Programme Specification
MSci (Hons) Geography
Academic Year: 2020/21
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 | School of Social Sciences and Humanities |
Details of accreditation by a professional/statutory body | This programme is accredited by the Committee of Heads of Environmental Sciences (CHES), the education committee of the Institution of Environmental Sciences (IES) and by the Royal Geographical Society with the Institute of British Geographers (RGS-IBG). |
Final award | MSci (Hons)/MSci (Hons) + DPS/DIntS |
Programme title | Geography |
Programme code | GYUM01 |
Length of programme | |
UCAS code | F840 / F84F |
Admissions criteria | MSci(Hons) - http://www.lboro.ac.uk/f840 MSci (Hons) + DPS/DIntS - http://www.lboro.ac.uk/f84f |
Date at which the programme specification was published | Fri, 22 Jan 2021 19:34:12 GMT |
1. Programme Aims
- To provide students with an intellectually-stimulating environment within which they can develop the skills to enable them to comprehend, interpret and analyse the physical world;
- To enable students to learn about the key concepts, theories and methods within the discipline of geography;
- To provide students with the opportunity to study a broad curriculum in physical geography;
- 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 Statement for Geography
- Framework for Higher Education Qualifications
- University’s Learning and Teaching Strategy
- School learning and teaching policies
- The research interests and specialisms of the teaching staff
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:
K1 a range of key environmental systems (including lakes, rivers and soils), environmental processes and the impacts of these processes on human activities and vice versa;
K2 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;
K3 past patterns of environmental and social change, and of the processes and conditions that have determined that change, and the implications for the future;
K4 the idea of Geography as dynamic, plural and contested; developed within the broader disciplinary frameworks of the natural and social sciences and the humanities;
K5 the potential applications of geographical concepts within a broader critical framework;
K6 the range of methods, tools and techniques available to collect, analyse and interpret environmental data for practical problem solving;
K7 how environmental data inform management of environmental systems.
3.2 Skills and other attributes
a. Subject-specific cognitive skills:
On successful completion of this programme, students should be able to:
C1 develop a reflexive approach to learning;
C2 abstract and synthesise information;
C3 critically assess theories and concepts pivotal to understanding environmental dynamics and systems;
C4 critically evaluate and interpret a range of evidence, including data and text;
C5 undertake problem-solving and decision-making;
C6 develop a reasoned argument;
C7 successfully complete an original piece of research on environmental dynamics, dovetailing both theoretical rigour and data analysis (Independent Research Project).
b. Subject-specific practical skills:
On successful completion of this programme, students should be able to:
P1 evaluate and interpret different types of geographical evidence;
P2 recognise and critically debate moral and ethical issues underpinning particular geographical debates or enquiries;
P3 undertake safe and effective field and laboratory work;
P4 understand the merits and limitations of different methods for the collection of quantitative and qualitative data relevant to geographical enquiry and use appropriate methods for the analysis of these data;
P5 prepare effective maps and diagrams using a range of appropriate software tools (e.g. SPSS, MATLAB, ArcGIS);
P6 design and execute a piece of research and produce a report;
P7 synthesise research results and, if appropriate, recommend management policy;
P8 interpret, write-up and present quantitative and qualitative data.
c. Key transferable skills:
On successful completion of this programme, students should demonstrate competence in:
T1 verbal and written communication skills, including assimilation and communication of material of a technical nature;
T2 problem-solving and analysis of numerical data from a variety of sources;
T3 field and laboratory skills, including evaluation of the risks involved in collecting and analysing environmental data and development of appropriate risk mitigation strategies;
T4 spatial awareness and observation skills;
T5 identification, retrieval, sorting and exchange relevant information from conventional and on-line sources;
T6 independent study and group work;
T7 time management;
T8 costing and planning the resource allocation for a research proposal.
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 module weight of a module taught and assessed over both semesters is 20 or 40, this shall be split equally between semesters.
4.1 Part A – Introductory Modules
Candidates must take all designated compulsory modules (combined weight of 120)
Semesters 1 and 2
COMPULSORY MODULES
Code |
Title |
Module Weight |
GYA106 |
Tutorials |
10 |
Semester 1
COMPULSORY MODULES
Code |
Title |
Module Weight |
GYA007 |
Cartography and Digital Mapping |
10 |
GYA008 |
Global Environmental Change at Local Scale |
10 |
GYA201 |
Earth System Science |
20 |
GYA206 |
Practising Physical Geography Residential Fieldcourse |
20 |
Semester 2
COMPULSORY MODULES
Code |
Title |
Module Weight |
GYA112 |
Environmental Hazards: from Mitigation to Management |
20 |
GYA203 |
Quantitative Methods in Physical Geography |
20 |
GYA210 |
Environmental Hazards: Measuring and Monitoring |
10 |
4.2 Part B – Degree Modules
Semesters 1 and 2
COMPULSORY MODULES
Code |
Title |
Module Weight |
GYB327 |
Geographical Research: Design and Practice |
20 |
GYB230 |
Earth Surface Processes and Landforms |
20 |
GYB240 |
Environmental Systems and Resource Management |
20 |
GYB201 |
Remote Sensing and Geographical Information Systems |
20 |
Semester 1
COMPULSORY MODULES
Code |
Title |
Module Weight |
GYB328 |
Physical Geography Fieldcourse |
20 |
OPTIONAL MODULES
Candidates must choose a total of 20 weight of optional modules across the year.
Candidates must have 120 weight of modules (compulsory plus optional) per Part, but may split them 60/60 or 70/50 across semesters. Candidates may take up to 20 credits of human geography modules or modules from other Departments/Schools with the approval of the Director of Studies.
Code |
Title |
Module Weight |
GYB311 |
River Ecology |
10 |
Semester 2
OPTIONAL MODULES
Code |
Title |
Module Weight |
GYB308 |
Forest Ecology |
10 |
GYB400 |
Exploring the Ice Ages |
10 |
4.3 Part I
Five year programme – Candidates registered on the five-year programme will undertake one of the following approved study and/or work placements leading to the Diploma in International Studies (DIntS) or Diploma in Professional Studies (DPS) in accordance with Regulation XI. Part I can only be included between Parts B and C.
Code |
Title |
GYI003 |
Diploma in International Studies (study abroad) |
GYI004 |
Diploma in Professional Studies (work placement) |
LAN900 |
Diploma in International Studies (overseas work placement in a foreign language) |
GYI100 |
Year in Enterprise (DPS) |
GYI200 |
Professional Training Placement & Overseas Study (DIntS) |
4.4 Part C – Degree Modules
Semesters 1 and 2
COMPULSORY MODULES
Code |
Title |
Module Weight |
GYC500 |
Geography Dissertation (40 credits) |
40 |
Semester 1 and 2
OPTIONAL MODULES
Code |
Title |
Module Weight |
GYC921 |
Physical Geography Fieldcourse (Year long) Sem 1: 10 credits; Sem 2: 10 credits |
20 |
Semester 1
OPTIONAL MODULES
Candidates must choose a total of 80 weight of optional modules across the year.
Candidates must have 120 weight of modules (compulsory plus optional) per Part, but may split them 50/70, 60/60 or 70/50 across semesters. Candidates may take up to 20 credits of human geography modules or modules from other Departments/Schools with the approval of the Director of Studies.
Code |
Title |
Module Weight |
GYC104 |
Glacial Environments and Landscapes |
10 |
GYC207 |
Aeolian Processes and Landforms |
10 |
GYC211 |
Snow, Ice and Society |
10 |
GYC305 |
Environmental Change and Ecological Response |
20 |
Semester 2
OPTIONAL MODULES
Code |
Title |
Module Weight |
GYC108 |
Climate and Society |
20 |
GYC110 |
GIS, Modelling and Flood Risk Management |
10 |
GYC200 |
Conservation: Principles and Practice |
10 |
4.5 Part D – Degree Modules
Semesters 1 and 2
COMPULSORY MODULES
Code |
Title |
Module Weight |
GYD500 |
Independent Research Project (Sem 1: 30 credits; Sem 2: 30 credits) |
60 |
GYD040 |
Research and Professional Practice (Sem 1: 10 credits; Sem 2: 5 credits) |
15 |
Semester 1
OPTIONAL MODULES
Candidates must choose a total of 45 weight of optional modules across the year. Candidates must have 120 weight of modules (compulsory plus optional) per Part, but may split them 55/65 or 70/50 across semesters.
Code |
Title |
Module Weight |
GYD042 |
GIS for Environmental Management |
15 |
GYD041 |
Lake Research and Management |
15 |
GYD043 |
Hydroclimatological Monitoring and Modelling |
15 |
Semester 2
OPTIONAL MODULES
Code |
Title |
Module Weight |
GYD044 |
Tools for River Research and Management | 15 |
GYD047 |
Environmental Monitoring of Wind |
15 |
GYD045 |
Research-Informed Environmental Management |
15 |
GYD046 |
Geospatial Risk Modelling fo Management |
15 |
Code |
Title |
Module Weight |
GYB328 |
Physical Geography Fieldcourse |
20
|
5. Criteria for Progression and Degree Award
In order to progress from Part A to Part B, from Part B to Part C, and from Part C to Part D, and to be eligible for the award of an Honours degree, candidates must not only satisfy the minimum credit requirements set out in Regulation XX, but also must achieve a Part Average mark of 55% or greater in Part B and a Part Average mark of 55% or greater in Part C.
Candidates who, after reassessment, fail to achieve a Part Average mark of 55% or greater at Part C will not progress to Part D, but may, at the discretion of the Examiners, be eligible for consideration for the award of BSc Geography with a classification based on the candidate’s performance in Parts B and C and determined on the basis of the Part weightings for the BSc programme (40:60).
Candidates who, after reassessment, fail to qualify for the award of Extended Honours Degree in Part D may, at the discretion of the Examiners, be awarded a BSc in Geography with a classification based on the candidate’s performance in Parts B and C and determined on the basis of the Part weightings for the BSc programme (40:60).
In exceptional circumstances, any candidate who, having successfully completed Part C, is unable to commence or complete Part D, may, at the discretion of the Programme Board, be awarded the degree of BSc in Geography with a classification corresponding to the candidate’s achievements in the Part B and Part C assessments and determined on the basis of the weightings given for the BSc programme.
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 and D. The percentage mark for each Part will be combined in the ratio Part B 20%: Part C 40%: Part D 40% to determine the final percentage mark.