UK programmes for HE physical geography

ABSTRACT

Competing influences and pressures on areas of HE and the content of new AL syllabi suggest a need for curriculum reconsideration. We analyse, from institutional website data, the present provision of physical geography in 77 UK institutions providing undergraduate learning in geography. The extent of compulsory modules gives an indication of programme structure: compulsory modules average 65%, no first-year choice is offered in 58% of programmes, all but four require a compulsory dissertation, and on average 28% of compulsory modules were in physical geography. Overall there is a spectrum of provision, with courses solely in human or physical geography at the extremes, and, in between, a variety of programmes: some afford a strong provision of concepts and major themes in physical geography (22%), some emphasize skills (25%) or applied aspects (5%), and others offer a course “cafeteria” from which the student freely selects unless constrained by advised learning pathways. Questions arising include whether sufficient attention is accorded to all aspects of physical environment, to some neglected components of physical geography, and to those physical environments necessary for understanding contemporary rapid environmental change across the world.

KEYWORDS:

• Curriculum
• learning pattern
• module
• syllabus
• skills

Acknowledgments

We are grateful to Catherine Souch for comments on an early draft and we appreciate the helpful comments made by referees.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.