Geography, Planning & Climate Heritage

On completion of this module students will/should have an understanding and appreciation of the nature and practice of the discipline of geography (including its histories, key concepts/philosophies and techniques of analysis), the role of local/regional authorities and the evolution/workings of the Irish spatial planning system (including forward planning and development control), and international thinking on human-environment relations from the nineteenth century to the present (especially in relation to geographical and climate heritage perspectives on the Anthropocene).

1. Use a range of thinking skills that will enable them to become assertive and competent geographers with an enthusiasm for investigation and discovery;

2. Comprehend the nature, history and philosophy of the discipline of geography (including approaches such as environmental determinism, regionalism, possibilism, positivism, and humanism) and its relationship to cognate fields such as planning and heritage studies;

3. Utilise sampling and fieldwork techniques in the practice of geography;

4. Comprehend how the environment in Ireland is managed and governed by local/regional authorities and other agencies (e.g. the Environmental Protection Agency, the Heritage Council);

5. Synopsise the history of planning and understand the working of the twin concepts of development control and forward planning (especially how operational decisions may impinge upon the shape and structure of both society and the landscape within Irish urban and rural areas);

6. Glean insights from how the writings of leading geographical thinkers (e.g. Peter Kropotkin, Carl Sauer) can illuminate our understanding of human-environment relations over space and through time;

7. Harness the societal potential of heritage as an enabler of public resilience in climate action;

8. Demonstrate accomplished communication, discussion, interpretation, presentation, and writing skills;

9. Demonstrate an ability to utilise a broad range of primary and secondary sources (e.g. blogs, books, book chapters, dissertations, field evidence, films, journal articles, magazine articles, manuscripts, maps, newspaper articles, podcasts, theses, websites, and videos);

10. Draw on the past to comprehend the present and grasp the importance of securing the future, thus linking to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).