The module will be delivered through a blended learning. Part of a two week summer school of 20 hours followed by an on-line VLE (Blackboard) support for learning and assessment over the summer 'semester'. A staff-led field session (3 hours) will be held during the summer school to investigate selected module themes within the context of a specific urban environment.

Formative learning will be delivered in a series of 5 ACTIVITIES over 10 weeks during the summer.

On-line distance learning will be supported by discussion boards and / or e-mail supervisory surgeries that will be incorporated into the activity hours.

1. A two hour examination (50%) consisting of a one hour short answer section and a one hour essay answer to be chosen from a list of titles [Learning outcomes 1 - 5]
2. One 1250 - 1500 word project report (50%) [Learning outcomes 3, 4, 5]

Additional Assessment Details:

The coursework project will involve the collection of information during staff-led group field work. Students will use this information to produce an individual report. The report will concentrate on the presentation, description and explanation of the field observations.

The examination will be held on campus in September.

Formative Assessment: Opportunities for ongoing formative feedback will be provided via the use of discussion boards and email interchanges to discuss the DL activities with both tutors and peers. This will allow students to self evaluate their understanding of module materials. Students will also have the opportunity to receive feedback from tutors on their project report plans.

Rapid expansion in urbanisation was one of the most important geographical phenomena of the twentieth century. This module focuses on both the impacts of urbanisation on the physical environment and the controls that the physical environment exerts on urban land use. It discusses the contribution that applied physical geography can make to urban planning and land management. In order to do this a range of applied physical geography themes are explored, such as; humans as agents of geomorphological change, urban geomorphology (landslides, subsidence, geomorphologists as prospectors), environmental impacts of resource extraction, land contamination and reclamation, urban climates and the relationship between cities and climate change, urban air quality issues, the identification, monitoring and management of urban stone decay. Approaches to and techniques used in the collection of applied physical geography data and how an understanding of physical geography can contribute to urban planning, land management and hazard mitigation are also considered.

Bulkeley, H. (2005) Cities and Climate Change
Cooke, R. U. & Doornkamp, J. C. (1990) Geomorphology in Environmental Management.
Hough, M. (2004) Cities and Natural Process: a basis for sustainability
McCall, G., de Mulder, E., Marker, B. (1996) Urban Geoscience
Morris, P. & Therivel, R. (2001) Methods of Environmental Impact Assessment
Smith, B. J. & Turkington, A. V. (2004) Stone Decay: its causes and controls

University Library and journals such as Applied Geography and Quarterly Journal of Engineering Geology and Hydrogeology
Faculty of Sciences Learning Resource Centre
Email, internet, and on-line journals
Blackboard VLE