BA Geography

GEO1105: Geographies of Place, Identity and Culture

This module provides a critical review of contemporary geographical debates related to concepts of place, identity and culture. The focus throughout the module is to reflect on key debates about how place and culture interconnect in various ways, and the ways in which these interconnections impact on everyday aspects of social identity, belonging and exclusion, taken-for-granted representations of cultural meaning, and the performances of everyday life. The module guides you through this by exploring significant themes in contemporary human geography.

This module will provide you with an overview of debates concerning how to think geographically about contemporary issues through the lens of the more personal and experiential world that might be considered as everyday life. It provides you with a sound knowledge of the key processes shaping how we understand place, identity and culture, and a range of intellectual perspectives used to explain and evaluate those processes. It provides you with critical introductions to how human geographers have developed these ideas in the context of three core themes.

The module seeks to develop the following graduate attributes:

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GEO1106: Geographies of Global Change

Through a focus on key spatial concepts and a critical treatment of key topics (such as governing places, geographies of development and childhood, democracy, or global health), this module provides an introduction to how to think geographically about contemporary global issues. It does so by demonstrating the ways in which the description, explanation, and evaluation of global issues are debated in academic fields and contested in the world. The module is suitable for the non-specialist, and can, for example, be a complement to Economics- and Politics-related pathways.

This module will provide you with an overview of debates concerning how to think geographically about contemporary global issues. It provides you with a sound knowledge of the key processes shaping global change, and a range of intellectual perspectives used to explain and evaluate those processes. This is achieved through a focus on key spatial concepts in human geography and related disciplines, alongside detailed discussions of key topics.

The module seeks to develop the following graduate attributes:

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GEO1310: Geographies of Environment and Sustainability

Through this module you will explore the geographical themes that are examined in relation to contemporary environmental issues. Taking an inter-disciplinary approach, the module introduces and investigates the ways in which geographers have come to understand the dynamics of environmental issues in terms of their physical, economic, social, cultural and political complexities. You will gain an understanding of geographical approaches to the study of socio-environmental issues, sustainability and justice applied across specific environmental challenges or dilemmas, such as climate change, consumption, waste, energy, population and migration.

The module aims to:

• Introduce a range of key geographical concepts and debates related to environmental sustainability and social justice.
• Chart the development and practice of environmental sustainability as defined by geographical research
• Use geographical concepts to analyse a range of contemporary environmental issues that are embedded in current research.

The module seeks to develop the following graduate attributes:

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GEO1316: Concepts in Geography

This module introduces you to the major contexts in which modern geography operates, such as its historical roots, the development of the discipline and the relationships between the social and natural sciences within geography. The module positions geography as a way of thinking about the world, rather than as a fixed body of knowledge.

You will also explore some of the key ways in which geographers have come to understand natural and social worlds, notably through the concepts including space, place, power, and time, and how these concepts shape the questions geographers ask, the evidence they use, and the explanations they develop. Through engagement with geographical histories, contemporary debates, and applied case studies, the module highlights the role of contested knowledges in research and the contributions geographers make to wider societal debates.

This module has four aims:

• To gain an initial understanding of the ways in which geography operates within Higher Education contexts.
• To appreciate the historical development of the discipline and how this has shaped the ways in which knowledge is constructed and consumed.
• To examine the place of geographical enquiry within the broader philosophies of science and social science.
• To introduce you to core concepts in geography through the lens of contemporary geographical debates.

Through active participation in the module, the aim is that you will further develop the following academic and professional skills:

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GEO1318: Skills for Geography

Through a combination of seminars, workshops, group work and independent study, Skills for Geography provides a foundation for all Single Honours Geographers (as well as those taking Geography as part of their FCH or Liberal Arts programme) in transitioning effectively to university-level study.

This foundation module is an essential toolkit for your undergraduate degree. It will raise your awareness of your role within the learning process, ease your transition to University-level study and independent learning, and provide a range of specialist and generic skills. Weekly independent learning activities provide the foundation for a series of seminars and workshops that will allow you to learn key skills in geography. The skills you learn will complement the approaches and ideas used in parallel first year modules as well as lay the foundations for successful study throughout your entire degree, as well as underpinning your development as an independent researcher.

This is a compulsory and non-condonable module for the BA and BSc Geography programmes and for Geography FCH and Liberal Arts students.

This module aims to:

• Enable a smooth transition into Higher Education by enabling you to work effectively as a group and individual researcher
• Encourage you to engage critically with contemporary debates within Geography
• Facilitate an understanding of effective approaches to oral and written communication at University
• Raise your awareness of the role you must play in the learning process
• Direct your acquisition of a range of skills in geography which will be beneficial throughout your time at University and later in employment

This is to be achieved primarily through an integrated series of seminars and workshops as a means of developing academic skills to support learning in other Level 4 (Stage 1) Geography modules. The module will therefore provide a foundation for all Geographers and a good preparation for modules in geography in Levels 5 and 6 (Stages 2 and 3). This module will contribute to the development of an understanding of how core skills contribute and relate to employability potential.

Through active participation in the module, the aim is that you will further develop academic and professional skills, including the ability to:

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GEO1319: Fieldwork in Geography

This module provides you with an introduction to fieldwork as a key component of geographical enquiry. Through lectures, you will gain a broad understanding of the history of fieldwork in geography, the different ways in which 'the field' is conceptualised across the discipline, and contemporary debates surrounding the future of field-based practices in research and education. In addition, this module provides you with multiple opportunities to undertake accessible learning activities in the local environment to gain practical experience and an appreciation of how different field-based methods can be used to investigate contemporary research questions. Learning spans the discipline of geography, introducing you to a wide range of quantitative and qualitative research methods. As such, the module is compulsory for students taking BA Geography and BSc Geography degrees, as well as being available (a co-requisite) to Liberal Arts students who are taking GEO1318 (Skills for Geography).

The module introduces you to the breadth of ways in which geographers engage with 'the field' (through fieldwork) as an important aspect of enquiry.

In this module, you will have the opportunity to:

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GEO1211: Earth System Science: The History of Our Planet

This module will provide you with an introductory understanding of the development of the Earth System over the past 4.5 billion years. The module examines the role of the Sun, the inner Earth, and the evolution of life, in shaping the Earth system and creating a world in which humans could evolve. It explores the causes of past climate changes on all timescales, with a special focus on the recent Quaternary ice age cycles (the last 2.5 million years).

This module aims to provide you with an introductory understanding of how the Earth has developed as a system, what the key parts and processes in that system are, and what the key drivers of change in the system have been in the past. It provides an introduction to 'systems thinking' including the role of feedback processes in stabilising or destabilising our planet. Earth System Science: The History of our Planet aims to provide you with much of the background understanding required for a degree in Physical Geography.

Through active participation in the module, the aim is that you will further develop the following academic and professional skills:

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GEO1213: Earth System Science: Our Changing Planet

This module will provide you with an introductory understanding of the processes operating within the contemporary Earth System, and how these change in time. The module examines the geosphere, ocean and atmosphere, cryosphere and biosphere, and how these systems have been, and may continue to be, influenced by human and naturally-induced environmental changes. The major components of the Earth System will be brought together in the context of contemporary climate change.

This module aims to provide you with an introductory understanding of processes operating within the geosphere, oceans, atmosphere, cryosphere and biosphere, and how these processes have been, and continue to be, influenced by human and naturally-induced environmental changes. Earth System Science: Our Changing Planet aims to provide you with much of the background understanding required for a degree in Physical Geography.

This module will contribute to the development of your understanding of how core skills contribute and relate to employability potential, specifically through the application of critical analytical skills to a range of contemporary global challenges.

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GEO2311: Ideas in Geography

This module focuses on the role of social theory in the development of research agendas in contemporary human geography. It provides a framework for understanding the different uses of concepts, theories and philosophical ideas in human geography, including their role in defining problems, guiding the selection of methodological approaches, explaining and interpreting empirical evidence, and shaping understandings of the relevance of research. The module addresses a range of approaches, including contemporary debates in cultural theory, development studies, feminist theory, political economy, poststructuralism, and urban studies. It considers the place of key spatial concepts in human geography and other social science fields. The module assessment strategy is designed to enable you to select and develop a focussed engagement with topics and approaches of interest to you.

This is a compulsory module for second year BA Geography programmes.

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GEO2337: Research Methodologies in Action

This module provides grounding in the knowledge and skills required to understand and apply social research methods used by human geographers. The module introduces you to a range of qualitative and quantitative social research methods (spanning data collection and analysis). Discussion of, and training in, these methods will draw on examples of social research across a range of topics. The module will be taught using a combination of lectures and practical workshops.

This is a compulsory module for second year BA Geography programme students and is recommended for FCH students wishing to undertake a human geography field trip and/or dissertation.

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GEO2338: Doing Human Geography Research

This module provides you with an opportunity to gain an in-depth understanding of how to design and do high-quality research in human geography. The module is designed to prepare you for undertaking research within and beyond the university context; especially dissertation research, and seeks to equip you with key employability attributes for professional careers. The module will be taught using a variety of formats and is one of the compulsory modules you study as part of a BA Geography degree or a Liberal Arts (Geography) degree, as well as being a required module for Flexible Combined Honours students wishing to undertake a residential human geography field course in the final year and / or a dissertation.

In this module you will:

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GEO2131: Nature, Development and Justice

Socio-economic development and the state of the natural environment are two major concerns in contemporary policy, politics, and public activism. The pursuit of 'development' is a well-established, enduring goal across the world. Equally, environmental action, especially that which is directed at 'sustainability', has become a vital part of local, national and international agendas. This module examines the contours of development and environmentalism as commonly defined and practiced, focusing on implications for social and ecological justice. It charts the historical and spatial trajectories of development and sustainability discourse and practice, and explores the increasingly interconnected character of social and ecological justice. The module also investigates approaches and practices that counter and offer alternatives to established but problematic framings of development, sustainability, and justice. A range of themes addressed within research of the teaching staff- such as poverty, wellbeing, inequality, conservation, sustainability, food, energy, de-growth, and climate change - are examined to facilitate an empirically grounded and theoretically informed engagement with ethical, political, and practical issues concerning development, environmentalism, and justice in the contemporary world. This module is suitable for students of Geography and cognate social sciences.

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GEO2132: Global Urban Futures

This module introduces interdisciplinary social science approaches to understanding urbanisation processes. It considers the significance of urbanisation for a range of contemporary geographical issues, from socio-economic inequality to environmental change; and the responses to those issues, from activism to policy-making. It provides a framework for understanding and critically analysing claims about and consequences of 'planetary urbanisation'. The module introduces you to key traditions of urban social thought such as explanatory theories of urban development, interpretative theories of urban social and cultural life, and action-oriented theories of urban politics, planning, and policy. It addresses key methodological issues concerning contextual understanding, comparative analysis, and case-study analysis. It also addresses traditional and new urban issues such as Global South urbanism; investment and development futures; cities and infrastructures; eco-cities and enclaves; informal cities; and urban social movements.

The module assessment is designed to enable you to select and develop a focussed engagement with specific approaches and issues of interest to you.

The aim of this module is to give you a thorough understanding of contemporary social science approaches to urban issues.

The module will:

• introduce various theoretical traditions for understanding cities and urban processes
• introduce issues of geographical reasoning associated with urban social science
• introduce issues that are traditionally or newly understood as having urban causes, conditions, or resolutions
• provide a framework for engaging critically with contemporary urban issues by selecting and applying specific analytical approaches
• provide a framework for critically analysing why urban processes are often seen as both the cause and solution to so many issues

The module involves in-depth workshops and class debates that seek to develop the following graduate attributes:

• confidence in assessing the robustness of social scientific evidence and in presenting textual and audio-visual material in a new media format
• problem solving through interdisciplinary reasoning and analysis of issues-based urban case studies and urban policies at different scales
• articulating social scientific concepts and evidence with confidence through enquiry-led research on assessed written assignment topics, including providing peer feedback on topics through discussion

The teaching contributions on this module involve elements of research undertaken by module staff, such as work on urban social theory, cities in the Global South, urban infrastructures, and informality.

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GEO2136: Geographies of Migration

Migration is one of the key challenges of our times and it impacts on political and social life in a range of fundamental ways. This module provides a lively and engaging overview of this vibrant field, informed by the impressive range of geographical scholarship on the issue. The course will equip you with the conceptual skills and factual knowledge to understand migration trends and debates, and to form and express your own views on migration and related topics.

This module will provide an introduction and overview to the varied and vibrant topic of migration. The module aims to contextualise the study of migration within the discipline of geography and to enable you to understand migration from a variety of conceptual and applied perspectives.

It does so by considering the following topics: 'Concepts and Perspectives', providing the theoretical building blocks you need to think clearly and critically about migration; 'Challenges', looking at a range of real-world issues that arise from migration and its governance.

This module will improve your employability, especially through the development of skills in the application of critical analytical perspectives to a range of contemporary global challenges. More specifically, the module will be a useful way to acquire skills that could be helpful in migration-related jobs in government, the charitable sector and the private sector.

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GEO2138: Health Geographies

This module develops a critical approach for understanding the nature of different health geographies today. The course focuses on:

i) the relationships between people and other organisms that are important to health;

ii) the importance of place, space, and environments in shaping healthy relations; and

iii) the role of political, economic, and other practices in creating health inequalities and in the search for new ways of reimagining and remaking healthy geographies

We explore these through different sites important to health geographies, looking at how data, knowledges, and experiences around health are remade across bodies, clinics, laboratories, policies, and environments.

This module aims to introduce students to key debates, ideas and methods in health geographies and consider what a geographical approach to health can contribute to research and practice. Students will explore case studies of health in varying geographical contexts to understand how geographical ideas and approaches can inform our understanding of health. This module will equip students with the skills and knowledge to enhance their employability for careers in a variety of sectors, including in environmental and public health.

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GEO2139: Geographies of Change and Resistance

How does the future come to be? How do our actions, as individuals and collectives, shape the world of tomorrow? These are the questions at the heart of this module. Through a focus on acts of change and resistance - from protest to policy, promise to practice - you will explore how we might negotiate the unfolding of different futures. Far from opposing forces, this module views change and resistance inherently intertwined process enacted through political, cultural, environment, social, economic, and infrastructural transformations and transitions.

Although grounded in geography, the issues addressed in this module are interdisciplinary making the module suitable for students with a background in other disciplines. There are no pre-requisite modules.

This module invites students to think about how acts in the present shape the coming future and how anticipation of the future shapes acts in the present. Throughout the module, students will be introduced to a series of different moments and movements defined by change and resistance. These will cover a broad set of contemporary issues that include themes such as climate change, technological development, and social justice.

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GEO2317: Climate Change: Science and Society

In this module, you will develop your skills in the analysis of global climate change, using perspectives from physical and human geography. You will get a strong grounding in the science of climate change, climate and society relations, the governance, policy, and politics of climate change, climate mitigation and adaptation, and decarbonisation. You will be challenged to think about the interlinked human and physical geographic dimensions of climate change. By the end of the module, you will be able to articulate key information about climate change impacts and proposed solutions.

The assessment is designed to stimulate interest in the module content beyond the taught material. It is designed to support your development in the understanding, analysis and evaluation of interlinked physical and human geographical dimensions of climate change science and action.

The module will equip you to:

• understand the fundamental science of climate change; causes and consequences of local and global scale changes in environment and environmental futures;
• analyse the interaction of human behaviour and policies on greenhouse gas emissions and proposed social and technical solutions;
• explore perspectives, theories and methods for investigating climate change as a social phenomenon and environmental reality, as embedded in current research on climate change risks, on emissions reduction, and climate action at different geographical and policy scales.

Through the module you will develop the following graduate attributes:

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GEO2339: Sustainable Seas

Oceans and coastal environments sustain biodiversity, regulate climate, and support livelihoods but face increasing threats from climate change, pollution, and over-exploitation. This interdisciplinary module explores resilience and sustainability in marine/coastal ecosystems, covering blue carbon, nutrient cycles, ocean circulation, and climate change impacts. It examines conservation and restoration strategies alongside governance frameworks for sustainable resource management at local, national, and global scales. By engaging with these themes, students will develop critical skills to address marine and costal sustainability challenges and contribute to the long-term protection and resilience of our seas and coasts as they face increasing environmental change and anthropogenic pressures.

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GEO3158: Sustainable Communities Field Course (Avignon - Marseille)

The Sustainable Communities Field Course to Avignon-Marseille is centred on taking a social learning approach that explores community responses to social, environmental and sustainability challenges. This module includes opportunities to explore themes including such as community food projects, food heritage and sustainable food innovation in the Avignon city region, along with spatialities of migration and their intersection with sustainability, community organising and sustainable heritage in Marseille. The module will introduce you to a range of contemporary debates on sustainable futures, community action on climate change, sustainable food networks, the spatialities of demographic change and migration, understanding supply chains, multi-level governance and coproducing knowledge with partners within the context of The Climate Emergency. We draw on an engaged approach to learning by foregrounding embodied learning approaches and social learning with partners. The focus on sustainability is extended through a commitment to using low carbon travel to visit these two European cities and their surrounding areas. Through experiencing these two field sites, you will learn how social scientists are working with community partners to help reimagine ways to engender positive environmental and social transformations.

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GEO3162: Making Place Field Course (Paris)

In this module you will have the opportunity to engage imaginatively and creatively with processes of place making in the city of Paris today. As a residential field course, it will provide you with an opportunity to develop and apply research skills in real world environments. Themes include the city's ongoing environmental, cultural and urban transformation; migration, the repercussions of globalisation and geopolitics, and the right to 'feel French'. The module draws on cultural, political and social geography, and engages with creative research methodologies.

We will travel to Paris as a group by rail (Eurostar), reflecting our department's commitment to using low carbon travel. If you have any questions regarding this transport method, please contact the module convenor. In the event of the field course not running (due to circumstances that compromise the feasibility of the trip), you will still be able to complete the module through the provision of an alternative learning experience.

The field course aims to provide you with an opportunity to apply the knowledge gained through your undergraduate degree and lecture-based modules to 'real-world' geographical study.

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GEO3163: City of Flows Field Course (Antwerp)

In this module you will have the opportunity to engage with Antwerp as a city of contemporary and historic flows, getting to grips with this major port city as a key node in flows of globalization for examples, through the geography of commodities; memories and places of migration; the materialities of infrastructure and industry. As a residential field course, this module provides you with an opportunity to develop and apply research skills in real world environments. Following staff-led days, you will conduct your own research in groups and share your research findings in a student-led discussion.

Please note that in the event of the field course not running (due to circumstances that compromise the feasibility of the trip), you will still be able to complete the module through the provision of an alternative learning experience.

The field course aims to provide you with an opportunity to apply the knowledge gained through lecture-based modules to 'real-world' geographical study. It provides you with significant experience in designing and conducting fieldwork and research through group led research projects. You will also gain insight into various urban issues, processes and problems through in situ activities and research-led teaching from module staff, which will advance your understanding of these issues in Antwerp and other global cities.

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GEO3325: Environmental Futures Field Course

The Environmental Futures Field Course to Freiburg and the surrounding area is an interdisciplinary module centred on enabling you to engage critically and experientially with a range of contemporary debates on sustainable futures and landscape transformations within the context of The Climate Emergency . This learning focus is extended through a commitment to using low carbon travel (whole module group rail travel) to visit this European city and its surrounding areas. Through experiencing a diverse range of field sites, you will learn how physical and social scientists are helping to reimagine the ways we engage with urban and rural spaces to engender positive environmental and social transformations.

Throughout Term 2, you will attend lectures and undertake guided reading to gain an understanding of the contemporary environmental debates that will form the focus of the field course teaching and learning. This will include information that will enable you to become familiar with the field course rail travel and destination city. During the field course, you will participate in group-led discussions to critically debate the research learning activities for each day. You will work individually during and after the field course to develop a fieldwork extended essay based on an environment and sustainability theme related to your learning experience on the field course.

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GEO2230: Reconstructing Past Environments

This module offers a skills-based practical introduction to palaeoenvironmental science: studying natural archives of environmental change. With a focus on the last 21,000 years, a period marked by dramatic climate shifts and the rise of human societies, you will explore how climate and human activities have shaped landscapes since the end of the Last Glacial Cycle. You will learn about various techniques used to reconstruct histories of past environments from natural archives, covering the entire process from sample collection to data analysis and interpretation. This module will provide you with essential transferable skills and knowledge that will be invaluable for a dissertation in palaeoenvironmental science. This module has a hands-on and problem solving approach to learning that will enable you to critically use multiple lines of evidence to infer histories of climate and environmental change, driven by the research expertise of the teaching staff, which lie in the field of long-term ecology and palaeoenvironmental change.

This module aims to introduce the principles and techniques used to reconstruct past climates and environments. Enquiry-led, independent and peer learning is embedded in the module through:

• Lectures - to provide you with important background knowledge of past climate and landscape changes and how environmental proxies including pollen and charcoal can be used to infer climate and landscape histories;
• Fieldwork and practical sessions - you will be taught skills in collecting sediment archives, analysing microfossils and applied data analysis techniques; and
• Assessment workshops - integrated into the learning programme to support you as you develop these skills and apply them in your assessment.

The skills acquired during the module although relevant for a dissertation project in this field, are also highly transferable. This module will help you develop skills to enhance your employability potential and career development through:

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GEO2234: The Anthropocene

We are living through an era in the Earth's history in which humankind has become the dominant driver of change - the 'Anthropocene'. It is hoped that by understanding the causes and effects of anthropogenic climate and environmental change a more sustainable future can be forged for human society and non-human nature alike. In this module we will: i) place the Anthropocene within the context of past environmental and climate changes; ii) examine the extent, magnitude and severity of human influence across the Earth system, from the atmosphere to the biosphere; and, iii) explore possibilities to mitigate and/or live with the current and ongoing climate crisis and environmental breakdown. We will challenge ourselves to think about our past, present and future roles in the Anthropocene, as individuals and as a collective, and our potential as agents of change as we seek to address the biggest challenge humankind has ever faced.

In the first half of this module we aim to provide you with insight into the origins and causes of the Anthropocene, as a process, era and concept. You will learn about the fundamental changes taking place across the Earth system as a result of anthropogenic climate and environmental change and explore the techniques available to monitor and quantify these. We will consider the evolution of the environmental and ecological influence of humans, from localised ecosystem engineers through to modifiers of the Earth system.

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GEO2235: Ecosystems of the Future: Climate Change, Terrestrial Feedbacks and Nature-Based Solutions

To reach net zero, society must reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to the level that the land surface and oceans can absorb, resulting in no increase in GHGs in the atmosphere. Terrestrial ecosystems currently absorb ~25% of the CO₂ we release each year. However, there is uncertainty whether this will continue as climate change impacts become more severe. On the other hand, there is increasing interest in trying to manage land to promote greater carbon uptake while also delivering ecological benefits (Nature-based Solutions). This module will critically evaluate the role terrestrial ecosystems could play in the fight against climate change.

The model is suitable for non-geographers but some ecological knowledge is useful.

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GEO3603: Professional Placement for Geographers

Increasingly, graduate positions request that applicants have work experience applicable to the role. This module will enable you to immerse yourself in a professional environment; you will learn to apply the skills learnt during the first and second years, improve personal and transferable skills, make new contacts and enhance employability. This module allows you to arrange your own placement year and to incorporate this into your degree programme, and for this to be reflected in your degree title. It is your responsibility to find, apply and secure a placement position with a relevant organisation. A minimum of nine months full-time should be spent in the workplace. The module has a range of assessments based on personal reflections on your workplace role and skills development.

This module will enable you to develop professional skills in a workplace environment. This module offers an excellent opportunity for you to immerse yourself in an environment where you can develop professional skills, gain a greater understanding of the use of your degree and ultimately improve your CV. You will be encouraged to reflect on your experiences during the placement to help you to make career decisions for the future.

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GEO3601: Study Abroad

Exeter Geography offers you the possibility to study at an agreed partner university in a foreign country. You must attain average grades of 60% or above in the first year and maintain an average of 55% or higher in the second year to be considered for the With Study Abroad programme.

If you are accepted onto the programme, you will spend one academic year abroad, usually the third year of a four-year programme. Credit for academic studies during your year abroad is arranged by agreement between Exeter Geography and the host institution. These marks are then translated back into your degree.

The module aims to provide you with a different and supplementary learning experience, predominantly in Geography but with the possibility of additional related subjects (subject to approval), ensuring the quality of education as offered at the University of Exeter, but providing the chance to experience learning in a different institution and interact with a different culture. The module aims to expand your geographical knowledge, to expose you to, and learn from, different methods of study and learning and to experience academic and university culture from a different, international perspective.

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GEO3311: BA Dissertation

This module offers you the opportunity to undertake a piece of research, on a topic of your choice, which enables you to display your skills in tackling specific geographical issues in depth. The dissertation must be your own work in all phases including design, data selection/generation, data processing and analysis and data interpretation and project write-up. It is supported by individual and group tutorials with an advisor, and by one-to-one meetings.

GEO3311 is a compulsory module which covers the execution and completion of a 45-credit dissertation in the BA programme.

The 45-credit dissertation module is examined through a 10,000-word dissertation and should take you 450 hours to complete.

The point of the dissertation is to give you an opportunity to display your skills in tackling specific geographical issues in depth. The essence of the work is that you are able to demonstrate your ability to undertake your own independent and original piece of research.

The dissertation must be independent and original in all its phases including design, data selection/generation, data processing and analysis and data interpretation and project write-up. The aims of the dissertation are for you to develop:

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