis.

demonstrate competence in a range of data collection techniques, which may include observation, interviewing, ethnography, questionnaire surveys, archival inquiry and/or textual analysis.

work effectively in a team context.

apply concepts and ideas from reading and lecture notes to the discussion and analysis of empirical data.

communicate research findings through both written reports and oral presentation.

Aims

To introduce and explore a series of geographical themes in the study area, and equip students with the means to resolve the issues raised.

Content

The module is taught through a fieldcourse in New York City. In some years, alternative destinations may also be offered. Subjects covered vary between years, but normally address key aspects of urban, social and cultural geography.

Preparatory discussions and practical classes in Aberystwyth will identify issues to be explored in the field, and contextualise them. Thus the amount of time used in the field for data collection and preliminary analysis is maximised. More formal analysis and presentations will take place on return to Aberystwyth.

Notes

This module is at CQFW Level 5