GEO2149 : Urban Geography (Semester 1 for Exchange Students)
GEO2149 : Urban Geography (Semester 1 for Exchange Students)
- Offered for Year: 2025/26
- Module Leader(s): Dr Astrid Wood
- Lecturer: Dr Matthew Richmond, Dr Wen Lin, Dr James Riding, Dr Emma Ormerod, Professor Alison Stenning, Dr Niall Cunningham, Dr Robert Shaw, Dr Gainbi Park, Dr Gareth Powells
- Owning School: Geography, Politics & Sociology
- Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters
Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.
| Semester 1 Credit Value: | 10 |
| ECTS Credits: | 5.0 |
| European Credit Transfer System | |
Pre-requisite
Modules you must have done previously to study this module
Pre Requisite Comment
N/A
Co-Requisite
Modules you need to take at the same time
Co Requisite Comment
N/A
Aims
- To provide students with an understanding of urban geography
- To help students situate these understandings alongside debates in economic, political and social geographies
- To enable students to critically reflect upon urban geography concepts through the discussion of real-world case studies and examples
- To encourage students to develop independent learning skills through reading, research and writing
Outline Of Syllabus
The module is structured around four subsections: thinking with the city, the economic city, the political city, the social city.
These topics will consider the following overarching questions:
- Thinking with the city: What shapes the form and function of cities? In what ways does infrastructure, or the lack thereof, challenge traditional urban development?
- The economic city: How do economic policies influence the development of cities and urban spaces? What role does labour and land play in economic growth and inequality in cities?
- The political city: How do cities reflect and influence the power dynamics and governance arrangements? In what ways do local political decisions shape the urban landscape and social relations?
- The social city: How do cities serve as spaces of social interaction, community building and identity formation?
Learning Outcomes
Intended Knowledge Outcomes
By the end of this module, students will have had the opportunity to:
- develop a critical understanding of the key theories and concepts in urban geography
- gain knowledge of the economic, political, and social processes that shape urban environments
- enhance their awareness of both global and local urban challenges and develop a more nuanced understanding of the issues facing cities around the world
Intended Skill Outcomes
By the end of the module, students will have had the opportunity to develop their:
- Reading skills by engaging with academic debates in urban geography and improving their understanding of key theoretical and empirical contributions to the field
- Critical thinking skills by analysing academic texts and identifying key arguments and methodologies
- Visual skills by practicing techniques for communicating and translating information into clear, visual representations
- Writing skills by developing a coherent, well-structured academic argument and supporting it with relevant academic references and evidence
Teaching Methods
Teaching Activities
| Category | Activity | Number | Length | Student Hours | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Lecture | 13 | 1:00 | 13:00 | N/A |
| Guided Independent Study | Directed research and reading | 82 | 1:00 | 82:00 | N/A |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Workshops | 2 | 2:00 | 4:00 | N/A |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Drop-in/surgery | 1 | 1:00 | 1:00 | N/A |
| Total | 100:00 |
Jointly Taught With
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| GEO2148 | Urban Geography |
Teaching Rationale And Relationship
These teaching methods support student learning through a combination of lectures, workshops, drop-in/surgeries and guided independent study.
- Lectures provide students with an opportunity to engage with the lecturer on their areas of expertise and delve deeper into urban geography concepts and empirics
- Workshops provide students with opportunities to learn about, and practice their reading, critical thinking, visual and/or writing skills in preparation for the assessment
- Drop-in surgeries provide students with support for their assessments
Reading Lists
Assessment Methods
The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners
Other Assessment
| Description | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Case study | 1 | M | 100 | A map and a 1500 word written analysis |
Assessment Rationale And Relationship
N/A
Timetable
- Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
- GEO2149's Timetable
Past Exam Papers
- Exam Papers Online : www.ncl.ac.uk/exam.papers/
- GEO2149's past Exam Papers
General Notes
N/A
Welcome to Newcastle University Module Catalogue
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Disclaimer
The information contained within the Module Catalogue relates to the 2025 academic year.
In accordance with University Terms and Conditions, the University makes all reasonable efforts to deliver the modules as described.
Modules may be amended on an annual basis to take account of changing staff expertise, developments in the discipline, the requirements of external bodies and partners, staffing changes, and student feedback. Module information for the 2026/27 entry will be published here in early-April 2026. Queries about information in the Module Catalogue should in the first instance be addressed to your School Office.