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GEOP1010 – Introducing Human Geography

2024 – Session 1, Online-flexible

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff Convenor and Lecturer
Richard Carter-White
richard.carter-white@mq.edu.au
25B Wallys Walk
By appointment
Credit points Credit points
10
Prerequisites Prerequisites
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description

The interconnectedness of distinctive places and people across the planet is at the heart of many urgent contemporary issues, including climate change, migration, geopolitical conflict, and cultural transformation. This unit equips students to engage with these issues by introducing the key approaches used by geographers to explore and explain the spatial variations and interconnections of political, cultural, social, economic and environmental processes that shape the world today. The unit draws on historical and contemporary case studies to examine a range of different geographical perspectives, while maintaining a focus on the core concepts and theories that constitute the discipline of human geography. The unit ultimately aims to provide an understanding of how the discipline of geography is understood and practiced, and explore how geographic knowledge and skills can be used to analyse contemporary social and environmental challenges.

Important Academic Dates

Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

  • ULO1: Describe the overarching field of geography, and the range of human geography subdisciplines
  • ULO2: Apply geographical approaches to the analysis of cultural, social, political, environmental and economic processes at a range of scales
  • ULO3: Identify and explain core concepts in human geography, including space, place, landscape, region, flow and scale, and their relevance in an interdisciplinary context
  • ULO4: Demonstrate spatial literacy skills by reading and critiquing texts, images, maps and landscapes
  • ULO5: Write, research and communicate in academically appropriate ways

General Assessment Information

To successfully pass GEOP1010 students must complete all assessment tasks. Failure to complete any single assessment task may result in failure of the unit. The final grade is based on the total mark accumulated from all assessment tasks.

All students must keep a clean electronic copy of all assignments (preferably as a PDF) submitted for assessment.

Late submission penalty

Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, a 5% penalty (of the total possible mark) will be applied each day a written assessment is not submitted, up until the 7th day (including weekends). After the 7th day, a mark of ‘0’ (zero) will be awarded even if the assessment is submitted. Submission time for all non-timed written assessments (incl essays, reports, posters, portfolios, journals, recordings etc) is set at 11.55pm. A 1-hour grace period is provided to students who experience a technical issue. Late submission of time sensitive tasks (such as tests/exams/quizzes, performance assessments/presentations, scheduled practical assessments/labs etc) will only be addressed by the unit convenor in a Special consideration application. Special Consideration outcome may result in a new question or topic.

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
Geo Challenge 30% No 15/03/2024
Research essay 40% No 03/05/2024
Open-book task 30% No Week 13

Geo Challenge

Assessment Type 1: Project
Indicative Time on Task 2: 20 hours
Due: 15/03/2024
Weighting: 30%

 

Students will complete a series of activities involving the analysis and evaluation of key concepts including place, landscape and scale, the results of which will be presented in written and visual form. Students will conduct Geo Challenge activities online.

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Apply geographical approaches to the analysis of cultural, social, political, environmental and economic processes at a range of scales
  • Identify and explain core concepts in human geography, including space, place, landscape, region, flow and scale, and their relevance in an interdisciplinary context
  • Demonstrate spatial literacy skills by reading and critiquing texts, images, maps and landscapes
  • Write, research and communicate in academically appropriate ways

Research essay

Assessment Type 1: Essay
Indicative Time on Task 2: 40 hours
Due: 03/05/2024
Weighting: 40%

 

A 2000 word research essay drawing on academic geographical literature to develop critical analyses of a contemporary case study

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Describe the overarching field of geography, and the range of human geography subdisciplines
  • Apply geographical approaches to the analysis of cultural, social, political, environmental and economic processes at a range of scales
  • Identify and explain core concepts in human geography, including space, place, landscape, region, flow and scale, and their relevance in an interdisciplinary context
  • Demonstrate spatial literacy skills by reading and critiquing texts, images, maps and landscapes
  • Write, research and communicate in academically appropriate ways

Open-book task

Assessment Type 1: Quiz/Test
Indicative Time on Task 2: 20 hours
Due: Week 13
Weighting: 30%

 

Students will have three days to complete a series of questions related to core unit content, in an open-book format. Students will be required to make reference to relevant geographical literature and to analyse data as part of their question responses.

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Describe the overarching field of geography, and the range of human geography subdisciplines
  • Apply geographical approaches to the analysis of cultural, social, political, environmental and economic processes at a range of scales
  • Demonstrate spatial literacy skills by reading and critiquing texts, images, maps and landscapes

1 If you need help with your assignment, please contact:

  • the academic teaching staff in your unit for guidance in understanding or completing this type of assessment
  • the Writing Centre for academic skills support.

2 Indicative time-on-task is an estimate of the time required for completion of the assessment task and is subject to individual variation

Delivery and Resources

Lectures

Lectures take place on Mondays (10:00 - 11:00) at 14 SIr Christopher Ondaatje Avenue (T4 Theatre) and on Thursdays (13:00 - 14:00) at 23 Wallys Walk (T2 Theatre). All lectures will also be recorded and accessible via https://students.mq.edu.au/support/technology/systems/ilearn/lecture-recordings

Tutorials

GEOP1010 has a full schedule of online and on-campus tutorials that enhance your general and discipline-specific skills and knowledge. It is important that you attend all tutorials for GEOP1010. Please register for your tutorial via eStudent, and attend the same tutorial each week.

Recommended Texts and/or Materials

Most of the readings come from the following textbook:

Daniels, P., Bradshaw, M., Shaw, D., Sidaway, J. & Hall, T. (Eds) (2016) An Introduction to Human Geography. 5th Edition. Pearson: Harlow. (Note that earlier editions of the textbook are fine for the purposes of this unit).

Other readings will be assigned during the session, which may be accessed via iLearn and eReserve.

Unit webpage

The webpage for this unit can be found at iLearn, the Macquarie University online learning system, at https://ilearn.mq.edu.au. iLearn has both a discussion board and an internal email system. The webpage will provide you with access to lectures through the University's echo360 lecture recording facility, as well as to follow-up discussion, links, readings and forum discussions. Access to the website is essential to complete GEOP1010.

Unit Schedule

GEOP1010 consists of the following modules:

1. Introduction to Human Geography

2. Cultural Geography

3. Urban Geography

4. Political Geography

5. Geographies of Development

6. Environmental Humanities

7. Conclusion/Review

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Students seeking more policy resources can visit Student Policies (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/policies). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.

To find other policies relating to Teaching and Learning, visit Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au) and use the search tool.

Student Code of Conduct

Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/admin/other-resources/student-conduct

Results

Results published on platform other than eStudent, (eg. iLearn, Coursera etc.) or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit connect.mq.edu.au or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au

Academic Integrity

At Macquarie, we believe academic integrity – honesty, respect, trust, responsibility, fairness and courage – is at the core of learning, teaching and research. We recognise that meeting the expectations required to complete your assessments can be challenging. So, we offer you a range of resources and services to help you reach your potential, including free online writing and maths support, academic skills development and wellbeing consultations.

Student Support

Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/

The Writing Centre

The Writing Centre provides resources to develop your English language proficiency, academic writing, and communication skills.

The Library provides online and face to face support to help you find and use relevant information resources. 

Student Services and Support

Macquarie University offers a range of Student Support Services including:

Student Enquiries

Got a question? Ask us via the Service Connect Portal, or contact Service Connect.

IT Help

For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/. 

When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.

Unit information based on version 2024.01 of the Handbook