Second Year Geography Stream
SEMESTER ONE - Choose at least Two Modules:
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Module GES211:Catchment Studies
Module GES212:Transport and Travel
Module GES213:Maps and Aerial Photographs
YEAR 2 SEMESTER ONE MODULE DESCRIPTION
Catchment Studies (GES211)
Content:
This course covers aspects such as weathering and mass wasting; fluvial processes and
landforms; topical issues: rock art, gravestone weathering, landforms as tourism attractions.
Students will be able to identify and explain the key factors shaping the surface of the land
(weathering, mass wasting) and understand the importance of fluid agents in the process of
denudation (how running water erodes, transports and deposits sediment). They will also
learn about topical issues in the study of geomorphology.
Transport and Travel (GES212)
Content:
This course includes aspects such as: Technology: modes, vehicles & infrastructure;
Transport services: speed, capacity, safety; freight & passenger; mobility & accessibility;
Transport & the 'shrinking' world; Journeys & markets: global, national & local; Transport
problems: congestion, pollution, accidents; social exclusion. Students will understand the
elements of transport & travel, acquire key concepts & measures and obtain knowledge about
transport problems
Maps and Aerial photographs (GES213)
Content:
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Zenithal, cylindrical and conic projections
Preservation of scale, area, shape and direction
Co-ordinate referencing systems: datums, geoids, ellipsoids and control survey networks
Map reading, analysis and synthesis: problem identification, calculation of distances,
surfaces, gradients, volumes and densities; (re)mapping of mapped information
Remote Sensing Data Collection techniques; aerial photo types, image procurement,analyses
and calculations (scales, terrain heights, altimeter heights, appearance ratios)
At the end of this course students will understand:
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cartography and basic map projections as systematic ways in which the spherical earth is
represented on a flat surface.
the South African coordinate referencing system.
how to read, analyse, interpret and synthesise mapped information.
the basic principles of aerial photography (as 'another method' in Remote Sensing), aerial
stereoscopy and aerial photo analysis.
SEMESTER TWO - Choose at least Two Modules:
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Module GES221 :Urban Studies
Module GES222 :Global Population Crises
Module GES223 :Climatology
YEAR 2 SEMESTER TWO MODULE DESCRIPTION
Urban Studies (GES221)
Content:
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Nature and scope of the urban environment
Urbanization and urban growth in South Africa
Urban environmental management issues
Housing and urban reconstruction in South Africa
Urban settlement policies
At the end of the course students will have an understanding of the processes of urbanisation,
the socio-economic and spatial ordering of urban settlements, basic urban environmental
issues and basic urban development management.
Global Population Crises (GES222)
Content:
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History of population growth
Theories of population growth
The magnitude of global population growth and its consequences
Fertility & AIDS in Africa -South African population problems
At the end of the course students will be able to explain population growth, apply different
theories of population growth, explain the consequences of rapid population growth, and
analyse measures to curb rapid population growth globally
Climatology (GES223)
Content:
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Atmospheric moisture and precipitation
South Africa's weather patterns
Climate classification and topical issues in climatology
At the end of this course students will be able to identify important concepts and processes,
such as: humidity, adiabatic process, clouds and precipitation; be able to explain the basic
weather processes in South Africa; learn climate classification and learn topical issues in
climatology: ozone depletion, greenhouse effect, indoor air pollution, atmospheric energy
sources.