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1st Year Courses in Geography

Geography 1 consists of two first-year semester courses, namely Earth Science 101 (jointly taught by the Geography and Geology Departments) and Geography 102 (Exploring Global Human Geographies), normally taught in the first and second semesters, respectively. Students who take both Geography 1 and Geology 1 will have to take an additional semester course in an appropriate subject during the first semester to ensure they have enough NQF credits for their degree. Each semester course may be obtained separately, and, in addition, an aggregate mark of at least 50% will be deemed to be equivalent to a year-long course GOG 1, provided that a candidate obtains the required sub-minimum in each component. However, students wishing to major in Geography must normally obtain both semester-courses components separately. Supplementary examinations may be recommended in either course, provided that a candidate achieves a minimum standard specified by the Department.

The above courses provide a sound foundation for the student majoring in Geography and foundations for the student studying Geography for one year. Practical work, including fieldwork, tutorials are integral parts of both courses that reinforce themes covered in lectures and ensure that academic and geographic literacy are developed within the curriculum. Students reading for an “Environmental Law” degree (i.e. with Environmental Science and Law as majors) may complete EAR 101 and GOG 102 in their second year of study, as both these courses have timetable clashes with first-year Law modules.

A mark of at least 50% for Geography in the National Senior Certificate (or equivalent) is recommended for entry into Earth Science. Students may not register for Geography 102 unless they have met the subminimum requirements in both the theory and practical papers (40%) for EAR 101, or a mark

of at least 50% in Geography in the National Senior Certificate (or equivalent).

EAR101: Introduction to Earth Science (Common to both Geology and Geography)

This course introduces the processes that have shaped the Earth and its environment over geological and recent time scales. The interrelationships between the Earth, the atmosphere and physical systems form a key theme throughout the course.

Semester:

First

Lecturers:

Prof. I. Meiklejohn (Geography) & Prof. S. Prevec (Geology)

Prerequisites:

A matric pass in Geography or a mark of over 50 % for Geography in the National Senior Certificate examination.

DP Requirements:

Over 80 % lecture attendance; attendance and completion of ALL tutorials, assignments and practicals.

Aggregation:

EAR101 marks can be combined as an aggregated mark with GOG102 as GOG 1 or GLG102 as GLG 1. Permission to aggregate across semesters is at the discretion of the relevant Head of Department.

Credits:

15 (i.e. a minimum of 150 notional hours)

Marks:

Coursework: 50 %; Exam: 50 %

The coursework comprises quizzes, online tests, written tests, tutorials and practical exercises. The various coursework assessment components are managed every week.

Examination:

Given the fluid teaching and assessments, the exact nature of the exams cannot be finalised.

General:

Mark required to permit an aggregated mark for Geography 1: 40 %

Sub-Minimum required to allow the candidate to write a supplementary exam: 40 %

Supplementary Examination:

A supplementary exam may be awarded if a sub-minimum (40 %) is obtained for each of the class, exam and overall marks.

EAR101 Lectures

Coursework involves a blended approach with in-person lectures, online assignments, tutorials, and practicals. There are five lecture slots on the Rhodes University Timetable, one each day from Monday to Friday, in the Economics B Lecture Theatre. The Friday lecture slot is often used for Tutorials and Tests. The venues for these, for which attendance is compulsory, will be communicated during the course. Coursework provides the theoretical structure on which to base your reading. The lecture topics are a guideline to the course content, so changes are likely to occur.

EAR101 Practicals

Practical material is integrated into the curriculum. Practicals are presented on Monday, Tuesday and Friday afternoons. You will be assigned to ONE of these sessions. Practicals are compulsory, and an Attendance Register is taken. Practicals are held in G10 (accessed through the Geography Department) and run from 14h00 to 17h00. Practical assignments (whether finished or not) must be handed in at the end of the practical session before you leave.

General

Suppose you miss a class or cannot complete an online assignment for an acceptable reason, such as ill-health. In that case, you must complete a Leave of Absence Form (LOA) and hand it to the Geography Secretary in the 1st Term and the Geology Secretary in the 2nd Term.

Missing a lecture, an online assignment or practical does not absolve you from completing the work, which must be made up in your own time and handed in at an agreed time and date.

GOG102: Exploring Global Human Geographies

This course examines key concepts and understandings in Human Geography and forms an introduction to the sub-discipline. Space and Place are fundamental to understanding human societies and structures. Key themes include modes of production and consumption; demography and migration; inequalities and development; globalisation; and exploration of urban and rural spaces through the lens of political, economic, social and spatial contexts throughout human history.

Semester:

Second

Lecturers:

Dr S. Memela & Ms P. Irvine

Prerequisites:

Students may not register for GOG102 unless they have met the minimum requirements in theory and practical for EAR101 (i.e. 40 % for each). Students may register for GOG102 as an individual course, without EAR101. Then, a mark above 50 % for Geography in the National Senior Certificate is required.