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Module

APL8000 : Conceptualising Landscape (20 credits)

  • Offered for Year: 2024/25
  • Module Leader(s): Dr Charlotte Veal
  • Owning School: Architecture, Planning & Landscape
  • Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters

Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.

Semester 1 Credit Value: 20
ECTS Credits: 10.0
European Credit Transfer System

Aims

This module provides the principal introduction to landscape concepts and theory for the programme. It will introduce students to the various, and sometimes competing and opposed, ways in which landscape has been conceptualised, defined and understood. It highlights the philosophical theories, critical positions, and socio-political agendas which underpin different approaches to landscape and drivers of (rapid) environmental/ecological change.

The module draws upon recent writings in landscape (architecture, planning, management and ecology), cultural geography, environmental ethics, ecology, and heritage studies. It explores core themes at the nature-culture-environment nexus, and will relate these to the interlinked crises of our times: globalisation, urbanisation, climate change, pollution, loss of biodiversity, and mass migration of populations (human and non-human).

Outline Of Syllabus

The syllabus explores themes including (but not limited to):
- Landscape, Art and Imaginaries
- Heritage Landscapes
- Borderscapes and Militarism
- Landscape and Justice (social, environmental, climatic, multi-species)
- Migratory Landscapes (including biosecurity)
- Seascape (character and assessment)
- Re/Wilding (and biodiversity net gain)
- Post-industrial landscape (priority habitats and conservation gain)

Teaching Methods

Teaching Activities
Category Activity Number Length Student Hours Comment
Guided Independent StudyAssessment preparation and completion1168:00168:00N/A
Structured Guided LearningLecture materials102:0020:00PIP/Online
Guided Independent StudySkills practice13:003:00Student led presentations
Scheduled Learning And Teaching ActivitiesFieldwork18:008:00N/A
Scheduled Learning And Teaching ActivitiesModule talk11:001:00PIP/Online assignment 2 briefing
Total200:00
Teaching Rationale And Relationship

Students will be introduced to a range of different definitions and understandings of landscape, the aim being to stimulate their own critical responses to landscape issues, regardless of their original disciplinary backgrounds, and thus to prepare them to produce their own creative responses to landscape issues across the programme.

Fieldwork will provide important opportunities to apply their learning and to develop their practical skills in the data collection, analysis and assessment of qualities/characters in the seascape/landscape.

Assessment Methods

The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners

Other Assessment
Description Semester When Set Percentage Comment
Reflective log1A50A response diary, each student to keep a diary or notebook in which personal responses to the topics will be assessed
Oral Presentation1A50Small group presentation on large-scale landscape, environmental management and enhancement plan
Assessment Rationale And Relationship

The creative reflective diary is intended to assess understanding of the material presented in the module and to provide an opportunity to respond critically to this material, and to engage with wider literature (academic, policy etc).

The group presentation will assess students ability to collect, analysis and prepare large-scale landscape/seacscape management, mitigation and enhancement plan/project. It will support them in developing academic and practical sills including in interdisciplinary working and verbal communication.

Reading Lists

Timetable