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2016/17 Undergraduate Module Catalogue

GEOG2040 Inside European Cities

20 creditsClass Size: 100

Module manager: Dr Paul Waley (Belgrade)
Email: p.t.waley@leeds.ac.uk

Taught: Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) View Timetable

Year running 2016/17

This module is not approved as a discovery module

Module summary

This module offers students the opportunity to undertake a week of field work in one of three European cities: Belgrade, Helsinki, and Montpellier. This work includes both lecturer directed work and independent investigation in the field. The trips are prefaced by lecture sessions, both for the whole group and for each individual field trip. During these lectures important background and contextual information is provided so that students can relate what they find in the field to a broader context of change in contemporary Europe.

Objectives

On completion of the module, the student should have acquired:
i) an appreciation of the characteristics of the urban and regional environments of selected cities and regions in Europe and the geographical processes which underlie their development;
ii) an understanding of urban and regional policy measures in a European context;
iii) an appreciation of how local urban and regional characteristics are related to the wider context of the changing geographies of contemporary Europe and how they compare with those of the UK;
iv) skills in the identification, collection and representation of a variety of information and data sources;
v) an ability to undertake field research, plan projects and write reports to short deadlines;
vi) an understanding of the practical application of concepts and methods learnt in the classroom.

Learning outcomes
A Knowledge and Understanding
A1 The dynamic nature of geographical thought and practice and the inter-relationships between the discipline and the social sciences
A3 Patterns and processes of environmental change and their inter-relationships with human activities
A4 Spatial patterns and relationships in human phenomena at a variety of scales
A5 The geography of places and their constitution by environmental, economic, social and political processes, and the influence of places on these processes
A6 The geographies of difference and inequality with particular reference to historical development, ethnicity, class, gender and the changing nature of urban and regional economies and policy
A7 Contemporary debates about time-space relationships, globalization and global interconnections
A8 The role of changes in technology, the nature of work and labour markets in influencing spatial patterns of economic activity
A10 The contribution of geography to development of environmental political, economic and cultural agendas, policies and practices

Skills outcomes
Cognitive skills
Abstraction and synthesis of information from a variety of sources
Assessment and critical evaluation of the merits of contrasting theories, explanations, policies
Critical analysis and interpretation of data and text
Developing reasoned arguments
Solving problems and making reasoned decisions

Practical/professional skills
Plan, design, execute and report geographical research both individually and as part of a team
Undertake effective field work (with due regard for safety and risk assessment)
Collect, interpret and synthesise different types of quantitative and qualitative geographical data
Recognise the ethical issues involved in geographical debates and enquiries

Key skills
Learn in familiar and unfamiliar situations
Communicate effectively (in writing, verbally and through graphical presentations)
Use information technology effectively (including use of spreadsheet, database and word processing programmes; Internet and e-mail)
Identify, retrieve, sort and exchange geographical information using a wide

Syllabus

Lectures and student-centred learning together with one week of field work in a European city, covering the following themes:

1) Urban landscapes, politics and planning in Europe.
2) Urban, regional and rural economies and their changing place within national and European economies and systems.
3) Transport systems, land use patterns and environmental processes at a national and European level.
4) Processes of historical change as they have shaped national and European frameworks.
5) The shifting meanings of cities and regions in national and European border areas.
6) The impact on local geographies of social marginality, inward migration and ethnic and national status.

Students choose a field trip at the start of the academic year. It is generally possible to accommodate most students in their first choice destination.

Teaching methods

Delivery type	Number	Length hours	Student hours
Fieldwork	1	54.00	54.00
Lecture	7	2.00	14.00
Private study hours			132.00
Total Contact hours			68.00
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits)			200.00

Private study

Private study will take the following forms:
1) General reading to prepare for and supplement weekly lectures.
2) Reading to prepare for the field trip.
3) Reading to prepare, research and revise for the preliminary assessment and the post-trip report.

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

Through the preliminary assessment, which includes a field-trip specific worksheet, before departure and routine inspections of field notebooks and other work during the field trip.

Methods of assessment

Coursework

Assessment type	Notes	% of formal assessment
Written Work	Worksheet submitted prior to field trip	15.00
Report	2,500 word report or equivalent	60.00
Essay	1,500 words - submitted prior to field trip	25.00
Total percentage (Assessment Coursework)		100.00

Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated

Reading list

The reading list is available from the Library website

Last updated: 11/03/2016

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