GY100
Introduction to Geography
This information is for the 2020/21 session.
Teacher responsible
This course will be taught by Dr Jessie Speer, Dr Murray Low, Dr Niranjana Ramesh, Dr Jayaraj Sundaresan and Professor Riccardo Crescenzi
Availability
This course is compulsory on the BA in Geography, BSc in Economic History and Geography, BSc in Environment and Development and BSc in Geography with Economics. This course is available on the BA in Social Anthropology and BSc in Social Anthropology. 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, landscape, nature, globalization, mobility, 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 trace how geography as a discipline has approached nature-society relationships, covering topics such as, the anthropocene, socio-materiality, wilderness, urban nature, and local and global environmental movements. 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
In the Department of Geography and Environment, teaching will be delivered through a combination of classes/seminars, pre-recorded lectures, live online lectures, in-person lectures and other supplementary interactive live activities.
This course is delivered through a combination of classes and lectures across Michaelmas Term and Lent Term.
This course includes a reading week in Week 6 of Michaelmas Term and Week 6 of Lent Term
Formative coursework
Students will be expected to produce 2 essays 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. General useful texts include 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; Pike A., A. Rodriguez-Pose and J. Tomaney (2017) Local and regional development. London: Routledge; N. Castree (2014) Making Sense of Nature
Assessment
Exam (100%, duration: 3 hours) in the summer exam period.
Student performance results
(2017/18 - 2019/20 combined)
| Classification | % of students |
|---|---|
| First | 21.9 |
| 2:1 | 62.3 |
| 2:2 | 14.4 |
| Third | 0.5 |
| Fail | 0.9 |
Important information in response to COVID-19
Please note that during 2020/21 academic year some variation to teaching and learning activities may be required to respond to changes in public health advice and/or to account for the situation of students in attendance on campus and those studying online during the early part of the academic year. For assessment, this may involve changes to mode of delivery and/or the format or weighting of assessments. Changes will only be made if required and students will be notified about any changes to teaching or assessment plans at the earliest opportunity.
Key facts
Department: Geography & Environment
Total students 2019/20: 76
Average class size 2019/20: 13
Capped 2019/20: No
Value: One Unit
Personal development skills
- Self-management
- Team working
- Problem solving
- Communication
- Specialist skills
