University home > Unit and programme catalogues in 2022/23 > Programme catalogue > Faculty of Science > School of Geographical Sciences > Geography (BSc) > Specification
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Programme code | 2GEOG001U |
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Programme type | Single Honours |
Programme director(s) |
Dan Lunt
|
Faculty | Faculty of Science |
School/department | School of Geographical Sciences |
Teaching institution | University of Bristol |
Awarding institution | University of Bristol |
Accrediting types: |
This programme has been accredited by the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG). Accredited degree programmes contain a solid academic foundation in geographical knowledge and skills, and prepare graduates to address the needs of the world beyond higher education. The accreditation criteria require evidence that graduates from accredited programmes meet defined sets of learning outcomes, including subject knowledge, technical ability and transferable skills. (www.rgs.org) |
Relevant QAA subject benchmark groups | Geography (2022) (benchmark statement) |
Mode of study | Full Time |
Programme length | 3 years (full time) |
This section sets out why studying this programme is important, both in terms of inspiring you as an individual and in considering the challenges we face. It describes how this degree programme contributes to:
The learning outcome statements shown below for your programme have been developed with reference to relevant national subject benchmarks (where they exist), national qualification descriptors (see the Framework for Higher Education Qualifications) and professional body requirements.
Teaching, learning and assessment strategies are listed to show how you will be able to achieve and demonstrate the learning outcomes.
This programme provides opportunities for you to develop and demonstrate knowledge and understanding, qualities, skills and other attributes in the following areas:
Programme Intended Learning Outcomes | Learning/teaching methods and strategies |
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All programme Intended Learning Outcomes are delivered through a diversity of learning and teaching methods to reflect varied nature of the subject matter of a geographical degree and of transferable skills provision. We use formal lectures, seminars, tutorials, fieldwork, practical and laboratory classes, guided group and individual project work, extended essays and dissertations, and peer evaluation of performance. Independent research is fostered through a supervised independent Dissertation at level H. |
Methods of assessment (formative and summative) | |
Programme Intended Learning Outcomes are assessed using a diversity of assessment methods to match learning and teaching methods. We use unseen examinations, in-class tests, extended essay/project submissions, practical class reports, research dissertations, group and individual oral presentations, student-led seminars plus unit-specific assignments. We use a mixture of formative and summative assignments. |
Programme Intended Learning Outcomes | Learning/teaching methods and strategies |
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|
All programme Intended Learning Outcomes are delivered through a diversity of learning and teaching methods to reflect varied nature of the subject matter of a geographical degree and of transferable skills provision. We use formal lectures, seminars, tutorials, fieldwork, practical and laboratory classes, guided group and individual project work, extended essays and dissertations, and peer evaluation of performance. |
Methods of assessment (formative and summative) | |
Programme Intended Learning Outcomes are assessed using a diversity of assessment methods to match learning and teaching methods. We use unseen examinations, in-class tests, extended essay/project submissions, practical class reports, research dissertations, group and individual oral presentations, student-led seminars plus unit-specific assignments. We use a mixture of formative and summative assignments. |
Programme Intended Learning Outcomes | Learning/teaching methods and strategies |
---|---|
|
All programme Intended Learning Outcomes are delivered through a diversity of learning and teaching methods to reflect varied nature of the subject matter of a geographical degree and of transferable skills provision. We use formal lectures, seminars, tutorials, fieldwork, practical and laboratory classes, guided group and individual project work, extended essays and dissertations, and peer evaluation of performance. |
Methods of assessment (formative and summative) | |
Programme Intended Learning Outcomes are assessed using a diversity of assessment methods to match learning and teaching methods. We use unseen examinations, in-class tests, extended essay/project submissions, practical class reports, research dissertations, group and individual oral presentations, student-led seminars plus unit-specific assignments. We use a mixture of formative and summative assignments. |
This section describes what is expected from you at each level of your programme. This illustrates increasing intellectual standards as you progress through the programme. These levels are mapped against the national level descriptors published by the Quality Assurance Agency.
Level C/4 - Certificate |
By the end of their studies at level C, students are expected to be able to demonstrate sound knowledge of the fundamental principles of some of the core areas of geography and a level of competence in the relevant skills. The expectation is that their work may require substantial direction from members of staff. |
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Level I/5 - Intermediate |
At level I students are expected to be able to demonstrate that they have expanded the range and depth of their knowledge of geographical principles and their capacity to evaluate these principles using a variety of perspectives. They should also have developed a higher level of competence in the relevant skills. They are expected to be developing a capacity for self-directed learning. |
Level H/6 - Honours |
At level H students are expected to expand the breadth of their knowledge through their study of advanced subjects taught at current research cutting-edge. At this level students are expected to be able to demonstrate their capacity for self-directed study using the skills acquired and developed at levels one and two, particularly in the production of an independent dissertation which demonstrates a high standard of scholarship. |
For information on the admissions requirements for this programme please see details in the undergraduate prospectus at http://www.bristol.ac.uk/prospectus/undergraduate/ or contact the relevant academic department.
UG Workload Statement
Success as an undergraduate student depends on you being able to make the transition to self-motivated, independent learning. Programmes are designed to assist you in this development, in many cases by starting with units in which timetabled teaching, such as lectures and practical classes, provides the foundations of knowledge and skills in a subject, moving on to individual research-based work. Over time you will be expected to take increasing responsibility for your own learning, guided by the feedback on your work that you will receive. At the heart of your studies at every level there must be regular and disciplined individual reading, reflection and writing and it is this skill of independent studies, above all others, that will serve you best when you leave the University.
Most programmes use credits and a 20 credit unit broadly equates to about 200 hours of student input. This includes all activities related to the teaching, learning and assessment of taught units.
A component of this is the time that you spend in class, in contact with the teaching staff, which includes activities such as lectures, laboratories, tutorials and fieldwork. Some of this activity may be online and could consist of activity that is synchronous (using real-time environments such as Blackboard Collaborate) or asynchronous (using tools such as tutor moderated discussion forums, blogs or wikis).
In some programmes there are field courses and/or placements that will take place in concentrated periods of time.
Outside scheduled activities you are expected to pursue your own independent learning to build your knowledge and understanding of the subjects you are studying. Such independent activities include, reviewing lecture material, reading textbooks, working on examples sheets, completing coursework, writing up laboratory notes, preparing for in-class progress tests and revising for examinations.
We recognise that many students undertake paid employment. To achieve a sensible balance between work and study, you are advised to undertake paid work for no more than 15 hours per week in term-time.
Professional Programmes
Many undergraduates in the Faculty of Health Sciences will be following the professional programmes of:
For these professional programmes, full time attendance is compulsory unless absence is formally approved. Academic activities are timetabled throughout the 5-day week and student workload is around 40 hours per week on average. Where possible, students in the early years are permitted Wednesday afternoons for sport and extra-curriculum activities. This may not be available in later years of professional programmes as when a student progresses through the curricula there is an increasing exposure to clinical and professional activities. Students in clinic or on placements may need to stay later than core times of 08.00 – 18.00 or even overnight to observe out-of-hours activities. This increasing exposure to clinical activities means that students on these professional programmes often have longer term dates than the University standard. Individual years within programmes are likely to vary in length (for example because of the timings of placements) and further information on this will be found in individual programme regulations. Another important point to note is that many of the assessments sit outside of the standard University examination timetable and are likely to be more frequent meaning that students will more oftentimes be engaged in revision activities and self-directed learning.
Faculty of Health Sciences
Faculty Assessment and Feedback Statement for Undergraduate Students. University of Bristol access only.
Admissions Tutor(s): F800/F801/F802/F804/09F4: Dr Joe Gerlach
Address:
School of Geographical Sciences
University of Bristol
University Road
Bristol
BS8 1SS
United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0) 117 9289954
Fax: (0117) 9287878
WWW:http://www.ggy.bris.ac.uk
Unit Name | Unit Code | Credit Points | Status | |
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Key Concepts in Human and Physical Geography | GEOG10003 | 40 | Mandatory | TB-4 |
Introduction to Quantitative Geography | GEOG10004 | 20 | Mandatory | TB-4 |
Geographical History, Thought and Practices | GEOG10002 | 20 | Mandatory | TB-4 |
World in Crisis? | GEOG16001 | 20 | Mandatory | TB-1 |
Plus 20 credit points from the following: | ||||
Convincing stories? Numbers as evidence in the social sciences | GEOG10005 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 |
Big Ideas in Science | CHEM10001 | 20 | Optional | TB-4 |
Sustainable Development | UNIV10001 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 |
Certificate of Higher Education | 120 |
Unit Name | Unit Code | Credit Points | Status | |
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All students take the following unit: | ||||
Spatial Modelling: Geographic Data Modelling | GEOG20028 | 20 | Mandatory | TB-4 |
Select 60 credit points from the following: | ||||
The Earth System | GEOG20003 | 20 | Optional | TB-4 |
Fundamentals of Modern Glaciology | GEOG20004 | 20 | Optional | TB-4 |
State, Economy and Society in Geographical Perspective | GEOG20005 | 20 | Optional | TB-4 |
Geographies of Nature and Environment | GEOG20015 | 20 | Optional | TB-4 |
Oceans in a Changing World | GEOG20021 | 20 | Optional | TB-4 |
Health Geography | GEOG20023 | 20 | Optional | TB-4 |
Geographies of Colonialism and Coloniality | GEOG20024 | 20 | Optional | TB-4 |
And either select 40 credit points from List A: | ||||
Research Methods in Physical Geography | GEOG20011 | 20 | Optional | TB-4 |
Study and Field Skills B | GEOG25070 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 |
Or select 40 credit points from List B: | ||||
Qualitative Research Methods in Human Geography | GEOG20012 | 20 | Optional | TB-4 |
Study and Field Skills D | GEOG20010 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 |
Or select 40 credit points from List C: | ||||
Research Methods in Physical Geography | GEOG20011 | 20 | Optional | TB-4 |
Study and Field Skills D | GEOG20010 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 |
Or select 40 credit points from List D: | ||||
Qualitative Research Methods in Human Geography | GEOG20012 | 20 | Optional | TB-4 |
Study and Field Skills E | GEOG20014 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 |
Or select 40 credit points from List E: | ||||
Research Methods in Physical Geography | GEOG20011 | 20 | Optional | TB-4 |
Study and Field Skills in a Coastal Location | GEOG20022 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 |
Or select 40 credit points from List F: | ||||
Qualitative Research Methods in Human Geography | GEOG20012 | 20 | Optional | TB-4 |
Study and Field Skills in Cultural and Historical Geography | GEOG20026 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 |
Please note: students are allocated to the appropriate Methods unit and Study and Field Skills unit based on their optional unit choices. | ||||
Diploma of Higher Education | 120 |
Please note that the dissertation unit in this year of study is must-pass. For the definition of must pass units please see the Glossary of Terms from Annex 1 to the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
Unit Name | Unit Code | Credit Points | Status | |
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All students take the following: | ||||
Dissertation | GEOG30001 | 40 | Mandatory | TB-4 |
Select 80cp from: | ||||
Sea Level: Past, Present and Future | GEOG30043 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 |
Climate forensics: Greenhouse gases in the atmosphere | GEOG30033 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 |
Geographies of the Bioeconomy | GEOG30030 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 |
Ice and Ocean in the Global Carbon Cycle | GEOG30014 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 |
Future Climates | GEOG30016 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 |
Migration and Development | GEOG30018 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 |
Urban Inequality | GEOG30044 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 |
Data Science for Geographers | GEOG30045 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 |
Rural Asia | GEOG30031 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 |
Life, Sex and Death in an Age of Capitalism | GEOG30035 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 |
Evolutionary Biogeography | GEOG30037 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 |
Drylands in a Changing World | GEOG30039 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 |
Environmental Risks and Disaster Risk Reduction | GEOG30041 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 |
Energy Geographies | GEOG30038 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 |
Geography (BSc) | 120 |
Unit Pass Mark for Undergraduate Programmes:
For details on the weightings for classifying undergraduate degrees, please see the Agreed Weightings, by Faculty, to be applied for the Purposes of Calculating the Final Programme Mark and Degree Classification in Undergraduate Programmes.
For detailed rules on progression please see the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes and the relevant faculty handbook.
Please refer to the specific progression/award requirements for programmes with a preliminary year of study, the Gateway programmes and International Foundation programmes.
All undergraduate degree programmes allow the opportunity for a student to exit from a programme with a Diploma or Certificate of Higher Education.
Integrated Master's degrees may also allow the opportunity for a student to exit from the programme with an equivalent Bachelor's degree where a student has achieved 360 credit points, of which 90 must be at level 6, and has successfully met any additional criteria as described in the programme specification.
The opportunities for a student to exit from one of the professional programmes in Veterinary Science, Medicine, and Dentistry with an Award is outlined in the relevant Programme Regulations (which are available as an annex in the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes).
An Ordinary degree can be awarded if a student has successfully completed at least 300 credits with a minimum of 60 credits at Level 6.
The pass mark for the professional programmes in Veterinary Science, Medicine and Dentistry is 50 out of 100. The classification of a degree in the professional programmes in Veterinary Science, Medicine, and Dentistry is provided in the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
The alternative classified honours degree of Science (Geography) (BSc) may be awarded on this programme. For further details please see the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes
Please note: This specification provides a concise summary of the main features of the programme and the learning outcomes that a typical student might reasonably be expected to achieve and demonstrate if he/she takes full advantage of the learning opportunities that are provided.
University of Bristol,
Senate House,
Tyndall Avenue,
Bristol, BS8 1TH, UK
Tel: +44 (0)117 928 9000