BSc (Hons) Physical Geography and Geology course preparation
To help you feel prepared for your BSc (Hons) Physical Geography and Geology studies, we’ve gathered together a range of course related activities including suggested reading, useful websites, what to have for your course and some great things to do right now. Read on to find out more.
Suggested reading
You’ll be given lots of information about which textbooks to read and introduced to the University Library, as well as the many ebooks we have for you to access, when you begin your studies in September.
In the meantime, there are a couple of books you might like to read before starting your degree if you can. We don’t recommend rushing out to buy texts before you arrive. But if you can pick some up second hand, borrow from a library or access online, we suggest:
- Hunter, A & Easterbrook, G (2004) The Geological History of the British Isles. Open University Press
- Kneale, P (2011) Study Skills for Geography, Earth & Environmental Science Students. (3rd) Arnold.
- Grotzinger, J., Jordan, T.H. (2014). Understanding Earth. Freeman
Suggested materials
One of the more exciting and stimulating parts of your degree course is fieldwork, where classroom learning is put into practice. So, if you don’t already have them, we’d recommend investing in:
- a waterproof rucksack
- waterproof jacket and trousers
- walking boots or stout footwear with ankle support
You will be out on residential fieldwork in the first few weeks of your course.
Useful websites
- If you’re thinking about a future career in Geography take a look at the Royal Geographical Society website.
- You might also find useful information at the Geological Society website.
Interesting podcasts
Listen to some of the National Geographic’s ‘Overheard Conversations’ podcast, with a different uploaded each week.
Research to try
- Learn a little bit more about the rocks around us. What do they look like? How are they formed? What are their uses?
- Learn about the plate tectonic story of an area near you with the Geological Society’s ‘Plate Tectonic Stories’.
Things to do now
The first thing to do is add an important date to your diary. Your first residential field class will be from 16-18 October. Three full days spent in the field learning about the environment around you, as well as getting to know some of the Geo staff and your new coursemates.
You should also try to:
- Read a chapter of Understanding Earth, by Grotzinger & Jordan
- Have a go at the Geological Society’s assessment activity to determine if Earth has entered a new Geological Epoch, the ‘Anthropocene’
- Listen to a series of podcasts from The Geological Society’s Lyell Meeting about Mass Extinctions.
- Take a look at our UniSkills webpage to prepare for your first year.
- Learn a little bit more about the rocks around us. What do they look like? How are they formed? What are their uses?
- Learn about the plate tectonic story of an area near you with the Geological Society’s ‘Plate Tectonic Stories.
Your short task
Geology is defined as being the study of the Earth, encompassing the materials that it is made of, the structure of and processes acting upon those materials. The subject can concern itself with fundamental processes such as Earth’s internal processes resulting in volcanoes and earthquakes; to natural resources and the importance of discovering and managing resources for the future.
And, as Geosciences are a topical subject, we believe that if you look closely at the world around you, you will find a geosciences connection. The following activity will help to demonstrate just how important geosciences are.
- Look at the daily news headlines, select a few and draw a mind map thinking about how they relate to Geosciences. You should try to consider key themes such as: location; place; processes; human-environment interaction.