Geography and environmental science

• The discipline
• Major and minor sequences
  • First year
  • Second year
  • Third year
  • Honours (fourth-year level)

The discipline

The School of Geography and Environmental Science offers geography sequences in the faculties of Arts and Science. The school also offers a sequence permitting undergraduate specialisation in environmental science for the BA, BEnvSc and BSc degrees and in atmospheric science for the BEnvSc and BSc degrees. At postgraduate level, MA, MSc, MEnvSc and PhD degrees are offered, and there is an active involvement in other postgraduate programs.
The program has been adapted to suit local educational and vocational demands, but is otherwise fully representative of geography's international profile. Its goal is to develop a mature understanding of the following:

• the key characteristics of places
• the complex interdependence of human activities
• the roles of human agency in the transformation of the earth's surface
• the availability of a rich diversity of approaches to the accumulation of knowledge concerning the interrelationships of place, people and environment.

The contexts addressed encompass an array of cultures and environments in both hemispheres, and make frequent reference to Australian examples. Students are thereby encouraged to see that individual and collective responsibility for the environment can be expressed through an informed engagement with local, regional and global issues. The school contributes to interdisciplinary programs in Asian studies, Australian studies, development studies, environmental engineering, environmental science, atmospheric science, European studies and women's studies.
The term ´environment' is employed at every level in the geography curriculum. It subsumes the following:

• the notion of ´natural' environments unaltered by human activity
• human-modified environments representing profound alterations over vast areas of the globe and including, most notably, agricultural systems and rural settlement
• even more ´artificial' environments such as industrialised regions and urban areas.

Students are, therefore, expected to come to an appreciation of internal variations of landscape and activity within each of these categories. The material and concepts studied require critical evaluation across various spatial scales.
Geography requires students to develop the following useful capabilities:

• identification, description, measurement and classification of phenomena
• application of acquired knowledge to new situations
• formulation and testing of hypotheses, using qualitative and quantitative techniques as appropriate
• employment of effective modes of communication through participation in oral discussion sessions, the preparation of written reports, and data presentation
• critical explorations of attitudes, values and prejudices.

An appreciation of the importance of field and laboratory-based observations is required at all levels, especially in physical geography options. Computer techniques are considered highly relevant, from a minimum expectation of basic keyboarding to the integration of sophisticated analytical methods in later segments of the program.
Students may major in either the physical or human branches of geography, in a combination of the two, or in environmental science. Physical geography shares with other branches of the natural sciences an interest in the earth's atmosphere, vegetation cover and terrain. Human geography shares with other branches of the humanities and social sciences an interest in the ways in which human communities occupy, use and modify the earth's surface. It is recommended that students pursue studies in both branches, to take advantage of geography's invaluable role as a link between the arts and sciences.
Allowance is made throughout for the selection of individual courses which service broader campus programs, and for the formation of recognised sequences in geography and environmental science.
Those proceeding into the fourth or honours year have the further opportunity to consolidate their understanding of an area (or areas) of specialisation, while pursuing a research topic under expert supervision. Combined honours may be taken in the School of Geography and Environmental Science and another discipline provided that all honours requirements have been met in both disciplines and subject to the approval of the heads of both departments.
For postgraduate courses offered by the School of Geography and Environmental Science, refer to the graduate handbook.

Major and minor sequences

Specific prerequisites for each of the second and third-year options are noted in the individual subject descriptions. A first-year-level sequence followed by 12 points at second-year level forms a minor sequence. To convert a minor to a major sequence, a student must complete third-year-level subjects to the value of 24 points.

First year

Coordinator: Dr Stephen Legg
The primary objective of the first-year syllabus is to explore human impacts on the environment and to introduce key concepts in physical and human geography. No prior studies in geography are required to begin first-year study.
A first-year sequence in geography consists of two semester subjects. In first semester, students enrol in GES1000 (Natural environment and human impact). In second semester, they may choose either GES1020 (Australian physical environments: evolution, status and management) or GES1050 (The global challenge). Students planning a comprehensive introduction to geography may take all three subjects.
Students not wishing to complete a first-year sequence may take the first-semester subject, or one or both of the second-semester subjects.

• GES1000 Natural environment and human impact
• GES1020 Australian physical environment: evolution status and management
• GES1050 The global challenge

In addition, students who have undertaken first-level subjects BME1111 (Science culture and the concept of race, human origins and development) and BME1122 (Human affairs, health, illness and sexual difference) may be admitted to second-level geography, subject to permission of the head of school.

Second year

Coordinator: Dr Meredith Orr
The second-year syllabus permits students to select from a variety of systematic sub-disciplines. The satisfactory completion of a full minor sequence in geography (a first-year sequence plus 12 points at second year) equips students with an appreciation of the nature of the subject as a whole and with a knowledge of the fundamental contents and approaches contained within one or both of its human and physical branches. The following subjects will be offered in 2001:

• GES2130 Soils, land use and the environment
• GES2150 Coastal geomorphology and management
• GES2160 Coastal geomorphology and management (flexible delivery mode)
• GES2170 Biogeography -- the status of Australian vegetation
• GES2190 Climates of the earth boundary layer
• GES2210 Environmental hydrology
• GES2420 Environmental policy and management
• GES2490 Applied geography and field studies
• GES2660 Power and poverty: geographies of the third world
• GES2750 Cities and communities
• GES2760 Remapping cultural geographies

Third year

Coordinator: Associate Professor Nigel Tapper
At third-year level, majoring students elect to enrol in one or more of the main systematic fields which are intended to challenge them with appropriate advanced material and to intensify their familiarity with the purpose and practice of original research work. To obtain a major, students are required to complete 24 points at third-year level. The following subjects are available in 2001:

• GES3220 Ecotourism
• GES3230 Sustainable cities
• GES3350 Resource evaluation and management
• GES3360 Soils, landscape and their management
• GES3420 Research in human geography
• GES3470 Development and environment in Asia-Pacific and Australia
• GES3530 Landscape processes
• GES3570 Quaternary ecology and ecosystem management
• GES3610 Geographical information systems (GIS) for geodemographic, marketing and local government applications
• GES3810 Geographical information systems (GIS) for environmental management
• GES3820 Geographical information systems (GIS) for environmental management (flexible delivery mode)
• GES3850 The Australian atmospheric environment -- a synoptic-scale approach
• GES3860 Climate change and variability
• GES3880 Prehistoric people and environment

Honours (fourth-year level)

Coordinator: Associate Professor David Mercer
Mid-year entry is offered by this school. Combined honours may be taken in the School of Geography and Environmental Science and another discipline, provided that all honours requirements have been met in both disciplines and subject to the approval of the heads of departments.
The due date for the submission of final coursework and thesis is the last day of the final semester of the honours program (Friday 1 June in first semester 2001 and Friday 26 October in second semester 2001).
The school may grant an extension of time for submission of the honours thesis or for final coursework up to the last day of the examination period of the semester in which the work is due. Applications for extension beyond this date must be made to the Committee for Undergraduate Studies.
There are three different parts of the honours-year course:

• GES4820 Seminar in geography
• GES4840 Directed studies in geography
• GES4860 Honours thesis

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