GV2FCP: Geography and Planning Field Class

Module code: GV2FCP

Module provider: Geography and Environmental Science; School of Archaeology, Geography and Environmental Science

Credits: 20

Level: 5

When you’ll be taught: Semester 1

Module convenor: Dr Jess Neumann, email: j.l.neumann@reading.ac.uk

Module co-convenor: Dr Rob Fry, email: r.j.fry@reading.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s):

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded: IN TAKING THIS MODULE YOU CANNOT TAKE GV1FC (Compulsory)

Placement information: NA

Academic year: 2026/7

Available to visiting students: No

Talis reading list: Yes

Last updated: 27 March 2026

Overview

Module aims and purpose

This is a field-based module for Geography and Planning students. It is co-delivered alongside GV1FC for the first five weeks of lectures that are designed to introduce students to the tools and principles of undertaking in situ problem-based research. 

The remaining weeks encompass multiple bespoke activities designed to enhance and develop the prior learning of Geography and Planning students at Part 1. This includes 5 days of field-based activities in Week 7, during which Planning and Geography students will be required to complete two bespoke planning activities (delivered by REP staff), and three geography activities alongside all other GES students. Seminars or feedback meetings with staff will follow up the field study. 

The module will train students in data collection, analysis and interpretation and will enhance their knowledge and understanding of field investigation methods used in the geography and planning disciplines. There is, with a strong emphasis on authentic, ‘real world’ issues that affect society and the design and function of the environment, including the implications of planning decisions across rural and built environments. 

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to:

1. Describe, discuss and appraise key environmental, planning and geographical principles of data collection and evaluation.  
2. Design and employ sampling strategies to collect social and environmental data, with a focus on analysing spatial patterns and characteristics across urban and rural contexts. 
3. Collect, organise and analyse a range of field-based data types. 
4. Explain and demonstrate field work reporting processes, including data collection, presentation, analysis and evaluation. 

Module content

The 5-day field class will consist of 2 days in the Reading area (non-residential), and 3 days in and around the New Forest (residential). Students will be divided into small, supervised groups to collect, organise and analyse a range of field-based data types. Each day will focus on specific geographical, planning and environmental themes which may include urban regeneration, soil/sediment formation histories, the dynamics of land management and ecology, the design, fabric and function of built and rural environments, coastal environmental change, tourism, hydrological processes and flood risk, cultural ecosystem services, and consumption and space. 

Students will be required to demonstrate their skills in recording detailed observations and field-sketches, and undertaking tasks such as (but not limited to) soil profile coring and testing, vegetation, landscape and built environment surveys, map reading and orientation, questionnaires and interviews, and hydrological measurements. 

There will be classroom-based preparatory and follow-up sessions throughout the semester to support the field class learning and assessment.  

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

Prior to the field class, the students will attend weekly taught sessions designed to contextualise the field class activities and tasks, including how to write a field notebook. There will also be preparatory sessions during the first 5 weeks relating to Health and Safety including Risk Assessments, Indemnity Forms, and the equipment and clothing required for the field class.  

The field class will run in Week 7 and comprise 5 days of work, during which students will be required to complete an individual field notebook for assessment. The activities and tasks will be introduced on each day, and a de-brief provided at the end of each activity.  

After the field class there will be 4 follow-up seminars to prepare geography and planning students for the screencast assessment.  

Study hours

At least 60 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

 Students need to achieve an overall module mark of 40% to pass this module. 

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

Assessments with numerical marks

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment indicated in your Individual Learning Plan): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each calendar day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of three calendar days;
• where the piece of work is submitted up to three calendar days after the original deadline (or a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment indicated in you Individual Learning Plan), the mark awarded due to the imposition of the penalty shall not fall below the threshold pass mark, namely 40% in the case of modules at Levels 4-6 (i.e. undergraduate modules for Parts 1-3) and 50% in the case of Level 7 modules offered as part of an Integrated Masters or taught postgraduate degree programme;
• where the piece of work is awarded a mark below the threshold pass mark prior to any penalty being imposed, and is submitted up to three calendar days after the original deadline (or a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment indicated in your Individual Learning Plan), no penalty shall be imposed;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three calendar days after the original deadline (or a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment indicated in your Individual Learning Plan): a mark of zero will be recorded.

Assessments marked Pass/Fail

• where the piece of work is submitted within three calendar days of the deadline (or a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment indicated in your Individual Learning Plan): no penalty will be applied;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three calendar days after the original deadline (or a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment indicated in your Individual Learning Plan): a grade of Fail will be awarded.

Where a piece of work is submitted late after a deadline which has been revised owing to an extension granted through the Assessment Adjustments policy and process (self-certified or otherwise), it will be subject to the maximum penalty (i.e., considered to be more than three calendar days late). This will also apply when such an extension is used in conjunction with a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: /cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf

You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

Reassessment

Additional costs