GY100     
Introduction to Geography

This information is for the 2016/17 session.

Teacher responsible

Dr Claire Mercer STC418

Dr Michael Mason

Dr Nancy Holman

Alex Jaax

Availability

This course is compulsory on the BA in Geography, BSc in Environment and Development and BSc in Geography with Economics. This course is available on the BSc in Business Mathematics and Statistics and BSc in Social Policy. This course is available as an outside option to students on other programmes where regulations permit and to General Course students.

Course content

This course provides students with an introduction to Geography at LSE. In Michaelmas Term we will examine human geography's key concepts, including space, place, scale, landscape, nature, globalization, development, society and city. In the Lent Term the course will move on to introductory sections on environmental geography and economic geography. The environmental section will cover topics such as the anthropocene, nature and culture, and global and local environmental problems. The economic geography section will introduce students to the changing location of economic activity, inequalities within and between countries, regions and cities, and the rationale, objectives and tools of local and regional development policies in a globalizing world.

Teaching

20 hours of lectures and 10 hours of classes in the MT. 18 hours of lectures and 9 hours of classes in the LT. 1 hour of lectures in the ST.

Formative coursework

Students will be expected to produce 4 essays and 1 presentation in the MT and LT.

Indicative reading

Detailed reading-lists related to the different topics within the course will be provided at the start of the course. Clifford, N.J., S.L. Holloway, S.R. Rice and G. Valentine (eds) (2009) Key Concepts in Geography, 2nd Ed, Sage, London; Dicken, P. (2011) Global Shift: Mapping the Changing Contours of the World Economy 6th Edition  Sage Publications; W.E. Murray, Geographies of globalization, 2006; A Pike, A Rodríguez-Pose & J Tomaney Local and regional development, 2006; N. Castree (2014) Making Sense of Nature

Assessment

Exam (100%, duration: 3 hours) in the main exam period.

Student performance results

(2013/14 - 2015/16 combined)

Classification % of students
First 24.5
2:1 51.1
2:2 23.2
Third 0.9
Fail 0.4

Key facts

Department: Geography & Environment

Total students 2015/16: 73

Average class size 2015/16: 12

Capped 2015/16: No

Value: One Unit

Guidelines for interpreting course guide information

PDAM skills

  • Self-management
  • Team working
  • Problem solving
  • Communication
  • Specialist skills

Course survey results

(2013/14 - 2015/16 combined)

1 = "best" score, 5 = "worst" score

The scores below are average responses.

Response rate: 82%

Question

Average
response

Reading list (Q2.1)

2.1

Materials (Q2.3)

1.8

Course satisfied (Q2.4)

2.1

Lectures (Q2.5)

2

Integration (Q2.6)

1.9

Contact (Q2.7)

2.1

Feedback (Q2.8)

2.2

Recommend (Q2.9)

Yes

62%

Maybe

30%

No

8%