GEO1001 : Becoming a Geographer
- Offered for Year: 2026/27
- Module Leader(s): Dr Robert Shaw
- Co-Module Leader: Dr Christine Batchelor, Professor Nick Megoran
- Lecturer: Professor Rachel Carr, Miss Anna Thompson, Professor Alison Stenning
- Owning School: Geography, Politics & Sociology
- Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters
Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.
| Semester 1 Credit Value: | 10 |
| Semester 2 Credit Value: | 10 |
| ECTS Credits: | 10.0 |
| European Credit Transfer System | |
Aims
The module aims to introduce Geography students to academic skills, their fellow students and staff, and life as a geographer at university. It allows students and staff to build a sense of community in Geography, exploring together what it means to be a geographer.
In addition to practical activities that introduce key skills, such as finding, reading and understanding academic work, communicating geographical ideas, and personal/professional development, it is also facilitates the transition to university, promoting a collegial environment through a playful approach towards doing geography.
Outline Of Syllabus
In Semester 1, students will work building connections as a cohort with their tutor group, while exploring key geographical skills.
In Semester 2, students will be guided to take part in a series of different activities to help build their geographical knowledge. These will be a mixture of independent individual, group and guided in-class sessions.
Through the year, students will be guided to take part in online learning to develop an understanding of well-being and the importance of healthy study habits.
Teaching Methods
Teaching Activities
| Category | Activity | Number | Length | Student Hours | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Lecture | 6 | 2:00 | 12:00 | Lectures with Skills workshop activities |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Lecture | 10 | 1:00 | 10:00 | N/A |
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 1 | 80:00 | 80:00 | N/A |
| Structured Guided Learning | Academic skills activities | 1 | 12:00 | 12:00 | Online course on mental welllbeing and student life |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Small group teaching | 5 | 1:00 | 5:00 | N/A |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Small group teaching | 1 | 2:00 | 2:00 | Final tutorial in which assessed presentations take place |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Fieldwork | 3 | 1:00 | 3:00 | N/A |
| Guided Independent Study | Independent study | 1 | 75:00 | 75:00 | N/A |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Dissertation/project related supervision | 2 | 0:30 | 1:00 | Individual tutor meeting |
| Total | 200:00 |
Teaching Rationale And Relationship
The core teaching of the module takes place through:
- 6 group and 2 individual meetings, in tutor groups. In the final meeting, groups are paired to deliver their oral presentations
- 10 lectures will be used at key points in the module to introduce common themes and ideas.
- 6 lectures with workshop activities will run with the whole class, designed to build on teaching of key skills
- 1 independent fieldwork activitiy of 3 hours
- 12 hours of online learning content on mental wellbeing, provided by via the Nurture-U project
Assessment Methods
The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners
Exams
| Description | Length | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oral Presentation | 10 | 2 | M | 60 | A group presentation reflecting on activities from semester 2 seminars |
Other Assessment
| Description | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essay | 1 | M | 40 | Students will have the option of submitting these first for formative feedback |
Formative Assessments
Formative Assessment is an assessment which develops your skills in being assessed, allows for you to receive feedback, and prepares you for being assessed. However, it does not count to your final mark.
| Description | Semester | When Set | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essay | 1 | M | The essay will lead straight into the summative Essay 1 task |
Assessment Rationale And Relationship
The semester 1 assessment will provide a focus for teaching around how students discover and read literature, and then use it in assessments. Students will submit a formative version of their essay for feedback, followed by a summative version a few weeks later
The semester 2 assessment will allow students to reflect on the skills and practices taught on the module through the year
Reading Lists
Timetable
- Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
- GEO1001's Timetable