Geography BA/BSc

Changing the world for the better requires knowledge, skills, experience and confidence.  This module focuses on teaching you the academic skills to acquire and communicate that knowledge and experience.  Core to this module is a week-long intensive ‘change lab’ during which you will research a Chester-based sustainability ‘problem’, with the aim of proposing implementable solutions.

This module introduces themes in global hazards and risk to develop understanding of the relationship between hazard, risk, vulnerability, and resilience in extremely destructive, and complex, disaster situations. The module follows the core principles of disaster risk management such as the disaster management cycle and engages students in activities which brings words to action live in their learning journey.

‘Earth and Environment’ introduces a range of key processes occurring within the natural environment, using an Earth systems approach. You will explore how these systems are influenced by natural- and human- induced environmental changes, and linkages between major components of the Earth System are examined in the context of contemporary climate change.

‘People and Places’ introduces you to critical concepts and issues of interest to human geographers and explores different ways people’s relationships to places can be understood. Throughout the module, you will use various evidence forms to consider multi-scalar relationships, including local examples of global phenomena, through issues such as social exclusion, urbanisation, nationalism, and globalisation.

This module introduces key research skills through application to selected geographical areas. Integrating core skills into field-based research, the module incorporates: project design; primary data collection techniques; ethical review and risk assessment; quantitative and/or qualitative data analysis (depending on the project chosen); laboratory methods; team-work and communication skills. 

This module explores the complex and often contested definitions of sustainability, development, and sustainable development, exploring how these concepts are understood and applied in diverse contexts. It addresses some of the most urgent global challenges and risks associated with sustainable development, encouraging students to consider how these issues impact societies worldwide.

This module enables students with A-Level German or equivalent to further develop their grammar, vocabulary and expression and apply these to real world situations.You will work with written and recorded texts on a range of cultural, personal and social topics and will develop your oral and written communication skills at Post-A level.

This module is designed for students that have completed A-Level or equivalent in French. You will further develop your grammar, vocabulary and expression and apply these to real world situations. You will work with written and recorded texts on a range of cultural, personal and social topics and will develop your oral and written communication skills at Post-A level.

This module is designed for students that have completed a A-Level or equivalent in Spanish. You will further develop your grammar, vocabulary and expression and apply these to real world situations. You will work with written and recorded texts on a range of cultural, personal and social topics and will develop oral and written communication skills at Post-A level.

This module is designed for students who have completed GCSE in Chinese or equivalent. You will further develop your grammar, vocabulary and learning conventions for spelling and pronunciation. You will work with written and recorded texts on a range of cultural, personal and social topics and will develop oral and written communication skills at an intermediate level.

This module is designed for students who have completed GCSE or equivalent in French. You will further develop your grammar, vocabulary and learning conventions for spelling and pronunciation. You will work with written and recorded texts on a range of cultural, personal and social topics and will develop oral and written communication skills at an intermediate level.

This module is designed for students that have completed GCSE or equivalent in Spanish. You will further develop your grammar, vocabulary and learning conventions for spelling and pronunciation. You will work with written and recorded texts on a range of cultural, personal and social topics and will develop oral and written communication skills at an intermediate level.

This module provides the opportunity to study a new language from scratch and introduces you to basic grammar, vocabulary and cultural contexts. You will apply the language to practical situations using both oral and written skills. 

This module provides you with a thorough grounding in geographical research theory and methods, and teaches core principles of research design. Social research methods covered include: quantitative surveys; qualitative interviews, focus groups and observational methods. Physical research methods cover: physical experiments, quantitative field surveying and sampling techniques and statistical analysis methods. All students complete research training in GIS, and apply the sum total of their learning to an assessed research project proposal.

In this module, you will explore different people’s perspectives and lived experiences in relation to the key themes of space, place, and identity.  The module focuses upon individuals, particularly upon identity and the way this manifests itself spatially.  Different elements of identity are considered from different cultures and knowledge systems, recognising how these diverse perspectives frame world views.  Key themes include the ways in which spaces are used by social groups to include some and exclude others in different cultures; the relationship between place and identity; and social and spatial segregation.  

This module considers how geopolitics comprises and produces a wide range of local-level effects. You’ll consider what is meant by 'geopolitics', consider whose 'voices' tend to be missing from geopolitical accounts and explore the implications of this for global equity. You will also look at how geopolitics shapes how national security is played out locally and globally, how geopolitics is communicated via the media and popular culture, including film and video games, and how those narratives shape how we - as the global public - think about and respond to global geopolitical events.

This module examines environmental change over a range of spatial and temporal scales. Specific themes explored in detail are: (i) environmental change over short spatial and temporal scales, with a particular focus on soil, vegetation and microclimate development and interactions; (ii) environmental change over longer (multi-millennial) temporal scales, specifically system response to natural and anthropogenic forcing. 

This module introduces key concepts of geomorphology and hazard processes and examines spatial and temporal variability in Earth processes and landforms.  You will explore selected themes in physical geography, such as glacial, fluvial, coastal and volcanic environments, developing an understanding of Earth surface processes, resulting landforms and associated hazards. You’ll develop critical insight into the nature and causes of change within these environments, in particular the impacts of natural hazards, climate change and human activity.

In this module you have the opportunity to develop your skills in independent project management, research and analysis, and professional (spoken and written) communication.  You will work at the intersection of academic research and applied practice by conducting research and/or public engagement work in collaboration with academic staff and external partners.  You will be able to select from projects aligned with their interests in human geography, physical geography or natural hazard management. 

This module provides a structured, university-level work placement for 4, 5 or 7 weeks as one continuous block / period with a placement provider (i.e. a local employer from the private, public, or charitable sector). It is designed to enhance your professional skills in a real-world job setting.

The placement can either be organised by you or with support from university staff.

All work placements within this module must be university-level; this means:

• Undertaking high-skilled work commensurate with level 5 study (e.g. report writing, attending meetings, delivering presentations, producing spreadsheets, writing content on webpages, social media, marketing services/products etc)
• Physically placed (albeit part of it can be hybrid) within an employer setting in one continuous block / period for 4, 5 or 7 weeks for a minimum of 140-147 hours over the course of the entire work placement
• Where applicable, your existing part-time employer can be approached/used as the placement provider, if the high-skilled work criterion above is fulfilled for the full duration of the placement.
• All quality assurances/agreements provided by the University are adhered to, by you and the employer.

The work placement context may not necessarily, reflect your degree discipline per se, but rather, it will give you an enriched experience to enhance your professional skills in a real-world job setting.

The module will provide the opportunity to further develop your language skills, building on your previous learning at advanced level. The second half of the module includes a placement abroad or, alternatively, a project on a sustainability issue in a target language country. The first half of the module will prepare you for placements abroad where appropriate as well as a deeper understanding of sustainability in target language contexts. Students of more than one language may take one language in the first half of the module and spend their time abroad developing a different language. 

The module will provide the opportunity to further develop your language skills, building on your previous learning at beginner level. The first half of the module includes intensive taught sessions in interactive workshop mode which will prepare you for placements abroad or self-directed language development. The second half of the module includes a placement abroad or, alternatively, a project on a cultural issue in a target language country. Students of more than one language may take one language in the first half of the module and spend their time abroad developing a different language. 

The module will provide the opportunity to further develop your language skills, building on your previous learning at intermediate level. The first half of the module includes intensive taught sessions in interactive workshop mode which will prepare you for placements abroad or self-directed language development. The second half of the module includes an placement abroad or, alternatively, a project on a business or tourism issue in a target language country. Students of more than one language may take one language in the first half of the module and spend their time abroad developing a different language. 

• The multiple facets of global citizenship
• Ethical engagement and practice
• The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
• Cross-cultural issues and sensitivity
• Intercultural communication
• Culture shock
• Cultural adjustment
• Self- assessment of needs: identification of the range of transferable skills, competencies and attitudes employees need and employers expect graduates to possess-with a strong focus on understanding the intercultural competencies (ICC) needed to live and work abroad.
• Critical analysis/evaluation of individual requirements in relation to culture/cultural adjustment/culture shock/visas/medical.
• Critical analysis/evaluation of skills already acquired in relation to key skills related to ICC.
• Devising strategies to improve one’s own prospects of working abroad in the future.
• Devising an action plan to address gaps in transferable skills based on organisational analysis and sector opportunities.

Part A:      

Preparation for Experiential Overseas Learning will take place at the University of Chester during level 5 and will include:  

• The multiple facets of Global citizenship
• Ethical engagement and practice
• Cross-cultural issues and sensitivity
• Intercultural communication

Theories, models and strategies of learning

• Theories and models Intercultural competence
• Theories and models of Integration and Multiculturalism
• Critical thinking skills and models of Reflection

• Experiential learning models
• Self-directed experiential learning

Personal and placement-related skills

• Enhanced independence
• Improved command of multicultural behaviour
• Increased knowledge and confidence in their individual facets of personal identity
• Effective time management and organisational skills
• Project management – working away from University and independent study
• Self-management and personal development
• Team building and team work

Part B:            Overseas

Students will engage in experiential learning activities overseas for at least 150 hours 

The year-long experiential content is freely structured and determined by negotiation between the student, UoC placement supervisor and host organisation placement supervisor. It is informed by the module’s overarching aims and module competencies and by the objective of optimising added value for both the host organisation and the student experience (including graduate outcomes). 

A mid-placement workshop, usually held in Chester in February, will enable peer to peer sharing of experiential learning feedback and allow an analysis of the range of skills and benefits derived from the placement.  The workshop will also support students’ development of their learning portfolio, and provide an opportunity to access an overview of final year module options ahead of L6 module selection.  In-person and online participation in the mid-placement workshop will be enabled.

All students will engage in the drawing up of a learning agreement on acceptance of the placement that will cover a contact plan and agreed learning outcomes with their designated academic tutor and placement supervisor.

Preparation for the year abroad will take place in Chester during level 5 and will include:

• Cross-cultural issues and sensitivity
• Host-country orientation, study methods– economic, political and social reality of the country
• Orientation specific to exchange – health, education, gender issues
• The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
• Practical matters relating to living and studying in the wider world

Theories, models and strategies of learning

• Critical thinking skills, experiential learning and models of reflection

Personal and placement-related transversal skills

• Effective self-motivation and independent resourcefulness
• Effective time management and organisational skills
• Project management – working away from University and independent study
• Self-management and personal development

Whilst abroad:

You will undertake study at one of the University of Chester's partner universities or undertake and approved work placement or virtual placement. If you are a student,  it is expected that you will choose a series of modules at the university abroad which must be agreed by the host institution and the Module Leader. you must supply details of you modules on a learning agreement within 4 weeks of arrival at the host university.

The dissertation module facilitates the execution of a piece of independent research and the production of a research thesis. In this module you are supported throughout by your dissertation supervisor, alongside a range of lectures and activities on key aspects of research, including: health, safety and ethics in research; identifying and formulating research aims and objectives; searching for relevant literature and writing the literature review; creating a rationale for the research; primary and secondary data collection techniques; mapping; statistical analysis; writing and presenting the dissertation report.

This module provides you with the opportunity to conduct primary field research to extend their skills in project design and management, team-work, data collection and analysis. You will work on projects and in field locations suited to your chosen course/pathway, enabling you to pursue your individual interests.  Overseas residential and UK-based non-residential options are available.

Geospatial Data Science develops advanced skills for handling, analysing and visualising geospatial data including the use of geographical information systems, remotely sensed data, scripting and programming and an understanding of data quality issues and metadata. It builds upon skills developed during the ‘Geographical Research: Methods and Geomatics’ module at Level 5 and provides skills highly sought after by employers.

Exclusion underpins many experiences of migrants and refugees throughout the world.  This module seeks to analyse exclusion to understand the factors preventing migrants from having a socially-just experience.  Exclusion and inclusion may be social, political, economic and cultural.  The extent to which these different types of exclusion are experienced varies between places and people according to social factors such as age, gender, ethnicity, immigration status, education background, etc. This module is built on three core themes: debating laws and policy, lived experiences, and popular representation.  

This module focuses on developing understanding of past, contemporary and future climate. A series of sessions explores palaeoclimate, focusing on the Late Quaternary period, and the techniques used to reconstruct records of climate and environmental change. You will gain first-hand experience of analysing and interpreting an unpublished multi-proxy dataset to reconstruct Holocene sub-arctic climate variability. This is accompanied by a strand of specialist lectures and seminars which explore the mechanisms and potential impacts of contemporary and future climate change. We reflect on recent climate summits and international reports and discuss possible strategies for climate change mitigation and adaptation.

This module provides you with the opportunity to deepen your understanding of the management of river and coastal landscapes. It will examine the complexities of managing natural environments from a scientific and stakeholder-based perspective. The content will include river and coastal flood and erosion management (including natural flood management) in conjunction with the challenges of managing water bodies for the benefit of multiple users (water resources, flood management, and the natural environment). The content of this module is both highly topical and relevant to a wide range of careers in the water and environmental management industry.

Sustainable Futures develops your understanding of contemporary theorisations of sustainability challenges and solutions. It fosters critical perspectives on ‘sustainability’ in industry, government, community and individual contexts through lecture bites, discussion and workshop activities. Project work with external collaborators enables 'real world' application of these ideas, building transferrable skills for graduate careers.

Structure follows that of parent BA/BSc Geography course.  The pathway is determined by the selection of the human geography modules at L5 and L6. 

Language options at Level 4

Students can take a language option during either or both of Level 4 and Level 5. At Level 4, in the spring term, a student can take a 20-credit optional language module.

Level 5

In the spring term students will choose between:

• Subject-based experiential learning module (40 credits);
• Professional work placement (SH5991)(40 credits);
• Language option (see conditions)(40 credits);
• A term abroad (40 credits).

Language options at Level 5

Students can take a language option during either or both of Level 4 and Level 5. At Level 5, in the spring term, a student may:

• If they took the language option at Level 4, take a 40-credit optional language module (which includes either a placement abroad or experiential learning delivered at the University); or
• If they did not take the language option at Level 4, providing that they can satisfy the eligibility requirements outlined on the module descriptor (normally a Level 2 qualification in the relevant language), take a 40-credit optional language module which includes either a placement abroad or experiential learning delivered at the University.

Experiential learning and Work based learning at Level 5

In the spring term, students who are not taking a language option or spending a term abroad, must undertake a professional work placement or an experiential learning activity contained in a 40-credit module. 

A term or year abroad

• At Level 5, students studying on courses can apply to spend the spring term at a recognised overseas institution where there is a bilateral agreement with the University. Students who successfully apply to spend a term abroad will be registered on a 40-credit module (UO5201).
• Students may also apply to spend the year following Level 5 at a recognised overseas institution where there is a bilateral agreement with the University. Students who successfully apply to spend a year abroad will be registered on a 120-credit module (UO5301) which will be assessed in a way appropriate to the discipline on a pass/fail basis. Students who complete the module successfully will receive an additional certificate upon graduating. Failure of this module has no bearing on a student’s eligibility to progress to Level 6.

A year in industry

Students on all Geography pathways can alternatively opt to spend a year in industry.  This is a year-long work placement that can be taken in addition to the Work Placement module at the end of Level 5.  Students source their own placement, with guidance from academic staff, and complete assessment focused on their skills development over the course of the year.  

Structure follows that of parent BA/BSc Geography course.  The pathway is determined by the selection of the physical geography modules at L5 and L6. 

Language options at Level 4

Students can take a language option during either or both of Level 4 and Level 5. At Level 4, in the spring term, a student can take a 20-credit optional language module.

Level 5

In the spring term students will choose between:

• Subject-based experiential learning module (HU5992) (40 credits);
• Professional work placement (SH5991)(40 credits);
• Language option (see conditions)(40 credits);
• A term abroad (40 credits).

Language options at Level 5

Students can take a language option during either or both of Level 4 and Level 5. At Level 5, in the spring term, a student may:

• If they took the language option at Level 4, take a 40-credit optional language module (which includes either a placement abroad or experiential learning delivered at the University); or
• If they did not take the language option at Level 4, providing that they can satisfy the eligibility requirements outlined on the module descriptor (normally a Level 2 qualification in the relevant language), take a 40-credit optional language module which includes either a placement abroad or experiential learning delivered at the University.

Experiential learning and Work based learning at Level 5

In the spring term, students who are not taking a language option or spending a term abroad, must undertake a professional work placement or an experiential learning activity contained in a 40-credit module. 

A term or year abroad

• At Level 5, students studying on courses can apply to spend the spring term at a recognised overseas institution where there is a bilateral agreement with the University. Students who successfully apply to spend a term abroad will be registered on a 40-credit module (UO5201).
• Students may also apply to spend the year following Level 5 at a recognised overseas institution where there is a bilateral agreement with the University. Students who successfully apply to spend a year abroad will be registered on a 120-credit module (UO5301) which will be assessed in a way appropriate to the discipline on a pass/fail basis. Students who complete the module successfully will receive an additional certificate upon graduating. Failure of this module has no bearing on a student’s eligibility to progress to Level 6.

A year in industry

Students on all Geography pathways can alternatively opt to spend a year in industry.  This is a year-long work placement that can be taken in addition to the Work Placement module at the end of Level 5.  Students source their own placement, with guidance from academic staff, and complete assessment focused on their skills development over the course of the year.  

Structure follows that of parent BA/BSc Geography course.  The pathway is determined by the selection of the physical geography modules at L5 and L6. 

Language options at Level 4

Students can take a language option during either or both of Level 4 and Level 5. At Level 4, in the spring term, a student can take a 20-credit optional language module.

Level 5

In the spring term students will choose between:

• Subject-based experiential learning module (HU5992) (40 credits);
• Professional work placement (SH5991)(40 credits);
• Language option (see conditions)(40 credits);
• A term abroad (40 credits).

Language options at Level 5

Students can take a language option during either or both of Level 4 and Level 5. At Level 5, in the spring term, a student may:

• If they took the language option at Level 4, take a 40-credit optional language module (which includes either a placement abroad or experiential learning delivered at the University); or
• If they did not take the language option at Level 4, providing that they can satisfy the eligibility requirements outlined on the module descriptor (normally a Level 2 qualification in the relevant language), take a 40-credit optional language module which includes either a placement abroad or experiential learning delivered at the University.

Experiential learning and Work based learning at Level 5

In the spring term, students who are not taking a language option or spending a term abroad, must undertake a professional work placement or an experiential learning activity contained in a 40-credit module. 

A term or year abroad

• At Level 5, students studying on courses can apply to spend the spring term at a recognised overseas institution where there is a bilateral agreement with the University. Students who successfully apply to spend a term abroad will be registered on a 40-credit module (UO5201).
• Students may also apply to spend the year following Level 5 at a recognised overseas institution where there is a bilateral agreement with the University. Students who successfully apply to spend a year abroad will be registered on a 120-credit module (UO5301) which will be assessed in a way appropriate to the discipline on a pass/fail basis. Students who complete the module successfully will receive an additional certificate upon graduating. Failure of this module has no bearing on a student’s eligibility to progress to Level 6.

A year in industry

Students on all Geography pathways can alternatively opt to spend a year in industry.  This is a year-long work placement that can be taken in addition to the Work Placement module at the end of Level 5.  Students source their own placement, with guidance from academic staff, and complete assessment focused on their skills development over the course of the year.