GEOG 1104 - Intro to Geography, Environment & Population

North Terrace Campus - Semester 1 - 2022

The study of geography, population and environment tend to be treated quite separately, but there are strong and important relationships between them. This course focuses on these interactions and explores their implications for Australia's and the planet's future. Key geographical concepts such as space, place and the relationship between people and place are introduced. The contemporary dynamics of population growth, composition and spatial distribution are examined and analysed and the role environmental factors have had in shaping them is explored. Equally too, the impact of population on geographical environments is examined. The constraints that environmental factors, especially water, have placed on the development of the Australian population are investigated, along with the likely influence of future climate change. A particular focus is the changing spatial distribution of the population with issues like urbanisation, 'sea change' and rural depopulation and their inter-relationship with the environment being explored. An important focus is on internal and international migration's influence in changing the population size, structure and distribution and how it affects, and is affected by, the environment. Indigenous Australians and their special relationship with the environment is discussed separately. The course will give students a solid introductory grounding in the key concepts in and relationships between geography, environment and population.

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Course Details

Course Code	GEOG 1104
Course	Intro to Geography, Environment & Population
Coordinating Unit	Geography, Environment and Population
Term	Semester 1
Level	Undergraduate
Location/s	North Terrace Campus
Units	3
Contact	Up to 3 hours per week
Available for Study Abroad and Exchange	Y
Incompatible	GEST 1004
Assessment	Tutorial paper (15%), tutorial participation (10%), essay (35%), exam (40%)

Course Staff

Course Coordinator: Professor Melissa Nursey-Bray

Associate Professor Melissa Nursey-Bray

Course Timetable

The full timetable of all activities for this course can be accessed from Course Planner.

Two 1 hour lectures per week
1 hour tutorial

Course Learning Outcomes

1. Describe the scale, issues and nature of the relationship between population and environment.

2. Apply key geographical concepts and their relevance to the relationships between society and environment

3. Demonstrate how the spatial distribution of Australia’s population (urban, regional, rural) impacts on the environment and environment on population.

4. Ability to present and justify arguments using high quality written and verbal skills relevant to the workplace.

5. Employ interdisciplinary problem solving skills in the content of geography, environment and population.

6. Locate, read and summarise peer reviewed literature and apply to key geographical concepts.

University Graduate Attributes

This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attribute(s) specified below:

University Graduate Attribute	Course Learning Outcome(s)
Attribute 1: Deep discipline knowledge and intellectual breadth Graduates have comprehensive knowledge and understanding of their subject area, the ability to engage with different traditions of thought, and the ability to apply their knowledge in practice including in multi-disciplinary or multi-professional contexts.	1, 2, 3, 4
Attribute 2: Creative and critical thinking, and problem solving Graduates are effective problems-solvers, able to apply critical, creative and evidence-based thinking to conceive innovative responses to future challenges.	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
Attribute 3: Teamwork and communication skills Graduates convey ideas and information effectively to a range of audiences for a variety of purposes and contribute in a positive and collaborative manner to achieving common goals.	4, 5,6
Attribute 4: Professionalism and leadership readiness Graduates engage in professional behaviour and have the potential to be entrepreneurial and take leadership roles in their chosen occupations or careers and communities.	1-6
Attribute 5: Intercultural and ethical competency Graduates are responsible and effective global citizens whose personal values and practices are consistent with their roles as responsible members of society.	1, 3, 4,5, 6
Attribute 6: Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural competency Graduates have an understanding of, and respect for, Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander values, culture and knowledge.	3, 5, 6
Attribute 7: Digital capabilities Graduates are well prepared for living, learning and working in a digital society.	4, 5, 6
Attribute 8: Self-awareness and emotional intelligence Graduates are self-aware and reflective; they are flexible and resilient and have the capacity to accept and give constructive feedback; they act with integrity and take responsibility for their actions.	1, 2, 3,4 ,5 ,6

Learning Resources

Required Resources

There is no prescribed text for this course. However data sources and literature have been compiled and are available on MyUni for easy student access.

Recommended Resources

Prescribed reading and access to computer so can link to websites

Online Learning

MYUNI will be used for course-related announcements, emails, information about weekly tutorial assignments and readings. Major essay topics set readings and essay writing guide.

Learning & Teaching Modes

Lectures followed up by tutorials on related topics providing readings as specified. Topics coincide with GEP Lecturers who teach specific modules in the course to showcase their specialities and the davanced courses they teach.

Workload

The information below is provided as a guide to assist students in engaging appropriately with the course requirements.

2 x 1-hour lectures (or equivalent) per week	24 hours per semester
1 x 1-hour tutorial (or equivalent) per week	12 hours per semester
6 hours exam and assignment preparation per week	72 hours per semester
4 hours reading/research per week	48 hours per semester
TOTAL WORKLOAD	156 hours per semester

Learning Activities Summary

Lecture Topics

What is geography and course introduction

Key issues - sustainable populations and biodiversity

Global Population Transition: Key Concepts and Trends

Key concepts – Scale, Place, Space

Skills lecture: how to write an essay

Culture, population and environment

Environment and Physical Geography

The Built environment – Jennifer

Climate Change and Population Mobility in the Asia-Pacific Region

Australia’s Demographic Trends and environmental challenges

Migration and Urbanisation in China

Skills lectures – what constitutes a good exam answer and content revision

Change and scale

Change and sustainability

Interconnection bringing it all together

How to develop a poster

Posters- bringing it all together

Specific Course Requirements

Students are advised to attend lectures and the tutorials each week that follow each of the modules.
Set work for assessment plus exam

The University's policy on Assessment for Coursework Programs is based on the following four principles:

Assessment must encourage and reinforce learning.
Assessment must enable robust and fair judgements about student performance.
Assessment practices must be fair and equitable to students and give them the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned.
Assessment must maintain academic standards.

Assessment Summary

The assessments for this course are designed to ensure students can demonstrate their learning of the key issues and concepts, but also that they build their skills in certain modes of assessment. These skills include: (i) written skills (assessment 1), (ii) content learning and research (assessment 2), verbal, oral and aural skills (ongoing tute and SGDE assessment) and digital media and synthesis skills (Assessment 3 - Poster).

Students will be offered the opportunity to have formative feedback on their assessments followed by the chance to amend/revise prior to final submission, and a skills lecture/session will be conducted for every piece of assessment so students know/are clear on what is expected by the Coordinator, and also what is considered high quality work and what would be considered poor quality. This will help students do their best work.

Assessment 1: Annotated Bibliography of a particular concept: 25%,

Assessment 2: Issues Journal: 45 %

Assessment 3: Poster Presentation: 20 %

Assessment 4: Tutorial Attendance and participation: 10%

Assessment Related Requirements

Attendance and participation in tutorials is compulsory.

Assessment Detail

This information is to be provided with the course profile provided in the MYUNI site

Submission

Online submission on MyUni -Information available upon enrolment.

Course Grading

Grades for your performance in this course will be awarded in accordance with the following scheme:

M10 (Coursework Mark Scheme)
Grade	Mark	Description
FNS		Fail No Submission
F	1-49	Fail
P	50-64	Pass
C	65-74	Credit
D	75-84	Distinction
HD	85-100	High Distinction
CN		Continuing
NFE		No Formal Examination
RP		Result Pending

Further details of the grades/results can be obtained from Examinations.

Grade Descriptors are available which provide a general guide to the standard of work that is expected at each grade level. More information at Assessment for Coursework Programs.

Final results for this course will be made available through Access Adelaide.

Student Feedback

The University places a high priority on approaches to learning and teaching that enhance the student experience. Feedback is sought from students in a variety of ways including on-going engagement with staff, the use of online discussion boards and the use of Student Experience of Learning and Teaching (SELT) surveys as well as GOS surveys and Program reviews.

SELTs are an important source of information to inform individual teaching practice, decisions about teaching duties, and course and program curriculum design. They enable the University to assess how effectively its learning environments and teaching practices facilitate student engagement and learning outcomes. Under the current SELT Policy (http://www.adelaide.edu.au/policies/101/) course SELTs are mandated and must be conducted at the conclusion of each term/semester/trimester for every course offering. Feedback on issues raised through course SELT surveys is made available to enrolled students through various resources (e.g. MyUni). In addition aggregated course SELT data is available.
Student Support
Policies & Guidelines
This section contains links to relevant assessment-related policies and guidelines - all university policies.
Fraud Awareness

Students are reminded that in order to maintain the academic integrity of all programs and courses, the university has a zero-tolerance approach to students offering money or significant value goods or services to any staff member who is involved in their teaching or assessment. Students offering lecturers or tutors or professional staff anything more than a small token of appreciation is totally unacceptable, in any circumstances. Staff members are obliged to report all such incidents to their supervisor/manager, who will refer them for action under the university's student’s disciplinary procedures.

The University of Adelaide is committed to regular reviews of the courses and programs it offers to students. The University of Adelaide therefore reserves the right to discontinue or vary programs and courses without notice. Please read the important information contained in the disclaimer.

Authorised by:	Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President (Academic)
Maintained by:	Course Outlines Administrator