Undergraduate Course: Landscape Architecture Theory 1A (ARCH08049)
Course Outline
| School | Edinburgh College of Art |
College | College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 8 (Year 1 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | This course introduces students to the basic principles underlying the development of any landscape, starting with the fundamentals of physical geography: geology, geomorphology, soils and climate. The course will combine theoretical and practical exercises, field trips and essay writing, to provide students with a basis to understand the evolution of landscape. |
| Course description |
The Landscape Architecture Theory 1A course provides students with fundamental knowledge about Earth surface and geological processes, exploring the interactions between surface processes, landforms and landscapes, and how these interactions lead to physical, chemical and biological changes. Through interpretation of dynamic processes that shape landform and terrain history, the course allows students to understand why landscapes look the way they do.
This theoretical understanding will be further developed through practical exercises, including field observations, sketching, and modelling, to explore the processes and forces that act on the Earth's surface and how these produce landforms and landform change. This allows students to understand processes that have shaped current landscapes and the geological record of past landscapes, including the nature and impacts of climate change.
Drawing on a range of theoretical and practical exercises, students will develop their own self-directed inquiry into how the Earth's surface is modified by a combination of processes. Through group and individual teaching events, students are supported in the development of a visual essay that draws together theoretical and practical explorations.
This course is delivered through a weekly conjoint lecture and seminar that covers a range of course content. Students will undertake at least two days of directed fieldwork around Scotland, arranged by the course organiser.
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
|
Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | This course is only available to ECA students on degree programmes belonging to Landscape Architecture. |
| Additional Costs | Sketching materials, field trip travel costs. |
Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | None |
| High Demand Course? |
Yes |
Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2025/26, Available to all students (SV1)
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Quota: 26 |
| Course Start |
Semester 1 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Lecture Hours 12,
Seminar/Tutorial Hours 12,
Fieldwork Hours 14,
Feedback/Feedforward Hours 1,
Formative Assessment Hours 1,
Summative Assessment Hours 1,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
155 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
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| Additional Information (Assessment) |
This course comprises of 1 assessment component.
- Essay (3000 words), 100%, due in the exam period
Students are asked to produce a 3000-word visual essay, drawing on theoretical and practical explorations that present a personal interest in the course themes.
The essay is graded directly against the learning outcomes of the course. All the learning outcomes are weighted equally. |
| Feedback |
Written formative feedback on an essay plan (300 words) will be provided at a mid-point review. Students will receive regular verbal feedback and feedforward through group and individual tutorials, fully supporting the development of their work.
At the end of the course students will receive written feedback on their final essay submission, as per University regulations. |
| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Demonstrate awareness of the basic processes of geology, geomorphology, soils, climate and how these shape landscapes.
- Apply a range of methods to interpret processes that shape landform and terrain history.
- Articulate findings through a visual essay that synthesises practical and theoretical interpretation.
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Reading List
Barry R.G., Chorley R.J. and Chase T. (2009) Atmosphere, weather and climate. Routledge
Brady N.C. and Weil R.R. (1999) The nature and properties of soils. Prentice Hall
McKirdy, A., Gordon, J., & Crofts, R. (2007) Land of Mountain and Flood: The Geology and Landforms of Scotland. Birlinn Limited
Robinson P.J. and Henderson-Sellers A. (1999) Contemporary climatology. Longman
Smithson, P., Addison, K., Atkinson, K. (2008) Fundamentals of the Physical Environment. Routledge |
Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Research and enquiry:
- analytical skills; the ability to research how the landscape is formed at different scales as a result of different processes.
Personal and intellectual autonomy:
- critically evaluate ideas; the ability to deploy a variety of methodologies as analytical tools that underpin critical enquiry.
Personal Effectiveness:
- apply the knowledge gained in this course in all subsequent planning and design studio courses.
Communication:
- effectively synthesise and communicate research findings through the configuration of a designed essay. |
| Keywords | physical geography,landscape pattern and process,visual perception,field analysis and research |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Simon Bell
Tel: (0131 6)51 5828
Email: s.bell@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Miss Chloe Hancock
Tel: (0131 6)50 4124
Email: chancock@ed.ac.uk |
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