Undergraduate study 2014 prospectus

Course information

The Single Honours Geography degree course is popular and accounts for over half of the Department's undergraduate students. The degree develops four main themes: globalization, geographies of identity, earth surface processes and environmental systems.

Skills acquisition and assessment are becoming increasingly important for employment prospects and these are given prominence throughout the course. Careers in almost any field are open to geographers.

Course Specialisation

We specialise in two areas of geography, each of which is directly reflected in the structure and content of our courses.

In human geography we focus on globalization (especially relating to world cities) and geographies of social and political differences in the West and non-West; in physical geography the emphasis is on geomorphological processes and on environmental systems and their management.

Undergraduates benefit directly from staff research expertise through the modular choices available. Students may specialise in human or physical geography, although many students combine both.

Course Overview

In the first year we introduce you to the major current debates and research areas in both human and physical geography. In this way everyone has a firm grounding in contemporary geography and has the opportunity to meet almost all academic staff in the Department.

In the second year there are core areas of human and physical geography which you follow, but there is also a degree of choice that allows you to lean towards either side of the subject if you wish.

In the final year there is a wide choice of modules. You can specialise in human or physical geography or you can maintain a balance between the two.

Dissertation

The dissertation module is compulsory for Single Honours and optional for most Joint Honours students and you will begin to prepare for this in Year 2. The dissertation is a major piece of independent study for which you undertake your own research in your chosen area. For many students it is a most enjoyable experience and a rewarding piece of work, which can help with decisions on a future career.

Study Abroad

There are opportunities for students on all courses to spend a year abroad between their second and final year studies.

Opportunities include studying at a European University through the Erasmus course, studying further afield such as in Australia, Singapore or the USA, or working with community organisations mainly in the ‘third world’, through the Youth for Development Course offered by Voluntary Services Overseas (VSO).

How you will be taught

All students are placed in small tutorial groups that meet regularly during the first academic year. Modules are taught through a balanced combination of lectures, seminars (discussion groups), practical classes and fieldwork. Field classes are available in a range of UK and overseas locations and in recent years these have included Crete, New York, Paris, Singapore, Sweden, Switzerland and Wales.

Assessment

Modules are assessed either by examination, a combination of coursework and examination or entirely by coursework. Fieldwork, report writing and group presentations play an important part in some modules in each year.

Selection

Conditional offers are made following UCAS applications. Those offered a place are invited to attend one of our Departmental Open Days. We welcome applications from mature students. Students with qualifications other than A-Levels seeking admission will be considered on an individual basis, and may be invited for interview.

Career Prospects

Our graduates have been appointed to posts in administration, finance, management, the armed forces, computing, industry, international aid, development and environmental agencies, and education. Almost all of our graduates are in employment within a few months of graduating, or progress to postgraduate study.

Course structure

Year 1

Compulsory modules for Single Honours (some modules may be optional for Joint
and Combined Honours):

• Cartography and Digital Mapping
• Earth System Science
• Environmental Hazards: from mitigation to management
• Geographies of Identity
• Geographies of Global Economic Change
• Global Environmental Change at Local Scale
• Practising Geography Residential Fieldcourse
• Quantitative Methods in Geography
• Tutorials

Year 2

Compulsory modules for Single Honours (optional for Joint and Combined Honours):

• Geographical Research: Design and Practice
• Remote Sensing and Geographical Information Systems

Core modules:

Single Honours choose 3 out of 4 (Joint and Combined Honours choose fewer core modules depending on whether or not a dissertation is planned for their final year):

• Earth Surface Processes and Landforms
• Environmental Systems and Resource Management
• Geographies of Social Difference
• Globalization

Optional modules:

• Exploring the Ice Ages
• Forest Ecology
• Geographies of Culture, Media and Representation
• Geographies of Modern Europe
• Global Migration
• Human Geography Fieldcourse (overseas residential)
• Lake System Dynamics
• Physical Geography Fieldcourse (UK residential)
• River Ecology
• Sustainable Urban Geographies

Final Year

Compulsory module for Single Honours (optional for Joint and Combined Honours):

• Dissertation

Optional modules:

• Aeolian Processes and Landforms
• Alpine Studies Fieldcourse (overseas residential)
• Central America: Dependency and Development
• Climate and Society
• Conservation: Principles and Practice
• Environmental Change and Ecological Response
• GIS, Modelling and Flood Risk Management
• Geographies of Children and Youth
• Geographies of Home
• Geographies of Palestine-Israel
• Global Cities Fieldcourse (overseas residential)
• Independent Geographical Essay (Joint and Combined Honours only)
• Mediterranean Rural Spaces Fieldcourse (overseas residential)
• Quaternary Environments
• Regional Geography of the UK
• River Dynamics and the Environment
• Snow, Ice, Environment and Landscape
• Urbanisation in the Global South

Please note that optional modules are subject to availability and timetable permitting.

UCAS codes and entry requirements

The entry requirements for each course should be read alongside the University’s general entrance requirements, which give further details on acceptable subjects, alternative qualifications and minimum English language requirements.

SQA AHScottish Qualifications Authority Advanced Highers IBInternational Baccalaureate Diploma DPSDiploma in Professional Studies DISDiploma in Industrial Studies DIntSDiploma in International Studies