6 points, SCA Band 1, 0.125 EFTSL
Undergraduate - Unit
Refer to the specific census and withdrawal dates for the semester(s) in which this unit is offered.
Faculty
Organisational Unit
South Africa School of Social Science
Coordinator(s)
Unit guides
Synopsis
This unit deals with the basic understanding of the landscape, vegetation and climate characteristics of the world as a foundation for more advanced study in geography and related disciplines. It explains patterns of landforms, soil, biota and climate throughout the earth's surface.
Outcomes
Upon satisfactory completion of the unit, students will be:
- Able to understand the major ideas concerning the evolution of the earth's landscape, its biota and climate patterns.
- Able to understand the present day distribution of the world's climate, biota, soils and landscapes with special emphasis on the African environment.
- Able to synthesise and interpret relevant material and to communicate ideas to others in a coherent manner, by either written or verbal means.
- Familiar and proficient with some simple techniques for analysing basic geographic and physical environmental information. eg. Air photo interpretation, Satellite Remote sensing, map interpretation, GIS and basic statistical techniques.
- Able to undertake an independent field study of the natural environment and understand the problems associated with making field measurements of natural phenomena.
Assessment
Within semester assessment: 50% + Exam: 50%
Workload requirements
Minimum total expected workload to achieve the learning outcomes for this unit is 144 hours per semester typically comprising a mixture of scheduled learning activities and independent study. A unit requires on average three/four hours of scheduled activities per week. Scheduled activities may include a combination of teacher directed learning, peer directed learning and online engagement.
See also Unit timetable information
Chief examiner(s)
This unit applies to the following area(s) of study
Prohibitions
ATS1308