Department of Geography

Geography Residential Field School (Tobago)

• Credits: 3
• Level: Undergraduate, Year 2
• Semester: 3
• Status: Elective course for BSc/BA major (Geography) and BSc Geography.
• Pre-requisites: GEOG 1900 and GEOG 1901; or GEOG 1131, GEOG 1132, GEOG 1231 and GEOG 1232 or HOD permission.
• Course coordinator:

Course coverage

Physical and human geography of Tobago; a range of field-based examples of elements of physical and human geography; practical research techniques.

Significance/Rationale

This course has three main aims: (1) to provide students with an opportunity to apply theory and knowledge gained through other courses in geography to 'real-world' geographical study, (2) to provide students with an opportunity to undertake a group integrative project-based assignment involving industrial or environmental site visits, field work and laboratory analysis, and (3) to supplement and extend material introduced in the course GEOG 2101 Geographical Research Methods. The field course will encourage the practical application of students' classroom-based knowledge and its application and provide training in practical research techniques. With a duration of approximately a week, students will embark on an integrated programme of intensive fieldwork, testing different research techniques and undertaking small, self contained research projects. It provides the opportunity to further enhance individual project work skills developed at Level 1 and transfers and extends those skills into a group situation. This course also provides an opportunity for the practical development of a range of communication skills.

Course description

This course provides students with an opportunity to gain an in-depth knowledge of the physical and human geography of Tobago, the smaller of the two islands which make up the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, and, through practical field-based examples, introduces students to issues in environmental management. Tobago possesses a wealth of human and physical geography field examples and is relatively self-contained, making it ideal for a residential field course. Students will embark on an integrated programme of intensive fieldwork, testing different research techniques and undertaking small, self contained research projects. It provides the opportunity to further enhance individual project work skills developed at Level 1 and transfers and extends those skills into a group situation.