Third Year Geography Stream
SEMESTER ONE - Choose at least Two Modules:
Module GES311 Contemporary Environmental Issues
Module GES312 Transportation & Transformation in Africa
Module GES313 Sustainable Rural Livelihoods
SEMESTER TWO - Choose at least Two Modules:
Module GES321 The Contemporary South African City
Module GES322 Coastal Environment
Module GES323 Geographical Information Systems
YEAR 3 SEMESTER ONE MODULE DESCRIPTION
Contemporary Environmental Issues (GES311) Content:
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State of the Environment in South Africa
Management of critical resources in South Africa
Environmental management tools
Environmental education; environmental management legislation
Students will understand the state of the environment with respect to certain critical resources
in South Africa; the tools used in the management of the critical resources, and topical issues
regarding critical resources in South Africa.
Transportation and Transformation in Africa (GES312) Content:
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pre-industrial porterage; canoes
seaport societies and economies
shipping: incorporating Africa into the colonial and world economy
railway (under)development; migrancy; urbanization; labour; geopolitics
roads: foreign aid; labour; (non)motorised transport
aviation: neo-imperialism & geopolitics; post-colonial restructuring; nationalism
urban & rural transportation: modernization & indigenous technology; poverty, war,
disaster & humanitarian relief; -segregation & racialism; disease transmission.
At the end of this course students will understand the evolution, contexts and impacts of
transport in sub-Saharan Africa and acquire concepts that allow critical appraisal of transport
projects and processes.
Sustainable Rural Livelihoods (GES313) Content:
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African poverty
Rural neglect and environmental degradation
Overview of sustainable livelihoods approaches
Africa's agriculture challenge -Sustainable development and good governance
Rural poverty and technology
Rural poverty and energy services
Different case studies on the African continent
Impact of Climate Change and Deforestation
Water crisis in Africa
Role of Spirituality in African development
At the end of the course students will be able to analyse and explain the phenomenon of
African poverty; discuss the problems caused by 'urban-biased' strategies or strategies
involving 'rural neglect' and demonstrate an understanding of sustainable livelihoods
YEAR 3 SEMESTER TWO MODULE DESCRIPTION
The Contemporary South African City (GES321) Content:
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Apartheid city and post apartheid city spatial structure
Observed and expected social and spatial outcomes of transformation
Urban policy analysis: housing, transport, economic, planning
New urbanism: corridor development, compaction, mixed land-uses case studies.
At the end of this course students will be demonstrating an understanding of post-apartheid
urban changes; understanding urban development processes; applying urban development
policies to understand urban social changes and applying urban related policy to selected
themes.
Coastal Environments (GES322) Content:
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The ocean: currents, tides, marine resources; landscaping
Landforms & landscapes: beaches, dunes, habitats, wetlands, conservation, recreation
Settlements & communities: port towns; gateway cities; fishing villages; resorts
Socio-economic: marine based livelihoods
Territorial waters and commercial use of marine resources
Coastal reserves & coastal management
Case studies: poaching; dune conservation, Care for the Coast project
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Cultural-traditional values attached to coastal areas, sea and coast in art: textual and
artistic representations
At the end of this course students will understand coastal processes and related climatic and
geomorphic processes; understand interactions between people and coastal environments and
be able to discuss coastal policy, development and management in South Africa.
Geographical Information Systems (GES323) Content:
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Theoretical principles of GIS
GIS functionality
GIS software packages
Applications of GIS
At the end of this module :
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Students enrolling for this module will have an understanding of the basic principles
of GIS
Students will have an understanding of the tasks GIS can be used for when integrating
spatial and non-spatial data
Students will have a comprehensive knowledge of the range of GIS software that is
available
Students will have an understanding of different applications and analysis that are
possible with GIS
Students will have an understanding of the emerging discipline of Geographical
Information Science (GIScience)