Undergraduate Course: Physical Geography Field Course (A) (GEGR10150)
Course Outline
| School | School of Geosciences |
College | College of Science and Engineering |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 10 (Year 3 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Not available to visiting students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | Underpinned by a residential field trip, this course provides 3rd Year BSc students with the opportunity to develop advanced skills in field-project research design, implementation and analysis. It therefore builds naturally from geographical skills and theory taught in Pre-Honours classroom- and field-based courses, and complements 3rd Year classes in physical geography methods and research design taught alongside it as students prepare to undertake independent dissertation work in 4th Year. The field course is also designed to provide experiential learning in physical-geography settings that do not exist in the UK, thereby vitally immersing students in a more holistic learning of the different physical geographical settings that make up our world.
This field course offers opportunities to experience and design research in a relatively dry mountainous environment with little glacial influence and experiencing active tectonism, and offering opportunities to research questions around mountain hazards, fluvial and hillslope processes and biogeography. |
| Course description |
Our overall mission for this course is to provide you with advanced practical experience in conducting original field-based research in physical geography. Our emphasis throughout the course is on experiential learning, dedicated to building on theory and skills from earlier courses, developing your skills in both team working and independent analyses, and providing a grounding in research design and implementation as part of your preparation for undertaking independent research for your 4th Year dissertation.
The course primarily runs as the field class in spring, at the end of 3rd Year Semester 2. During Semester 2, prior to the field component, we will run introductory lectures to discuss logistical arrangements, introduce the field setting, and provide some refresher training in surveying, GIS, remote sensing and statistical techniques that will be applied in field projects.
On the field course, we will spend the initial days exploring concepts in the landscape including the tectonic context; an introduction to some sedimentary deposits to understand how the landscape has changed through time; geomorphology and the development of landscapes in rocks with contrasting properties; the development and evolution of the landscape's biogeography; and the impact of extreme hydrometeorological events. The remainder of the trip will be devoted to undertaking team-based project work to acquire data for your chosen research project. After the field course, you will present your results and analysis as an individual in a Research Poster, supported by formative feedback provided during the field course.
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
|
Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
| Additional Costs | Breakfast and lunch during the field trip. |
Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2026/27, Not available to visiting students (SS1)
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Quota: 40 |
| Course Start |
Semester 2 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Seminar/Tutorial Hours 10,
Fieldwork Hours 72,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
114 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
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| Additional Information (Assessment) |
Field Notebook (40%):
- Use of AI Tools is Not Permitted: Academic integrity is a core principle of research and academic practice. All submitted work must be your own. AI tools (e.g., ELM) must not be used for this assessment. Unauthorised use of AI may constitute academic misconduct.
- Coursework Extensions: Extensions are not permitted for this assessment.
- Extra Time Learning Adjustments: Students with Extra Time Learning Adjustments may request additional time for this assessment. Applications should be made using the Extra Time Learning Adjustment (ETA) tool, available via the Disability Support page in MyEd.
Poster (60%):
- Use of AI Tools is Not Permitted: Academic integrity is a core principle of research and academic practice. All submitted work must be your own. AI tools (e.g., ELM) must not be used for this assessment. Unauthorised use of AI may constitute academic misconduct.
- Coursework Extensions: Extensions are not permitted for this assessment.
- Extra Time Learning Adjustments: Students with Extra Time Learning Adjustments may request additional time for this assessment. Applications should be made using the Extra Time Learning Adjustment (ETA) tool, available via the Disability Support page in MyEd.
Course Pass Requirements:
Students must attain an overall mark of 40% (or above) in order to pass the course. |
| Feedback |
Students will be encouraged to meet teaching staff and demonstrators before and after the trip, as they progress through their analyses and progressively gain knowledge about the study area. Students will receive feedback on the poster they will submit before they go in the field: this feedback will help students improve their data analysis and poster presentation skills, which will be assessed at the end of the trip. In the field, feedback will be provided on demand on a one-to-one basis and while students are working in groups; this will happen in the field and during the evening activities. Feedback will also be provided on notebooks in day 2. Feedback will be provided on the report and notebook, highlighting the strengths and potential improvements. |
| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- To develop an advanced understanding of how to design and undertake a research project in environmental or physical geography.
- To gain advanced practical experience in applying a range of specialised techniques (field techniques, remote sensing, data manipulation) to addressing a research issue in environmental or physical geography.
- To develop advanced critical awareness in developing data sampling strategies and managing data.
- To synthesise and evaluate critically the ideas and issues identified during the process of researching and undertaking a geographical research project.
- To experience learning and engage with local stakeholders in an environment without analogues in the UK, thereby enhancing student understanding and experiences of, and relationships with, the global environment and community.
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Reading List
Anderson R.S. and Anderson S.P. (2010), Geomorphology: the mechanics and chemistry of landscapes, Cambridge Univ. Press, ISBN 0-521-51978-6.
Bierman, P.R. and Montgomery D.R. (2014), Key Concepts in Geomorphology, published by W. H. Freeman, ISBN 9781429238601 (strongly recommended). |
Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
1. Working effectively in a team on group project work.
2. Development of personal and intellectual autonomy in critically evaluating ideas and evidence.
3. Oral, written and graphical presentation skills.
4. Development of technical skills in data analysis and presentation.
5. Experience of living and working in a new landscape and culture, and engaging with local stakeholders. |
| Special Arrangements |
This course is only available to 3rd year students on the Geography (BSc Hons) Degree Programme. |
| Keywords | High Mountain Environments,Extreme Events,Geomorphology,Hydrology,Biogeography,Research Design |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Prof Simon Mudd
Tel: (0131 6)51 9090
Email: simon.m.mudd@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Miss Rachael Scott
Tel:
Email: Rachael.Scott@ed.ac.uk |
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