Geography and International Development
(BA) Geography and International Development
Entry for 2024
FHEQ level
This course is set at Level 6 in the national Framework for Higher Education Qualifications.
Course Aims
A. To develop in Geography students:
1. The ability to describe and analyse, both spatially and environmentally, the characteristics of places and the interactions between them.
2. A firm understanding of how relationships and processes result in the observed characteristics of places.
3. A developed awareness of the myriad diversity of the earth's surface as a context for human habitation, economic production and social life.
4. And to provide the training and experience (e.g. field work, lab-based study, GIS etc.) needed to achieve the above.
B. The International Development component of programmes aims:
1. To equip students with a first degree level understanding of international development that is rooted in the disciplines of anthropology, international relations, geography, economics, sociology and history.
2. To gain an understanding of the history of international development, including its origins in colonialism; a knowledge of core theories of development (both orthodox and critical); and an understanding of current development practice and key contemporary issues.
3. To train students in a range of tools and skills with relevance to international development.
4. To provide an intellectual environment that encourages and supports student initiative with respect to engagement in contemporary development issues.
Course learning outcomes
1. Understand a) the nature of the relationships and processes (contemporary, historical, biophysical) that shape the human characteristics of places (e.g. demographic, economic, social, cultural, political...), and b) how places become differentiated from one another as reflected, for example, in patterns of wealth inequality at the international and sub-national scales.
2. Demonstrate the ability to apply this knowledge and understanding to contemporary problems such as those of third world underdevelopment, inter- and intra-national ethnic conflict, and urban social exclusion, and to the evaluation of policies designed to solve these problems.
3. Be able to explain the characteristics of specific places through reference to a body of locational and ecological concepts and theories using either a) locational analysis which focuses on the explanation of the spatial patterns of the phenomena being studied, or b) ecological analysis which focuses on the explanation of the in situ relationships between phenomena located at the same place.
4. Possess sufficient experience of the inter-relatedness of phenomena in geographical space to be able to visualise those phenomena as elements of either socio-spatial or socio-environmental systems.
5. Achieve a critical and self-reflexive understanding of human geography that a) incorporates an awareness of the situatedness of knowledge and the provisional status of accepted theory; b) recognises the significance of representations of people and places for an understanding of social and spatial behaviour; and yet c) develops the bases upon which competing ideas and theories about the nature
6. Interpret qualitative and quantitative geographical and environmental data, demonstrating numeracy, basic statistical skills, IT skills (e.g. spreadsheets, databases; word processing, email and www), and an ability to abstract and synthesise material from different sources.
7. Demonstrate a good knowledge of how maps are produced and used (cartographic skills).
8. Integrate the skills of the cartographer with those of the computer scientist, specifically to relate spatially-referenced data with place-attribute data through GIS (geographical information systems), remote sensing and related methods.
9. Demonstrate field investigation skills in both environmental and human geography (e.g. historical and contemporary human landscape evolution, land-use and built-form mapping and questionnaire surveys).
10. An understanding of theoretical debates in international development and their relevance for contemporary development practice.
11. An understanding of the historical, economic, social, environmental and cultural aspects of development.
12. A knowledge of practical and research skills in international development and the ability to apply these.
13. An understanding of key contemporary issues in international development.
14. An understanding of key development concepts.
15. Ability to communicate effectively with others and to present material both orally and in writing.
16. Ability to deploy a range of communication and information technology skills.
17. Ability to apply a range of skills in the retrieval and use of primary and secondary sources.
18. Ability to work together with others as well as independently, including to manage time effectively.
19. Ability to present concise and cogently structured arguments, both orally and in writing.
20. Ability to carry out critical analysis on complex issues related to the discipline.
Full-time course composition
Course convenors
Simon RycroftReader in Cultural Geography
About your joint honours course
ßÏßÏÊÓƵ has always promoted interdisciplinary study by encouraging students to combine different subjects and different approaches to learning. Joint-honours courses are an ideal option if you want to study more than one subject in depth. A key idea behind joint-honours is to experience the range of ways that different academic disciplines use to teach, learn and research. Those differences are stimulating and challenging, but they can also be confusing, so you will find some useful information below to help you get the most out of your course.
- To find information about the individual modules that make up your course, go to the school that teaches the module. Each module is assessed by the school that teaches it, so on their website you will find (under “student information”) information about the assessment criteria being used, the referencing style you need to use for your work, contact times for your tutors, information about the student reps scheme and lots of other useful information.
- To find general information about joint honours, use the Frequently Asked Questions list
- For information about the rules and regulations that govern all ßÏßÏÊÓƵ students, start with the general student handbook
- For help in improving your study skills, using the library and with careers, try the Skills Hub.
And if you have any other questions, contact the convenors for your course; they are here to help you.
Useful links
Please note that the University will use all reasonable endeavours to deliver courses and modules in accordance with the descriptions set out here. However, the University keeps its courses and modules under review with the aim of enhancing quality. Some changes may therefore be made to the form or content of courses or modules shown as part of the normal process of curriculum management.
The University reserves the right to make changes to the contents or methods of delivery of, or to discontinue, merge or combine modules, if such action is reasonably considered necessary by the University. If there are not sufficient student numbers to make a module viable, the University reserves the right to cancel such a module. If the University withdraws or discontinues a module, it will use its reasonable endeavours to provide a suitable alternative module.