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Geography Minor

Geography Minor  - Overview

Offered By:

ANU Joint Colleges of Science

Academic Contact:

Dr Bruce Doran

Areas of Interest:

Development Studies, Environmental Studies, Geography, Interdisciplinary Studies - Sustainability, and Resource Management and Environmental Science


Description:

Geography is a dynamic discipline that is increasingly being recognised as an integral part of developing holistic approaches to contemporary society and environment problems. The advent of products such as Google Earth and the rapid uptake of spatial technology in many facets of day-to-day life have also put geography on the public agenda. In essence, geographers study Earth's diversity, its resources, and humankind's survival on the planet. This involves analysing the associations of things and events that give special character to particular places; the interconnections between different areas; and the working of complex systems through time. Geography is the only academic discipline in which an integrative perspective focusing on spatial relationships and processes is a fundamental concern. Geography takes an integrative approach to environmental problems and their solution, including the study of economic, cultural and social goals and processes that determine strategies of resource use and ecosystem management.

Students undertaking the minor in Geography have the opportunity to explore some of the theoretical and practical perspectives geography offers. The minor in Geography will equip students with a good grounding in aspects of the discipline and will complement a wide range of majors offered across different colleges at the ANU. The minor also allows students taking the major in Geography to tailor a program that will further develop their particular interests in the discipline.

Learning Goals:

The Geography minor provides the opportunity to develop the experience and skills to:

  1. Evaluate current geographic approaches to investigating a range of environment and sustainability issues and management strategies in international and Australian contexts.
  2. Integrate knowledge relevant to geographical science and policy across disciplines
  3. Apply a range of written, oral and visual communication skills to effectively convey and discuss information about geographical science and policy in multidisciplinary contexts.
  4. Engage with current environment and sustainability policy debates, recognising the socio-political and cultural contexts in which they occur, and
  5. Develop a specialisation within the discipline of Geography

Requirements

This minor requires the completion of 24 units, which must include:

 

A maximum of 6 units chosen from the following 2000 level courses:

ENVS2003 Biodiversity and Landscape Ecology

ENVS2004 Weather, Climate and Fire

ENVS2007 Economics for the Environment

ENVS2010 Australia's Forests

ENVS2011 Human Ecology

ENVS2012 Sustainable Systems: Urban

ENVS2013 Society and Environmental Change

ENVS2014 Qualitative Research Methods for Sustainability

ENVS2015 GIS and Spatial Analysis

ENVS2017 Vietnam Field School

ENVS2020 Hydrology and Landforms for Natural Resource Management

ENVS2021 Vegetation and Soils: Landscape Co-evolution and Ecology

ENVS2022 Sustainable Systems: Rural

PASI2003 Environment, Conflict and Development in the Western Pacific

POPS2001 Population and Development

POPS2002 Population Analysis

A minimum of 12 units chosen from the following 3000 level courses:

ENVS3001 Climate Change Science and Policy in Practice

ENVS3002 Sustainable Agricultural Systems

ENVS3004 Land and Catchment Management

ENVS3005 Water Resource Management

ENVS3007 Participatory Resource Management: Working with Communities and Stakeholders

ENVS3008 Fire in the Environment

ENVS3013 Climatology

ENVS3020 Climate Change Science and Policy

ENVS3021 Human Futures

ENVS3026 Geomorphology: Landscape Evolution and Changing Climate

ENVS3028 Environmental Policy

ENVS3029 Palaeo-Environmental Reconstruction

ENVS3033 International Environmental Policy

ENVS3040 Solving Complex Environmental Problems

6 units chosen from the following list:

EMSC1006 The Blue Planet: an Introduction to Earth System Science

ENVS1001 Environment and Society: Geography of Sustainability

ENVS1003 Introduction to Environmental and Social Research

ENVS1004 Australia's Environment

ENVS1008 Sustainable Development

PASI2001 Learning Oceania

 

A minimum of 6 units from the lists above must come from one of the following research methods courses:

ENVS1003 Introduction to Environmental and Social Research

ENVS2014 Qualitative Research Methods for Sustainability

ENVS2015 GIS and Spatial Analysis

ENVS3014 Ecological Assessment and Management

ENVS3040 Solving Complex Environmental Problems

The information published on the Study at ANU 2013 website applies to the 2013 academic year only. All information provided on this website replaces the information contained in the Study at ANU 2012 website.

Updated:   13 Nov 2015 / Responsible Officer:   The Registrar / Page Contact:   Student Business Solutions