Bachelor of Arts Honours in Environmental Geography

Purpose

The purpose of this qualification is to enable students to describe, analyse and present the context, values, the paradigms, required knowledge, and research techniques associated with environmental and social sustainability at a level that will allow them to contribute to the implementation of such projects in the work place.

The following will

• Contributes significantly to the Nelson Mandela University's mission-one of the major values espoused by the Nelson Mandela University (NMU) is respect for the natural environmental. It also contributes to the environmental and social health of the region and the nation.
• Maintains intellectual credibility by requiring independent learning, the interrogation of a variety of different texts, appropriate discussion, problem-solving, writing and presentation. Furthermore, it requires a project report that is a creative solution to a set of problems.
• Demonstrates coherence in that the different modules are carefully between theory and research, but the natural and social environments.
• Provides articulation with a research-based Master of Arts as well as providing a good foundation for acquiring employment. Over the last three years, students have acquired employment before completing the programme It thus meets the needs of the students and other stakeholders.

Rationale

The rationale for this qualification is to create an opportunity for developing high level skills in the field; by producing practitioners that are able to approach environmental issues with specialised humanities or social science approach.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

All RPL applications will be considered according to (Nelson Mandela University) NMU RPL policy.

Entry Requirements

The minimum requirement for admission is

• Bachelor's Degree.

This qualification comprises of compulsory module at Level 8 totalling 120 Credits.

Compulsory Modules, Level, 8 120 Credits

• Qualitative Research Methodologies, 15 Credits.
• Research Project, 30 Credits.
• Analytical Perspectives in Human-Environment Interaction, 25 Credits.
• Issues in Social Sustainability, 25 Credits.
• Issues in Urban Geography, 25 Credits.

1 Demonstrate knowledge through the argument links between the paradigms, concepts, processes and facts that underlie physical and social environmental issues.

2 Present a series of argumentative, written assignments in which the student's voice can be clearly heard in the interrogation and evaluation of a variety of sources of knowledge.

3 Present a project report that serves as a creative response to a specific set of problems and issues and which demonstrates the appropriate choice of theories, procedures, methods or research.

4 Demonstrate the ability to solve problems by applying the knowledge and principles to the associated theory.

5 Demonstrate an ethical approach to the economic, social and physical environments and its study of them.

6 Demonstrate competency in independent learning.

7 Overcome and take full responsibility for learning outcomes for plagiarism.

Integrated Assessment

A combination of formative continuous assessment and written examinations serve to assess the integration of all or most of the learning outcomes for each module in the qualification. More importantly, the Project is used to for Integrated Assessment and draws together a student's competence in designed in integrating theory, technique and methodology from a variety of sources including other modules to solve particular research problems.

The research project is the main vehicle to initiate the students into the research process. Assigned supervisors will work closely with the students in developing viable topics, presenting a research proposal and in the project report. Thus, the main strategy in this case is supervision of the entire research process. Therefore, the approach to assessment in this programme is characterised by variety as indicated below.

• Assessment of verbal participation in contact sessions.
• Assessment of written assignments.
• Assessment of a research project.
• Assessment of verbal presentations.
• Written examinations.

The assessment of verbal participation is especially relevant because contact sessions are designed as fora for the discussion of ideas rather than traditional lectures. The use of assignments allows an assessment to be made of a detailed interrogation of different texts and the process of writing which, in itself, is also a form of presentation. The assessment of verbal presentations is important in that it measures of the extent to which students have internalized their approach to problem-solving and are able to articulate this. All the assessment falls into two classes, formative and summative.

This categorization is shown below

• Formative: Assessment of verbal participation in contact sessions; assessment of written Assignments, assessment of verbal presentations.
• Summative: Assessment of the research project; Written examinations. The percentage ratio of formative to summative evaluation is 50:50 for the theory modules.
• The project is seen as a module in itself and the assessment of the completed report out of 100 is final.