There is also a brief tutorial on slope development. Biogeography and Ecology introduces students to key principles and concepts by examining in depth the heathland and moorland communities which form an important element in the landscapes of Western Europe. A simple mathematical model is used to predict deposition downwind from a stack and to assist students in visualising the likely deposition from any single source of air pollution an essential skill in environmental science. Global Tectonics introduces students to the major landscape features associated with plate movement. The core of the module deals with the causes of earthquake, and investigates their contemporary spatial patterns of occurrence.
Students take on the role of a seismologist and are commissioned to compile a synoptic report.
The module focuses on the design, planning and implementation of selected strategies for both quantitative and qualitative methods of research. Introduction and Applications introduces students to GIS applications, concepts and techniques which are developed further through a series of case studies examining GIS in a number of application areas. The GIS in a Utility case study looks at how a water company can use GIS in engineering activities and in customer service. GIS in Business shows how GIS can be a major tool in business decision making, using the example of a major grocery retailer attempting to recover its market share through a loyalty scheme using smart-card technology. It examines different search strategies which may be adopted by students faced with an ever more diverse range of information sources needed for a typical assignment.