Study field: Geography
Requirements: Geography
Starting dates: Autumn/Spring
Duration: Autumn/Spring Semester
Tuition fee: 1200 EUR
Contact person: geografijos.katedra@leu.lt
The module „Geography“ covers theoretical and methodological fundamentals of
human and physical geography. The students learn to define the peculiarities of the
territorial spread of social and physical phenomena, and get acquainted with
contemporary tendencies of socio-economic and physical geographical development of
various countries in the world and their global problems. The main aim of the module to
provide students with knowledge of world natural, social economic macro and other
regions, indentifying homogeneity and links of the region. This course also is designed to
introduce the students to the basic principles of Geography or Lithuania, which consists
of two parts: natural and social geography. Module presents fundamentals of
Geographical information systems (GIS) and their use, foremost in fields of geographical
research and teaching of geography. Students learn about concept, development, current
achievements and trends of GIS.
Human Geography
The main aim of the study subject - to introduce the peculiarities of the territorial spread
of social phenomena, the basics of geographical modelling, contemporary tendencies of
the socio-economic development and global problems of various countries. The students
learn to define the peculiarities of the territorial spread of social phenomena, and get
acquainted with contemporary tendencies of socio-economic development of various
countries in the world and their global problems. They learn to interpret statistical
information with the help of contemporary economic and political territorial models. The
studies include history of the science of human geography, theories of social
development, research methods in human geography, dynamic regional economic models
and conceptions (F. Peroux model of “growth poles”; the great cycles of N. Kondratyev;
T. Hagerstrand’s innovation diffusion; J. Friedmann’s “core-periphery” model, I.
Wallerstein’s conception of “world systems”), the models of the optimal location of
settlements, the type of urban land use under the conditions of market economy,
territorial problems of social develeopment and life quality, the concepts of the quality
and standard of life, territorial bases of industrial, agricultural, services geopgraphy,
global market and its subjects.
Natural geography
Introduction to theoretical and methodological fundamentals of physical geography,
concept of geographical sphere, properties and structure, general geographical patterns,
substance and energy circuylation, geospheres and their interface, geosystems and
landscapes, interaction of nature and society. Teaching abilities to analyse natural
geographical phenomena, processes and systems, to identify causal and territorial
relations, and to evaluate issues and solutions of geographical regionalisation,
environmental changes and social/natural interactions. A systematic perception of the
environment, ecological consciousness and responsible and sustainable attitude towards
the use of natural resources and transformation of environment is developed.
Landscape geography
The main aim of the course of Landscape geography – to present for the students the
landscape as a complex natural and sociogenic system, to deliver knowledge about
natural and anthropogenic landscape and its mapping, to render the basics of landscape
protection, management, planning and formation.
The course of Landscape Geography is a theoretical course of General Geography,
which introduces the students with regional and typological landscape units of various
ranks and basic landscape forming factors, analyses the peculiarities of anthropogenic
landscape, its relations with natural landscape. A large part of the course is spared for
landscape planning, preparation of landscape management plans as for the landscape
politics and implementation of landscape politics measures, landscape protection,
formation and monitoring.
Regional geography of World
The main aim of the module object – to provide students with knowledge of world
natural, social economic macro and other regions, indentifying homogeneity and links of
the region. To enable students to understand the importance of regions in the world
economic and social system. To develop an ability to characterise regions, to discuss
problems of the regions, to apply knowledge planning and forecasting. Students are
taught to identify and model world macro-regions, to clarify problem areas and discuss
disputable issues of identification. Most considerable attention is paid to physical, social
economic geography of separate regions and countries. Geographic and geopolitical
situation, natural environment and natural resources of countries is analysed as well as
their place and peculiarities in world culture, economy and politics, economic and social
system, lifestyle, territorial organisations of countries. The studies include conceptions
and compositions of regions, formation of world political map and regions, analysis of
major (macrocivilization) regions of the World, relationships between globalisation and
macro regions.
Geography of Lithuania
The course “Geography of Lithuania” consists or two parts: natural and social geography.
The Lithuanian natural geography is a rather broad and integrated module within which
the natural features of Lithuania are analysed in the context of economic activity. The
introductory part of the module is devoted to full-scale presentation of geographical and
geopolitical situation of Lithuania and survey of domestic and foreign integration
processes. The bulk of information about the natural peculiarities of the Lithuania’s earth
surface, valuable resources, climate, soil, and natural flora and fauna is presented in
combination with the issues of their economic evaluation, possibilities and prospects of
use in different economic sectors and environmental problems.
Social Geography of Lithuania provides with a detailed analysis of the system of
Lithuanian economy. The course analyzes the economic activity of Lithuanian population
focusing on the changed economic arrangement with the established capitalism and free
economy, international relations, the main economic problems and the development of
promising branches of economy. The course focuses on individual sectors and branches
of Lithuanian economy. It presents a historical review of Lithuanian economy, general
and detailed analysis of bio productive and service sectors of economy. The theoretical
part of the course is substantiated by practical examples. A lot of attention is directed
towards the formation of students’ general and subject-based competencies and the selfdevelopment of creative style of teaching.
Geografical Information Systems (GIS)
This course presents fundamentals of Geographical information systems (GIS) and their
use, foremost in fields of geographical research and teaching of geography. Students
learn about concept, development, current achievements and trends of GIS, as well as
various spatial data types, digital and WEBmaps, WEB GIS applications. Acquire
fundamentals of digital cartography, spatial analysis and modelling. Learn to use main
funkctionalities of ArcGIS software: visualize, create and manage spatial data, perform
spatial analysis and interpolation, design maps.
Nr.
Course
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Human geography
Natural geography
Landscape geography
Regional geography of World
Geography of Lithuania
Credits
ECTS
5
5
5
5
5
6. Geographical Information Systems (GIS) 5
Total: 30
Hours
per Week
3
3
3
3
3
3
18