The natural environment we live in is defined both by processes taking place inside the Earth and the various natural phenomena associated with the land-surface of the Earth and its envelope. The module aims to offer an advanced perspective of the complexities regarding these phenomena and to provide a solid understanding of the main underlying processes. Focus will be on key topics of physical geography such as plate tectonics, volcanism, earthquakes and in particular, climate systems and climate change. The module will look into how physical processes are interlinked, investigate both their effects on us, humans and also the influence of humanity on the Earth. Throughout the module, students will be encouraged to formulate and give voice to their views and arguments, to debate, to try being a decision-maker (for example in the event of a natural disaster) and to practice interpreting relevant figures produced by leading scientific bodies.
These skills are often core elements of university admission interviews, are vital to successfully engage in a wide range of university courses, and in general, outside academia, are an asset when dealing with everyday life and personal situations. Students with a general knowledge of geography and physics are very welcome to sign up. The module seeks to grant a substantial academic background to students who wish to pursue Earth- or environment-related studies, who are keen to broaden their knowledge in how the physical Earth and human activities are linked, and to those who are simply interested in the subject.