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DEGREE REGULATIONS & PROGRAMMES OF STUDY 2015/2016

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DRPS : Course Catalogue : School of Geosciences : Geography

Undergraduate Course: Physical Geography (GEGR08010)

Course Outline
SchoolSchool of Geosciences CollegeCollege of Science and Engineering
Credit level (Normal year taken)SCQF Level 8 (Year 1 Undergraduate) AvailabilityAvailable to all students
SCQF Credits20 ECTS Credits10
SummaryThe course provides a foundation for the understanding of fundamental concepts and current ideas in physical geography for the Geography degree programmes. The course begins by considering in broad terms the development of physical geography and the key concepts and phenomena of change and evolution, cycles, fluxes and events, the environment as resource and hazard, and the human impact on the environment. The remainder of the course explores these themes in more detail in the context of the atmosphere, the hydrosphere and pedosphere, and the biosphere. The course emphasizes the importance of spatial variation, and temporal and spatial scale, and interactions between human society and the biophysical environment.
Course description The course provides a foundation for the understanding of fundamental concepts and current ideas in physical geography for the Geography degree programmes. The course begins by considering in broad terms the development of physical geography and the key concepts and phenomena of change and evolution, cycles, fluxes and events, the environment as resource and hazard, and the human impact on the environment. The remainder of the course explores these themes in more detail in the context of the atmosphere, the hydrosphere and pedosphere, and the biosphere. The course emphasizes the importance of spatial variation, and temporal and spatial scale, and interactions between human society and the biophysical environment.

Part 1: Context and major themes

1. Introduction: outline of the course and course administration
2. Why is the Earth's physical geography as it is, and not something else?
3. The changing Earth
4. The development of Physical Geography
5. Physical geography as resource and hazard
6. Physical geography transformed: the Anthropcene


Part 2: The atmosphere

7. The climate of Earth and other planets
8. Earth's climatic zones
9. Weather
10. Weather events
11. Changing climate in the Quaternary and the Anthropocene

Part 3: The hydrosphere and pedosphere

12. The hydrological cycle
13. Catchment hydrology
14. Water and society
15. Introduction to soils
16. Soil classification

Part 4: The biosphere

17. The biosphere and global change
18. Ecosystems, carbon and climate
19. What is biodiversity and where is it?
20. Dynamic biogeography
21. Forests, people and environment

22. Course summary
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
Pre-requisites Co-requisites
Prohibited Combinations Other requirements None
Additional Costs None
Information for Visiting Students
Pre-requisitesNone
High Demand Course? Yes
Course Delivery Information
Academic year 2015/16, Available to all students (SV1) Quota:  212
Course Start Semester 2
Timetable Timetable
Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) Total Hours: 200 ( Lecture Hours 22, Seminar/Tutorial Hours 5, Supervised Practical/Workshop/Studio Hours 4, Feedback/Feedforward Hours 2, Summative Assessment Hours 37, Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4, Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours 126 )
Additional Information (Learning and Teaching) Students are required to pass both the degree coursework and the exam in order to pass the course.
Assessment (Further Info) Written Exam 60 %, Coursework 40 %, Practical Exam 0 %
Additional Information (Assessment) Written exam: 60%, Coursework: 40%
The assessment is in two parts: a 2000 word (max) degree essay and a multiple choice exam.
The degree essay has a choice of titles, and details on the preparation and submission of the course essay are given at the start of the course.
The course exam consists entirely of multiple choice questions that will assess your understanding of the material across the whole course content- this includes material covered in the tutorials and practicals, as well as in lectures and in their associated reading. There will be 50 questions in the exam with a choice from five options for each question. Each correct answer will gain one mark; there will be no marks deducted for incorrect answers.
At least 40% must be achieved in each component (and overall) to pass the course.
Feedback On this course formative feedback will be provided in various ways, including oral and/or written comments students receive on their tutorial or practical assignments and feedback on responses to questions in lectures. Such formative feedback is very important as it helps improve understanding of the course content and refine skills in writing clearly and concisely.
Written feedback is provided on the degree essay.
Exam Information
Exam Diet Paper Name Hours & Minutes
Main Exam Diet S2 (April/May)Physical Geography2:00
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
  1. an understanding of the nature and development of physical geography
  2. an appreciation of the concepts and phenomena of change, evolution, cycles, fluxes and individual events as the context for understanding of the physical geography of the present world
  3. an appreciation of the way the biophysical environment interacts with human societies
  4. an understanding of the major processes involved in the atmosphere, the hydrosphere, the pedosphere and the biosphere
  5. an appreciation of importance of spatial variation and scale in physical geography
Reading List
1. Cox, C.B. and Moore, P.D. 2010 Biogeography: An Ecological and Evolutionary Approach (8th edn) (Wiley).

2. Holden, J. 2012 An Introduction to Physical Geography and the Environment (3rd edn) (Pearson).

3. Goudie, A.S. 2013 The Human Impact on the Natural Environment (7th edn) (Wiley).

4. Lomolino, M.V., Riddle, B.R., Whittaker, R.J. and Brown, J.H. 2010 Biogeography 4th edn (Sinauer Associates Inc.).

5. Shonk, J. 2013 Introducing Meteorology (Dunedin Academic Press).
Additional Information
Graduate Attributes and Skills Students will gain experience of critically evaluating scientific papers and of synthesizing information, of producing written summaries and analyses, of discussing issues in a group (tutorial) format, and of undertaking the practical analysis of environmental processes.
Special Arrangements This course is open to all university students: priority for places is given to students on the Geography degree programmes and Sustainable Development.
KeywordsPhysical geography,atmosphere,hydrosphere,pedosphere,biosphere,environment,human society
Contacts
Course organiserDr Nick Hulton
Tel: (0131 6)50 2531
Email: Nick.Hulton@ed.ac.uk
Course secretaryMiss Sarah Mcallister
Tel: (0131 6)50 4917
Email: Sarah.McAllister@ed.ac.uk
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