Course Outline
GEO340 Historical Geographies
Course Coordinator:Harriot Beazley (hbeazley@usc.edu.au) School:School of Law and Society
2026Semester 1
UniSC Sunshine Coast |
Blended learning | Most of your course is on campus but you may be able to do some components of this course online. |
Please go to unisc.edu.au for up to date information on the
teaching sessions and campuses where this course is usually offered.
What is this course about?
Description
This course introduces you to an important area of geographical and historical enquiry - historical geography - and explores the complex links between space, place and time, and how past geographies are linked to the present. Different dimensions of geographical change in the modernising world - globalization, colonization, post-colonialism, transnational migration and environmental issues - are considered. Within this framework historical connections are made between landscapes, people, power, culture and identity, at a variety of scales, and within different regions of the world.
How will this course be delivered?
| Activity | Hours | Beginning Week | Frequency |
| Blended learning | |||
| Lecture – Weekly live online lecture for timetable. | 1hr | Week 1 | 13 times |
| Tutorial/Workshop 1 – Face to face workshop weekly for 10 weeks | 2hrs | Week 2 | 10 times |
Course Topics
- Introduction to Course
- Modernization and Globalization (A Shrinking World?)
- Data Sources in Historical Geography
- Geographies of Colonialism: Empires and Colonies
- Geographies of Exploration
- Postcolonial Geographies
- Historical Geographies of Migration and Identity
- Environmental Geographies (1): Australia
- Environmental geographies (2): The Pacific
- Historical Cultural Geographies: Hisotrical Geographies of Fashion
- Interpreting Data in Historical Geographies
- Overview of the Course
What level is this course?
300 Level (Graduate)
What is the unit value of this course?
12 units
How does this course contribute to my learning?
| Course Learning Outcomes On successful completion of this course, you should be able to... | Graduate Qualities Completing these tasks successfully will contribute to you becoming... | |
| 1 | Understand the foundational themes in historical geographies | Knowledgeable |
| 2 | Think critically about the representations and concepts taught in particular applications | Creative and critical thinker |
| 3 | Conduct independent research and synthesis the findings to support a particular point of view. | Creative and critical thinker |
| 4 | Work collectively during tutorials and group class sessions to enhance learning |
Ethical Engaged |
| 5 | Look broadly for novel representations in supporting 'texts' such as images and maps that help to construct an imagined historical geography | Creative and critical thinker |
Am I eligible to enrol in this course?
Refer to the UniSC Glossary of terms for definitions of “pre-requisites, co-requisites and anti-requisites”.
Pre-requisites
Not applicable
Co-requisites
Not applicable
Anti-requisites
Not applicable
Specific assumed prior knowledge and skills (where applicable)
Not applicable
Microcredential Information
Not applicable
How am I going to be assessed?
Grading Scale
Standard Grading (GRD)
| High Distinction (HD), Distinction (DN), Credit (CR), Pass (PS), Fail (FL). |
Details of early feedback on progress
Timely and detailed feedback is provided for each assessment. Feedback is provided both within text and general comments to build scholarly skills. Students are able to seek feedback through face-to-face discussion with the course coordinator. Tutorials will include extended discussion and review of the assessment task requirements and scope.
Assessment tasks
| Delivery mode | Task No. | Assessment Product | Individual or Group | Weighting % | What is the duration / length? | When should I submit? | Where should I submit it? |
| All | 1 | Essay | Individual | 25% | 1000 Words |
Week 4 | Online Submission |
| All | 2 | Oral | Group | 35% | 10 Minutes |
Refer to Format | In Class |
| All | 3 | Essay | Individual | 40% | 1500 Words |
Week 13 | Online Submission |
| All - Assessment Task 1:Essay | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Goal: | To critically reflect on historical and geographical processes that have contributed to theworld we live in today |
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| Product: | Essay | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Authorship Statement: | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Format: | Answer the following question. Critically assess the claim that we are living in a shrinking world. The lectures in weeks 1 - 3, as well as the recommended readings for those weeks, will help. Additional research may also be conducted. |
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| Criteria: |
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| Generic Skills: | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| All - Assessment Task 2:Oral Report Presentation in class | |||||||||||||||||||
| Goal: | To present a seminar presentation in front of the class on a chosen topic drawing on key concepts discussed in class |
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| Product: | Oral | ||||||||||||||||||
| Authorship Statement: | |||||||||||||||||||
| Format: | Submit: Week 7-12. Choose a place in the world that interests you. Look for research material that helps you to construct an 'imagined' historical geography of that place. The research material may include maps, photographs, interviews, text from government websites, and so forth. Finally, organise a 10 minute PowerPoint presentation or Prezi about that place, which provides an interpretation of the historical processes you think have shaped that place. Your presentation should include an introduction, the case study about the place you've researched, and a conclusion. The case study component of the presentation will include a descriptive section on the place you have chosen, and an analytical section on how and why you think that place has formed to exhibit its current physical and cultural landscape. |
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| Criteria: |
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| All - Assessment Task 3:Essay | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Goal: | To develop a greater appreciation of historical geography and how to creatively use text conveys meaning. |
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| Product: | Essay | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Authorship Statement: | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Format: | Choose one of the texts from the recommended readings (journal article, book chapter or text) provided on Blackboard. If you have a particular text you wish to analyse that is not listed please check its suitability with the Course Coordinator. You are to read this text and make notes on the historical and geographical themes that you encounter throughout the text. Write an essay describing these historical geographies and then critically discuss how the authors of the text have addressed the key concepts taught during the course. You should use additional reference material that supports your claims. |
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| Criteria: |
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Directed study hours
A 12-unit course will have total of 150 learning hours which will include directed study hours (including online if required), self-directed learning and completion of assessable tasks. Student workload is calculated at 12.5 learning hours per one unit.
What resources do I need to undertake this course?
Please note: Course information, including specific information of recommended readings, learning activities, resources, weekly readings, etc. are available on the course Canvas site– Please log in as soon as possible.
Prescribed text(s) or course reader
Specific requirements
You are responsible for the production of the final report
How are risks managed in this course?
What administrative information is relevant to this course?
Assessment: Academic Integrity
Academic integrity is the ethical standard of university participation. It ensures that students graduate as a result of proving they are competent in their discipline. This is integral in maintaining the value of academic qualifications. Each industry has expectations and standards of the skills and knowledge within that discipline and these are reflected in assessment.
Academic integrity means that you do not engage in any activity that is considered to be academic fraud; including plagiarism, collusion or outsourcing any part of any assessment item to any other person. You are expected to be honest and ethical by completing all work yourself and indicating in your work which ideas and information were developed by you and which were taken from others. You cannot provide your assessment work to others. You are also expected to provide evidence of wide and critical reading, usually by using appropriate academic references.
In order to minimise incidents of academic fraud, this course may require that some of its assessment tasks, when submitted to Canvas, are electronically checked through Turnitin. This software allows for text comparisons to be made between your submitted assessment item and all other work to which Turnitin has access.
Assessment: Additional Requirements
Your eligibility for supplementary assessment in a course is dependent of the following conditions applying: The final mark is in the percentage range 47% to 49.4% The course is graded using the Standard Grading scale You have not failed an assessment task in the course due to academic misconductAssessment: Submission penalties
Late submission of assessment tasks may be penalised at the following maximum rate: - 5% (of the assessment task's identified value) per day for the first two days from the date identified as the due date for the assessment task. - 10% (of the assessment task's identified value) for the third day - 20% (of the assessment task's identified value) for the fourth day and subsequent days up to and including seven days from the date identified as the due date for the assessment task. - A result of zero is awarded for an assessment task submitted after seven days from the date identified as the due date for the assessment task. Weekdays and weekends are included in the calculation of days late. To request an extension you must contact your course coordinator to negotiate an outcome.Links to relevant University policy and procedures
For more information on Academic Learning & Teaching categories including:
- Assessment: Courses and Coursework Programs
- Review of Assessment and Final Grades
- Supplementary Assessment
- Central Examinations
- Deferred Examinations
- Student Conduct
- Students with a Disability
For more information, visit https://www.usc.edu.au/explore/policies-and-procedures#academic-learning-and-teaching
Student Charter
UniSC is committed to excellence in teaching, research and engagement in an environment that is inclusive, inspiring, safe and respectful. The Student Charter sets out what students can expect from the University, and what in turn is expected of students, to achieve these outcomes.
General Enquiries
- In person:
- UniSC Sunshine Coast - Student Central, Ground Floor, Building C, 90 Sippy Downs Drive, Sippy Downs
- UniSC Moreton Bay - Service Centre, Ground Floor, Foundation Building, Gympie Road, Petrie
- UniSC SouthBank - Student Central, Building A4 (SW1), 52 Merivale Street, South Brisbane
- UniSC Gympie - Student Central, 71 Cartwright Road, Gympie
- UniSC Fraser Coast - Student Central, Student Central, Building A, 161 Old Maryborough Rd, Hervey Bay
- UniSC Caboolture - Student Central, Level 1 Building J, Cnr Manley and Tallon Street, Caboolture
- Tel:+61 7 5430 2890
- Email:studentcentral@usc.edu.au