Programme Specification
BSc (Hons) Geography with Economics
Academic Year: 2014/15
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 full advantage is taken of the learning opportunities that are provided.
This specification applies to delivery of the programme in the Academic Year indicated above. Prospective students reviewing this information for a later year of study should be aware that these details are subject to change as outlined in our Terms and Conditions of Study.
This specification should be read in conjunction with:
- Reg. XX (Undergraduate Awards) (see University Regulations)
- Module Specifications
- Summary
- Aims
- Learning outcomes
- Structure
- Progression & weighting
Programme summary
Awarding body/institution | Loughborough University |
Teaching institution (if different) | |
Owning school/department | Department of Geography - pre 2018 |
Details of accreditation by a professional/statutory body | |
Final award | BSc (Hons)/BSc (Hons) + DPS/DIntS |
Programme title | Geography with Economics |
Programme code | GYUB02 |
Length of programme | The duration of the programme is normally six semesters (three years), or eight semesters (four years) for students who undertake an academic year abroad (Part I). For students entering from 2014/15, the opportunity to undertake professional training via an approved industrial/work placement (Part I) will be available. |
UCAS code | LL17 |
Admissions criteria | http://www.lboro.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/courses/departments/geography/geographywitheconomics/ |
Date at which the programme specification was published | Fri, 26 Sep 2014 11:38:30 BST |
1. Programme Aims
- to provide students with an intellectually-stimulating environment within which they can develop knowledge, understanding and skills in both geography and economics;
- to provide students with the opportunity to study a broad curriculum in both human and physical geography and in economics;
- to achieve, through the student learning process, a progressive improvement in academic performance over the degree programme;
- to enhance students’ career and employment prospects on graduating by developing a range of transferable skills embedded in the programme.
2. Relevant subject benchmark statements and other external reference points used to inform programme outcomes:
The Benchmark Statements for Geography and Economics
3. Programme Learning Outcomes
3.1 Knowledge and Understanding
On successful completion of this programme, students should be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:
- the potential applications of concepts within a broader critical framework;
- the main methodologies used in the analysis and interpretation of data;
- the idea of academic disciplines as dynamic, plural and contested; developed within the broader frameworks of the sciences and humanities;
and within the Geography portion of the programme:
- a range of environments, in the broadest sense, of environmental processes and the impacts of these processes on human activities and vice versa;
- the ways in which representations and interpretations of the world are socially-constructed, and the forms of geographical difference;
- the determinants of temporal and spatial variation in the physical, social, economic and political worlds; and the significance of spatial and temporal scale on physical processes, human processes and on their interactions;
- past patterns of environmental and social changes, and of the processes and conditions that have determined those changes, and the implications for the future;
and within the Economics portion of the programme:
- demonstrate the attributes of a graduate in terms of possessing transferable skills, and the ability to analyse fact and opinion based on the evaluation of evidence;
- communicate knowledge and analysis in an effective and objective manner;
- analyse issues of economic theory and policy using up-to-date models and techniques.
3.2 Skills and other attributes
a. Subject-specific cognitive skills:
On successful completion of this programme, students should be able to:
- Develop a reflexive approach to learning.
- Abstract and synthesise information.
- Assess the merits of contrasting theories, explanations and arguments.
- Critically evaluate and interpret a range of evidence, including data and text.
- Undertake problem-solving and decision-making.
- Develop a reasoned argument.
b. Subject-specific practical skills:
On successful completion of this programme, students should be able to
1. Combine and interpret different types of evidence including data and text.
2. Recognise and critically debate moral and ethical issues underpinning particular debates or enquiries.
3. Employ a range of survey skills for the collection of qualitative and quantitative data and to use appropriate methods for the analysis of these data.
4. Design and execute a piece of research and produce a report.
Additionally, within the Geography portion of the programme
5. Prepare effective maps and diagrams using a range of appropriate technologies.
6. Undertake safe and effective field and laboratory work.
c. Key transferable skills:
On successful completion of this programme, students should show competence in:
- Verbal and written communication skills.
- Numeracy and computational skills.
- Field and laboratory skills.
- Spatial awareness and observational skills.
- IT and information handling and retrieval.
- Independent study and group work.
- Time management.
4. Programme structure
Candidates must take a total modular weight of 120 in each Part with a minimum modular weight of 50 in each semester, taking into account both compulsory and optional modules. Individual modules taught and assessed over both semesters with a modular weight of 10 may count against either semester 1 or semester 2, depending on the balance of other modular weights between semesters. Where the modular weight of a module taught and assessed over both semesters is 20, this shall be split equally between semesters.
4.1 Part A - Introductory Modules
Semesters 1 and 2
(i) COMPULSORY MODULES (total modular weight 50)
Economics |
||
Code |
Title |
Modular Weight |
ECA001 |
Principles of Macroeconomics |
20 |
ECA002 |
Principles of Microeconomics |
20 |
Geography |
||
GYA106 |
Tutorials |
10 |
Semester 1
(i) COMPULSORY MODULES (total modular weight 30)
Geography |
||
GYA002 |
Geographies of Global Economic Change |
20 |
GYA006 |
Practising Geography – Residential Fieldcourse |
10 |
(ii) OPTIONAL MODULES
Candidates must choose a modular weight of 10 from optional Geography modules.
Geography |
||
GYA101 |
Earth System Science |
10 |
Semester 2
(i) COMPULSORY MODULE (total modular weight 30)
Geography |
||
GYA003 |
Quantitative Methods in Geography |
10 |
GYA102 |
Geographies of Identity |
20 |
(ii) OPTIONAL MODULES
Geography |
||
GYA110 |
Environmental Hazards: from mitigation to management |
10 |
4.2 Part B - Degree Modules
STUDENTS ENTERING BEFORE 2014/15:
Semesters 1 and 2
(i) COMPULSORY MODULES (total modular weight 40)
Economics (pre-2014/15 entry only) |
||
ECB036 |
Macroeconomics |
20 |
ECB037 |
Microeconomics |
20 |
(ii) OPTIONAL MODULES
Candidates must choose a combined modular weight of 80 from Geography modules over semesters 1 and 2, of which at least 40 must be from Group 1. Fieldcourse modules GYB328 and GYB901 in Group 2 are mutually exclusive. Geography modules listed are the same for pre-2014/15 & 2014/15 entry students.
STUDENTS ENTERING 2014/15 & BEYOND:
Semesters 1 and 2
(i) OPTIONAL MODULES
Candidates must choose a combined modular weight of 80 from Geography modules over semesters 1 and 2, of which at least 40 must be from Group 1. Fieldcourse modules GYB328 and GYB901 in Group 2 are mutually exclusive. For students entering from 2014/15 and beyond - in addition, candidates must choose a combined modular weight of 40 from Economics modules over semesters 1 and 2.
Economics (2014/15 entry only so for Part B in 2015/16) |
||
ECB003 |
Introduction to Econometrics |
20 |
ECB004 |
Introduction to Finance |
20 |
ECB005 |
International Economic Relations |
20 |
ECB015 |
Economics of the Financial System |
20 |
ECB030 |
Energy and the Environment |
20 |
Geography - Group 1 |
||
GYB210 |
Globalization |
20 |
GYB220 |
Geographies of Social Difference |
20 |
GYB230 |
Earth Surface Processes and Landforms |
20 |
GYB240 |
Environmental Systems and Resource Management |
20 |
Geography - Group 2 |
||
GYB327 |
Geographical Research: Design and Practice (pre-requisite for the dissertation) |
20 |
Semester 1
(i) OPTIONAL MODULES
Economics (2014/15 entry only so for Part B in 2015/16) |
||
ECB136 |
Transport Economics |
20 |
Geography - Group 2 |
||
GYB113 |
Geographies of Culture, Media and Representation |
10 |
GYB311 |
River Ecology |
10 |
GYB322 |
Lake System Dynamics |
10 |
GYB328 |
Physical Geography Fieldcourse |
20 |
GYB901 |
Human Geography Fieldcourse – Paris |
20 |
Semester 2
(i) OPTIONAL MODULES
Economics (2014/15 entry only so for Part B in 2015/16) |
||
ECB035 |
Economics of the Welfare State |
20 |
Geography - Group 2 |
||
GYB110 |
Sustainable Urban Geographies |
10 |
GYB201 |
Remote Sensing & GIS |
10 |
GYB308 |
Forest Ecology |
10 |
GYB320 |
Global Migration |
10 |
GYB400 |
Exploring the Ice Ages |
10 |
4.3 Part I
Four-year programme - During the year abroad, candidates may undertake either (i) an approved overseas placement as specified by, and subject to the approval of, the Department of Geography (GYI002); or (ii) an approved programme of study abroad as specified by, and subject to the approval of, the Department of Geography (GYI003).
Alternatively, candidates entering from 2014/15 on the 4-year programme undertaking professional training via an approved industrial/work placement will be registered on GYI004.
4.4 Part C - Degree Modules
Semesters 1 and 2
(i) OPTIONAL MODULES
Candidates must choose 40 modular weights from Economics modules over semesters 1 and 2 from remaining modules of the same title, not taken at Part B. In addition, candidates must choose 80 modular weights from Geography modules over semesters 1 and 2. GYC400 and GYC401 (instances 1 & 2) are mutually exclusive, as are fieldcourse modules GYC308, GYC903 and GYC908.
Economics |
||
ECC011 |
Introduction to Econometrics |
20 |
ECC012 |
Introduction to Finance |
20 |
ECC013 |
International Economic Relations |
20 |
ECC014 |
Economics of the Financial System |
20 |
ECC016 |
Energy and the Environment |
20 |
Geography |
||
GYC400 |
Dissertation |
30 |
The modular weight of GYC400 may be split between semesters in the ratio of either 20:10 or 10:20 depending on the balance of other modular weights selected.
Semester 1
(i) OPTIONAL MODULES
Economics |
||
ECC019 |
Transport Economics |
20 |
Geography |
||
GYC104 |
Quaternary Environments |
10 |
GYC107 |
Regional Geography of the UK |
20 |
GYC208 |
Aeolian Processes and Landforms |
20 |
GYC211 |
Snow, Ice and Environment |
10 |
GYC212 |
Globalised Urbanisation |
20 |
GYC214 |
Geographies of Children and Youth |
10 |
GYC309 |
Feminist Geographies of Home |
10 |
GYC315 |
Environmental Change and Ecological Response |
10 |
GYC401 |
Independent Geographical Essay (instance 1) |
20 |
GYC903 |
Alpine Studies Fieldcourse |
20 |
Semester 2
(i) OPTIONAL MODULES
Economics |
||
ECC017 |
Economics of the Welfare State |
20 |
Geography |
||
GYC108 |
Climate and Society |
20 |
GYC110 |
GIS Modelling and Flood Risk Management |
10 |
GYC200 |
Conservation: Principles and Practice |
10 |
GYC205 |
Central America: Dependency and Development |
10 |
GYC308 |
Global Cities Fieldcourse – New York |
20 |
GYC325 |
Geographies of Transnational Mobility and Diaspora |
20 |
GYC401 |
Independent Geographical Essay (instance 2) |
20 |
GYC908 |
Mediterranean Rural Spaces Fieldcourse |
20 |
5. Criteria for Progression and Degree Award
In order to progress from Part A to Part B, from Part B to C, and to be eligible for the award of an Honours degree, candidates must satisfy the minimum credit requirements set out in Regulation XX.
In accordance with Regulation XI, a Diploma in Professional Studies (DPS) will be awarded to candidates who have satisfactorily completed GYI002 or GYI004 in the programme of study required for Part I.
In accordance with Regulation XI, a Diploma in International Studies (DIntS) will be awarded to candidates who have satisfactorily completed GYI003 in the programme of study required for Part I.
Subject to the exception specified below, provision will be made in accordance with Regulation XX for candidates who have the right of re-assessment in any Part of the programme to undergo re-assessment in the University's Special Assessment Period (SAP).
Candidates who have accumulated fewer than 60 credits in any Part of the programme may not undergo re-assessment in the University’s SAP. Re-assessment in the SAP will also not be available for certain modules and this is indicated in individual module specifications.
6. Relative Weighting of Parts of the Programme for the Purposes of Final Degree Classification
Candidates' final degree classification will be determined on the basis of their performance in degree level Module Assessments in Parts B and C. The percentage mark for each Part will be combined in the ratio Part B 40% : Part C 60% to determine the final programme percentage mark.