Qualification aims and objectives

Geography is a dynamic subject that is firmly grounded in the real world and focuses on the interactions between individuals, societies and physical processes in both time and space.

The Diploma Programme Geography course integrates physical, environmental and human geography, and ensures that students acquire elements of both socio‐economic and scientific methodologies. This helps students develop life skills and have an appreciation of, and a respect for, alternative approaches, viewpoints, and ideas.

The aim of the Geography course is to enable students to:

• develop an understanding of the dynamic interrelationships between people, places, spaces and the environment at different scales;
• develop a critical awareness and consider complex thinking in the context of the nexus of geographic issues, including:
• acquiring an in-depth understanding of how geographic issues or problems have been shaped by powerful human and physical processes
• synthesising diverse geographic knowledge in order to form viewpoints about how these issues could be resolved, and
• understand and evaluate the need for planning and sustainable development through the management of resources at varying scales.

Course outline

Part 1: Geographic Themes

• Freshwater
• Food and Health
• Leisure, sport and tourism

Part 2:

• Population distribution and changing populations
• Global climate – vulnerability and resilience
• Global resource consumption and security

Part 3:

• Power, places and networks
• Human development and diversity
• Global risks and resilience

Course Assessment

This course is assessed through external and internal assessments:

External assessments: 

Paper 1 (Geographic Themes), 60 marks, 2 hours 15 minutes: 35%

• Freshwater, Leisure, Tourism & Sport and Food & Health.

Paper 2 (Global Change Perspectives), 50 marks, 1 hour 15 minutes: 25%

• Population distribution, Climate change, Global resource consumption and security

Paper 3 (Global Interactions Perspectives), 28 marks, 1 hour: 20% Internal assessment: 

• Power, places and networks, Human development and diversity, Global risks and resilience

Internal assessment (Focused on Freshwater – River Investigation) 20%

• 20 hours’ fieldwork, written report, 25 marks

Future courses & possible careers

• Town Planning
• Hazard & Risk Management
• Market Research
• Architecture
• Transport Planner
• Tourism Officer