BA Geography and Sociology

Year 2

(Award available for year: Diploma of Higher Education)

Learning outcomes

On completion of the programme students should have provided evidence of having:
- an detailed understanding of human social, economic, political and cultural systems from a spatial and/or environmental perspective;
- an understanding of geography's intellectual development and important theoretical perspectives applied in the study of space, place and the environment;
- a detailed appreciation of the practical contributions made by geographers to debates and policy on societal and environmental issues, and an understanding of their potential for continuing such contributions;
- the skills necessary to engage with ideas in the social sciences and humanities;
- skills in the use of geographical information systems, and the application of qualitative and quantitative analysis to geographical study;
- skills in teamwork, investigation, presentation and communication.

On completion of the year students should have provided evidence of being able to:
- demonstrate a broad understanding of the concepts, information, practical competencies and techniques which are standard features in sociology;
- apply generic and sociological qualities to standard situations outside the context in which they were originally studied;
- appreciate and employ the main methods of enquiry in Sociology and critically evaluate the appropriateness of different methods of enquiry;
- use a range of techniques to initiate and undertake the analysis of sociological data and information;
- adjust to the boundaries of Sociology as a discipline;
- effectively communicate information, arguments and analysis in a variety of forms.

Transferable (key) skills

Students will have had the opportunity to acquire, as defined in the modules specified for the programme:

- qualities and transferable skills necessary for employment related to human geography;
- skills necessary for the exercising of personal responsibility;
- decision making.

Students will have had the opportunity to practise as defined in the modules specified for the programme:
- qualities and transferable skills necessary for employment related to the subject area(s) studied;
- skills necessary for the exercising of personal responsibility;
- decision making.

Assessment

Achievement will be assessed by a variety of methods in accordance with the learning outcomes of the modules specified for the year/programme and will include:

- demonstrating the ability to apply a broad range of aspects/competencies of human geography to complex, albeit standard, situations and simple, albeit novel or atypical, instances;
- work that is often descriptive in nature but drawing on a wide variety of material;
- demonstrating basic professional competencies relevant to human geography;
- the ability to evaluate and criticise received opinion.

The learning context for this year/award will be simple if unpredictable and complex if predictable. The study will be structured within a framework of tasks that provide breadth of study and proficiency in the application of concepts and techniques.