GEOG (Geography)
Stage I
GEOG 104G - Cities and Urbanism (15 pts)🏳
What makes a great city? This course explores 'urbanism' in both historical and contemporary cities to determine the essence of urbanity and the way that citizens (and visitors) experience city life. The dynamics and character of cities are considered in terms of their built environment, environmental systems, population, social diversity, and planning policies and practices. German
Stage II
GEOG 202 - Cities, Regions and Communities (15 pts)🏳
A critical examination of geographic processes and consequences in contemporary society. Topics are selected from the instructors' research interests, which include: the transformation of urban places and spaces; the forms and location of industries and retailing; social geographies of the city; New Zealand's linkages with the global economy and society; urban historical geographies; and demographic and social changes in New Zealand and the Pacific region.
GEOG 205 - Environment and Society (15 pts)🏳
A critical exploration of the interconnectedness of environment and society. The course highlights the importance of understanding how different views and attitudes influence people's interactions with the environment. Key themes include governance, management and development, which are addressed through issues such as conservation, climate change adaptation, disasters and resource use. Classes draw on a variety of case studies from New Zealand and overseas.
GEOG 250 - Geographical Research in Practice (15 pts)🏳
A critical exploration of the research experience in geography. Case studies and field work demonstrate approaches to understanding the complex interactions of social and environmental processes. Students will develop practical skills in problem identification, research methodologies, ethics and analytical practices.
GEOG 261 - Climate and Society (15 pts)🏳
Exploration of themes in climatology, meteorology, hydro- climatology and oceanography with a focus on the nature and role of key processes. These will be examined in relation to key issues for society such as extreme weather events, drought, floods, air pollution and climate change.
GEOG 262 - Geomorphology (15 pts)🏳
Introduces fundamental concepts in geomorphology for geologists and physical geographers. Key aspects of geomorphology, sedimentology, and earth surface processes are introduced by studying the temporal and spatial development of coastal and river landforms. Applied techniques for earth and environmental sciences, including field, remote sensing, GIS mapping, and modelling.
Stage III
GEOG 305 - Population, Health and Society (15 pts)🏳
A survey of major themes in population, health and social geography. An examination of the dynamics of population complements analyses of health and healthcare, the education sector, the welfare state, and the changing character of urban places.
GEOG 306 - Special Topic (15 pts)🏳
GEOG 307 - Urban Geography (15 pts)🏳
Analysis of key processes shaping socio-cultural geographies of contemporary cities. Using international and local examples, issues such as the economy of cities, the culture of cities, home and housing, segregation and polarisation, the imaging of cities and sustainability are explored.
GEOG 308 - Geopolitics and Indigenous Rights (15 pts)🏳
Examines Indigenous peoples as agents of geopolitical change. Introduces colonial/decolonial geographies to demonstrate the geopolitical implications of Indigenous ways of knowing, being and doing. Key themes include: territory and geopolitics; Indigenous identities, subject- formation and intersectionality; Indigenous knowledges, rights and political agency; and, Indigenous relationships with non-Indigenous peoples.
GEOG 320 - Resources and Environmental Management (15 pts)🏳
Examines the development and conservation of the environment in its use as a resource base, with particular reference to the way in which institutional structures in society determine provision and allocation. Attention is balanced between international experience and the policy framework in New Zealand. The course provides an understanding of key concepts, practices and methods.
GEOG 325 - The Human Dimension of Disasters (15 pts)🏳
An overview of the human dimension of disasters which covers crucial concepts and theories, vulnerability and the causes of disasters, disaster risk reduction and management, post-disaster recovery and transversal issues such as culture and gender. The discussions encompass not only theoretical but also policy and practical materials and draw on examples and case studies from throughout the world with a particular focus on the most vulnerable and marginalised areas and communities.
GEOG 327 - Politics, Markets and Economies (15 pts)🏳
Uses geographical insights to explore the interrelationships between politics, economy and culture. The course focuses attention on institutions, subjectivity and the making of markets. It examines political projects and economic spaces such as higher education, food and creative economies at the regional, national, and global level.
GEOG 335 - Applied Physical Geography (15 pts)🏳
Examines the challenges of ‘doing science’ in the real world. With particular emphasis on climate, fluvial and coastal processes, the types of data, knowledge and information needed for decision making in environmental contexts are examined. Examines the ways human activities effect, and are affected by, the environmental settings of humans. Seeks improved understanding, and prediction, of the world around humans framed as both a resource and hazard.
GEOG 342 - Technology, Power and Social Change (15 pts)🏳
Technology, algorithms, and Big data are changing our relationships with reality, space and power. This course explores how we know each other, society, and ourselves in this period of unprecedented technological change
GEOG 351 - Coastal and Marine Studies (15 pts)🏳
Focuses on the development of coastal landforms across a range of temporal and spatial scales. Introduces natural processes such as waves, tides and circulation, as well as geological-scale coastal evolution driven by changes in sea level and sediment supply. The course has an applied focus with specific emphasis on coastal management problems that affect society. Issues considered include coastal erosion during storms, the impacts of shoreline engineering, climate change and accelerating sea level rise.
GEOG 352 - Landscape, Environment and Heritage (15 pts)🏳
An examination of environmental change from a historical geography perspective. Approaches to investigating and understanding the transformation of environments are explored, and processes driving creation of different types of landscapes including heritage places are considered. The course enables students to place the modern environment within a historical context.
GEOG 390 - Directed Study (15 pts)🏳
GEOG 399 - Capstone: Geography (15 pts)🏳
An engagement with the research process, as practised in geography. Students will undertake an independent research project and communicate their findings, with due attention to research design, methodology, research ethics, information sources, field practise, data analysis, and research communication. Independent or small group research projects may involve residential or local fieldwork, laboratory analysis, desktop analysis or other research activities.
Postgraduate 700 Level Courses
GEOG 701 - Research in Practice (15 pts)🏳
A reflection on the process of developing research projects from theory to methods, analysis, and the presentation of findings. Attention is directed to the ways in which research is shaped by intellectual histories, pressing social and environmental challenges, and contemporary academic and political debates. The course allows students to develop specialised interests in geography or environmental management.
GEOG 714 - Mobilities and Wellbeing (15 pts)🏳
An exploration of place-based human mobilities and their influence on health and wellbeing, employing current theoretical perspectives. No formal prerequisite, but an understanding of material in Stage III courses in human geography will be assumed.
GEOG 719 - Geographies of Housing and Urban Change (15 pts)🏳
Advanced study of housing and urban issues, including the topics of homeownership, asset-based welfare, the politics of housing affordability, housing reforms and the changing dynamics of gentrification. Contemporary issues such as mortgage market dynamics and social rented housing reforms are examined. The course will consider also urban governance, office property investment and development processes, and sites of consumption and spectacle.
GEOG 725 - People, Participation and Development (15 pts)🏳
A critical overview of issues associated with people’s participation in development in their geographical context, including processes and outcomes, accountability, empowerment and transformation in the context of livelihood strengthening, resource management, health and sanitation, education and disaster risk reduction. The course provides the students with theoretical knowledge but also practical skills through the use in class of participatory tools as both contents and teaching aids. Discussions rely upon concrete examples from throughout the world with a particular focus on marginalised places.
GEOG 737 - Geographies of Public Policy (15 pts)🏳
Exploring ‘policy’ — an all too familiar and taken for granted term — by focusing on how policies get made, how different actors and varieties of expertise influence the policy process, and how policies shape people and place. It introduces students to transdisciplinary conversations involving geographers, anthropologists, sociologists and urbanists.
GEOG 738 - Future Food and Biological Economies (15 pts)🏳
Investigates contemporary understandings, issues and strategies relating to the development of biological economies and food networks in the context of the globalising food economy. Addresses transformations in agro-food complexes and questions of nature-society relationships to do with 'sustainable' and 'resilient' food production and consumption.
GEOG 745 - Applied Fluvial Geomorphology (15 pts)🏳
Catchment-scale perspectives are used to analyse spatial and temporal variability in river forms and processes. River responses to disturbance are placed in a longer- term evolutionary context. Prospective river futures are appraised using field analyses and numerical modelling applications. These principles and techniques are used to discuss management options. No formal prerequisite but final year undergraduate experience in a related field required.
GEOG 746 - Coastal Environments (15 pts)🏳
Coastal environments are among the most dynamic landscapes on Earth, but face growing pressure from human encroachment, rising sea levels and changing storm patterns. This course provides scientific knowledge and expertise required to grapple with coastal management problems that affect society. Coastal processes and landform development are discussed. Students obtain practical skills in state-of-the-art techniques used to understand coastal change.
GEOG 749 - Applied Climate Science (15 pts)🏳
An examination of climate themes relevant to society. Themes will vary but may include hydrology and water resources, agriculture, human health, ocean-atmosphere interaction and energy in the climate system. The sensitivity of selected biophysical and human activity systems to climate will be explored and the actual and potential impacts of climatic variability and change (past and future) investigated.
GEOG 750 - Environment and Landscape (15 pts)🏳
Environmental change in New Zealand since European settlement, including exploitation of natural resources, the creation of different cultural landscapes, and recognition of places as natural and cultural heritage. Different approaches to investigating and understanding recent environmental change are addressed. The course is suitable for physical and social science students, and will enable them to place the modern environment within a historical context. The course may include short guided walks and a one day or two half-day fieldtrips.
GEOG 759 - Research Topics in Geography (15 pts)🏳
Directed research on an approved topic or topics.
GEOG 760 - Directed Study in Geography (15 pts)🏳
Directed studies on an approved topic or topics.
GEOG 761 - Special Topic: Monitoring Change from Space with (15 pts)🏳
Machine Learning Remotely sensed (satellite) data and machine learning techniques will be used to classify and analyse both commercial and environmental targets through time. Techniques will focus on both pixel classification and object detection and students will experience the latest in satellite imagery analysis with a focus on deriving actionable information.
GEOG 771 - Spatial Analysis and Geocomputation (15 pts)🏳
Approaches to and challenges in analysing spatial data. Specific techniques will include geographical regression, point pattern analysis, interpolation, and newer geocomputation and machine learning methods. Students will gain an advanced knowledge of spatial analysis. An understanding equivalent to GISCI 242 will be assumed.
GEOG 774 - Advanced Spatial Data Handling (15 pts)🏳
Advanced approaches to spatial data handling (processing, management, visualisation, and analysis) in web- based environments, including theoretical debates and implications as well as applications for spatial data handling in integrated open-source and web-based mapping/GIS environments. There will be an applied laboratory component and lecture/seminar component where the broader social and theoretical implications of developments in spatial data handling will be engaged. No formal prerequisite, but an understanding equivalent to GEOG 318 will be assumed.