Course Pathways

The Natural Science Path: a Summary

In the Junior Freshman (JF/first) year, students reading Geography through Natural Sciences can take one or both of 2 10 credit modules:

• GG1021 Introduction to Geography I: Physical (in Semester 1)

and /or

• GG1022 Introduction to Geography II: Human - Environment (in Semester 2)

In the Senior Freshman (SF/second) year, the following modules are taken (note that in order to take SF Geography Science students MUST have taken either GG1021 or GG1022 (or both):

• GG2021 Changing Worlds
• GG2022 Collection & Analysis of Geographical Data

Students are also required to attend field excursions, which are normally held on designated Saturdays in Michaelmas, Hilary or Trinity terms.

In the Sophister years students concentrate solely on Geography, and choose from a range of courses offered by the Department and attend a field course. In addition, subject to the approval of the Department's Sophister Course Adviser, certain courses offered outside the Department may be chosen. Sophister students also undertake research for a dissertation which is submitted early in the Hilary term of their final year.

For further guidance on Sophister course choice, reference should be made to the Geography Undergraduate Course Handbook 2012-2013

The Two Subject Moderatorship (TSM) Path: a Summary

Students taking the TSM degree take three geography modules in their Junior Freshman (JF) year:

• GG1021 Introduction to Geography I: Physical
• GG1022 Introduction to Geography II: Human - Environment
• GG1023 Introduction to Geography III: Human

During the Senior Freshman (SF) year the following modules are studied:

• GG2021 Changing Worlds
• GG2022 Collection & Analysis of Geographical Data
• GG2023 Geography Student Seminars

Students are also required to attend field excursions, which are normally held on designated Saturdays in Michaelmas, Hilary or Trinity terms.

In the Sophister (third and fourth) years, TSM offers a number of paths. Each requires the completion of a dissertation, submitted early in the Hilary term of the final year. The range of departmental Sophister courses is identical to that which is available for Science students. For further guidance on Sophister course choice, reference should be made to the Geography Undergraduate Course Handbook 2012-2013

Pattern A: you take Geography and your second subject in fourth year. (Available if you are taking Geography with Economics, History, German, Mathematics, Philosophy, Sociology.)

Pattern B: you specialise in either Geography or your second subject in fourth year. (Available for all subject pairings.)

The Geography programme also offers the opportunity to study abroad during the third year. Under the European Union’s SOCRATES scheme for student mobility, College has exchange links with several British and continental European universities. This scheme enables Geography students to spend all or part of their third year at another university, for which full credit is given upon their return into the fourth year at Trinity.

In certain circumstances, a special TSM pathway (Pattern C) is available to students who spend their third year abroad on a SOCRATES exchange to study Geography before returning for their final year of Geography in Trinity. Further details of these exchange possibilities are available from Mr. Michael Quigley.

TSM students may apply to transfer to the Single Honours Moderatorship in Natural Science (NS) before starting their third year. To be eligible for transfer, the student must pass their Senior Freshman examination in June and obtain at least a second class (second division) (II.2) grade in Geography. Transfer applications must be made to the Admissions Office via the student’s Tutor.