BSc (Hons) Geoenvironmental Hazards course preparation

Suggested reading

You will be given much more detailed information about which textbooks, including ebooks, to read and an introduction to the University Library when you begin your studies in September.

In the meantime, below are the details of some textbooks and other resources which will may be required reading for your Year 1 modules or may help you prepare for your first year of study:

• Holden, J (ed.) (2012) An Introduction to Physical Geography and the Environment. (3rd Ed.) Pearson Prentice Hall.
• Keller, E.A. and DeVecchio, D.E. (2014) Natural Hazards: Earth’s Processes as Hazards, Disasters and Catastrophes (4th edition) Routledge.
• Kneale, P (2011) Study Skills for Geography, Earth & Environmental Science Students. (3rd) Arnold.
• Skinner, B. J. (2012) The Dynamic Earth: An Introduction to Physical Geology. John Wiley & Sons.
• Cambridge Compass Magazine (2018) Preparing to Study Geography at Uni? 5 Suggestions

Suggested materials

One of the more exciting and stimulating parts of your degree course is fieldwork, where classroom learning is put into practice. Therefore, if you don’t already have them, it would be advisable to invest in a rucksack and a good set of waterproofs (jacket & trousers) in preparation. Walking boots or stout footwear with ankle support are also usually required for fieldwork.

Royal Geographical Society

If you’re thinking about a future career in Geography take a look at the Royal Geographical Society website.

Things to do now

Geoenvironmental Hazards concerns itself with the understanding, risk management and mitigation, of some of the most significant hazards facing society, from earthquakes and volcanoes to contaminated land and water pollution.  Recognition of the complex interplay between the natural environment and human activities is key to effective geoenvironmental hazards mitigation and management.

To help you to prepare for your BSc (Hons) Geoenvironmental Hazards, here are a few activities that we recommend:

1. Read a chapter of ‘Natural hazards: earth’s processes as hazards, disasters, and catastrophes’, by Keller and DeVecchio.
2. Have a go at the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) ‘Stop Disasters!’ online game
3. Listen to the Royal Geographical Society’s podcast with Dr Helen Cleugh (CSIRO), discussing the Australian wildfires and the role of the climate change
4. Keep up to date with the hazard-related events from around the globe with the Global Hazards Weekly Bulletin.
5. Look at the spread and range of natural hazards occurring around the world using this Hazard Map from NOAA .
6. Take a look at our UniSkills webpage to prepare for your first year. 

Your short task:

To continue to develop these researching skills we have a little task for you to try:

Geography is a topical subject and we believe that if you look closely at the world around you, you will find a geographical connection.  This activity will help to demonstrate just how important Geography is.

Look at the daily news headlines, select a few and draw a mind map thinking about how they relate to Geography.  You should try to consider key geographical themes such as: location; place; processes; human-environment interaction.

Additional ways to prepare

Preparing to start

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Find out more about who you are

The following information provides an insight into what to expect when coming to university along with some good advice on how to navigate some of the potential challenges you may face.

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