Undergraduate Programme Specification
BSc Archaeology-Palaeoecology and Geography
Academic Year 2021/22
A programme specification is required for any programme on which a student may be registered. All programmes of the University are subject to the University's Quality Assurance processes. All degrees are awarded by Queen's University Belfast.
| Programme Title | BSc Archaeology-Palaeoecology and Geography | Final Award (exit route if applicable for Postgraduate Taught Programmes) |
Bachelor of Science | |||||||||||
| Programme Code | ARP-BSC-JS | UCAS Code | VF48 | HECoS Code |
100299 - Archaeology - 33 100381 - Environmental sciences - 17 100409 - Geography - 50 |
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| ATAS Clearance Required | No | |||||||||||||
| Mode of Study | Full Time or Part Time | |||||||||||||
| Type of Programme | Joint Honours Single | Length of Programme | Full Time - 3 Academic Year(s) Part Time - 6 Academic Year(s) |
Total Credits for Programme | 360 | |||||||||
| Exit Awards available | ||||||||||||||
Institute Information
Teaching Institution |
Queen's University Belfast |
School/Department |
Natural and Built Environment |
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Quality Code Higher Education Credit Framework for England |
Level 6 |
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Subject Benchmark Statements The Frameworks for Higher Education Qualifications of UK Degree-Awarding Bodies |
Archaeology (2014) |
Accreditations (PSRB) |
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Chartered Institute for Archaeologists |
Date of most recent Accreditation Visit 27-08-20 |
Regulation Information
Does the Programme have any approved exemptions from the University General Regulations None |
Programme Specific Regulations No |
Students with protected characteristics No barriers to access or progression. Physical disability may be a barrier to certain students (e.g. wheelchair users) from participating in some fieldwork activities. The School of Natural and Built Environment works with placement providers and partner institutions to ensure that students with disabilities are able to complete fieldwork and placement requirements. |
Are students subject to Fitness to Practise Regulations (Please see General Regulations) No |
Educational Aims Of Programme
On completion of the programme the student will be able to:
• demonstrate an appreciation of past and present human and physical environments, and their relevance for understanding current social, economic, political and environment concerns
• show sound knowledge and understanding of the scope and key intellectual issues within the disciplines of archaeology, palaeoecology and geography, and in-depth knowledge of selected specialist areas within the disciplines
• demonstrate key transferable skills, for example field survey and recording, site sampling, laboratory etiquette and practice, data handling and analytical skills
• demonstrate knowledge of and specialist experience in archaeology from prehistory to the present, including an understanding of the global scope of the discipline and specialist knowledge of selected regions
• show awareness of past environmental change, particularly with respect to understanding and contextualising past cultural change and the role of palaeoecological research for informing our understanding of current climate and environmental change issues
• demonstrate awareness of the wide scope of geographical enquiry, including methodologies for data collection and analysis, interpretation, contextualisation and representation
• display an appreciation of the character and role of heritage sites and landscapes in the present, including ethical and legal considerations and the relevance of public engagement
• demonstrate qualification in and key skills for lifelong learning and career development, including independent research abilities, team work, written and oral expression
Learning Outcomes
Learning Outcomes: Cognitive SkillsOn the completion of this course successful students will be able to: |
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Gather, organise and deploy evidence, data and information; and be familiar with appropriate means of identifying, finding, retrieving, sorting and exchanging information |
Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies Coursework, tutorials, seminars, oral and poster presentations Methods of Assessment Essays, dissertations, independent projects |
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Analyse concepts and ideas, and have the capacity to consider and solve problems, including complex problems to which there is no single solution |
Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies Lectures, seminars, tutorials, supervised research Methods of Assessment Essays, coursework, exams |
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Present well-developed arguments in written and oral form with clarity and fluency |
Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies Coursework, tutorials, seminars, oral and poster presentations Methods of Assessment Essays, reports, oral and poster presentations |
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Select, design and execute a programme of primary research, including data acquisition, analysis, interpretation, and communication under time-managed conditions and within word limits |
Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies Project design, dissertation and independent project Methods of Assessment Essays, dissertations, independent projects |
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Display critical awareness of a range of key terms, concepts, approaches, techniques and debates in archaeological method, theory and practice |
Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies Directed reading, tutorials, seminars, oral and poster presentations Methods of Assessment Coursework assignments, class tests, exams |
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Assess and appraise differing views on significant areas of academic debate |
Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies Directed reading, tutorials, seminars, coursework Methods of Assessment Essays, coursework, dissertations, independent projects, exams |
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Exercise critical judgment on the basis of varied and problematic evidence and according to the persuasiveness of the arguments or the reliability of the evidence used |
Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies Coursework, tutorials, seminars, oral and poster presentations Methods of Assessment Essays, coursework, dissertations, independent projects, exams |
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Reflect on their own learning and seek and make use of constructive feedback |
Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies Coursework, tutorials and seminars Methods of Assessment Essays, coursework |
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Recognise the importance of explicit referencing and the ethical requirements of study, which requires critical and reflective use of information and information technology in the learning process |
Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies Coursework, tutorials and seminars Methods of Assessment Essays, coursework, dissertations, independent projects |
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Gather, organise and deploy evidence, data and information; and be familiar with appropriate means of identifying, finding, retrieving, sorting and exchanging information |
Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies Coursework, tutorials, seminars, oral and poster presentations Methods of Assessment Essays, dissertations, independent projects |
Learning Outcomes: Transferable SkillsOn the completion of this course successful students will be able to: |
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Use electronic media and information technology (e.g. word processing, spreadsheets, computer-based mapping, graphing and image processing, GIS) |
Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies Practicals, provision of online resources Methods of Assessment Critical review, essays, group and individual projects, oral and poster presentations, practical assignments, reports |
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Access library/museum/archive and World Wide Web resources |
Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies Introduction to library services in Induction week, training sessions in use of online resources, practicals Methods of Assessment Class tests, critical review, essays, exams, individual projects, oral and poster presentations, practical assignments, reports, seminar assignments |
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Undertake independent study, research and problem-solving |
Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies Research Design training, one-to-one guidance on dissertation and independent project research Methods of Assessment Class tests, critical review, essays, exams, field notebooks, individual projects, oral and poster presentations, practical assignments, reports, seminar assignments |
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Participate in and reflect on collaborative group-/team-work |
Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies Fieldwork, tutorials, seminars, practicals Methods of Assessment Class test, group and individual projects, oral and poster presentations, practical assignments, reports, seminar assignments |
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Display time management |
Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies Completion of practicals on time, oral presentations, coursework deadlines Methods of Assessment Class tests, critical review, essays, exams, group and individual projects, oral and poster presentations, practical assignments, reports |
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Show competence in field techniques |
Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies Fieldwork Methods of Assessment Field notebooks, group and individual projects, oral presentations, practical assignments, reports |
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Recognise moral and ethical issues |
Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies Lectures, tutorials, supervised research Methods of Assessment Class tests, essays, exams, individual projects, oral presentations, practical assignments |
Learning Outcomes: Knowledge & UnderstandingOn the completion of this course successful students will be able to: |
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Display knowledge of the nature, relationships, context, development and contemporary practice of archaeology, palaeoecology and geography as disciplines and as professions |
Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies Lectures, tutorials, seminars, field teaching, directed reading Methods of Assessment Class tests, essays, exam, individual projects, poster presentations, practical assignments |
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Display knowledge and critical awareness of primary archaeological data and their archaeological contexts (including landscapes, sites and monuments, artefacts and ecofacts) |
Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies Lectures, tutorials, seminars, practicals, field teaching, supervised research, directed reading Methods of Assessment Class tests, essays, exam, individual projects, oral presentations, practical assignments, seminars |
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Display knowledge and critical awareness of primary palaeoecological data and their relevance (including past landscape, ecosystem and climate reconstructions) |
Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies Lectures, tutorials, seminars, practicals, field teaching, supervised research, directed reading Methods of Assessment Class tests, essays, exam, practical assignments |
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Display knowledge, both comparative and specialised, of selected archaeological periods (prehistoric through contemporary), regions (Britain & Ireland, Europe, the Mediterranean, North America, Africa) and research themes (e.g. human evolution, the development of complex societies, cultural change through time and space, human-environment relationships) |
Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies Lectures, tutorials, seminars, field teaching, directed reading Methods of Assessment Class tests, essays, exam, individual projects, oral presentations, practical assignments, seminars, assessed tutorials |
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Interpret environments and environmental change |
Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies Lectures, practicals, seminars, directed reading Methods of Assessment Exams, field notebooks, group projects, oral and poster presentations, reports |
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Display knowledge of a range of key terms, concepts, approaches, techniques and debates in archaeological, palaeoecological and geographical method, theory and science |
Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies Lectures, tutorials, seminars, practicals, field teaching, supervised research, directed reading Methods of Assessment Class tests, essays, exams, individual projects, oral and poster presentations, practical assignments, reports |
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Appreciate the legal policy and ethical frameworks for research and professional practice in archaeology |
Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies Lectures, tutorials, seminars, directed reading Methods of Assessment Class tests, essays, individual projects, oral presentations, practical assignments |
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Show an awareness of the wider public interest in archaeology and the public benefit of archaeology |
Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies Lectures, seminars, field teaching Methods of Assessment Essays, individual projects, oral presentations |
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Show an awareness of the contribution of palaeoecological studies to current debates on climate and environmental change |
Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies Lectures, seminars, field teaching Methods of Assessment Class tests, essays, exams, practical assignments |
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Understand and interpret contemporary geography |
Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies Lectures, fieldwork Methods of Assessment Exams, field notebooks, group projects, oral and poster presentations, reports |
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Understand landforms, physical processes, landscape representation and interpretation within physical geography |
Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies Lectures, fieldwork Methods of Assessment Class tests, group projects, oral and poster presentations, reports |
Learning Outcomes: Subject SpecificOn the completion of this course successful students will be able to: |
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Demonstrate direct experience and competence in a range of core practical and interpretative skills, to an advanced level, involving the recording and analysis of archaeological, environmental and geographical evidence |
Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies Lectures, practicals, supervised research Methods of Assessment Class tests, essays, individual projects, oral presentations, practical assignments |
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Conduct research on archaeological sites and monuments (e.g. SMR, library, archives) and/or environmental habitats (e.g. bogs, lakes) or data |
Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies Lectures, practicals, field teaching, supervised research Methods of Assessment Essays, individual projects, oral presentations, practical assignments, reports |
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Demonstrate field skills (e.g. surveying, excavation, site sampling, coring, recording, safety) |
Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies Lectures, practicals, field teaching, supervised research Methods of Assessment Essays, group projects, individual projects, practical assignments, reports |
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Demonstrate an awareness of post-fieldwork processes (e.g. artefacts and materials research, human and animal bone research, illustration, sampling, data analysis, data presentation) |
Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies Lectures, tutorials, seminars, practicals Methods of Assessment Class tests, critical review, essays, individual projects, oral presentations, practical assignments, reports |
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Demonstrate spatial awareness (through fieldwork, maps, digital data and imagery) |
Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies Lectures, workshops, fieldwork Methods of Assessment Field notebook, group projects, poster presentations, practical assignments, reports |
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Show an ability to represent geographical data (maps, GIS, remote sensing, statistics) |
Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies Workshops, supervised research Methods of Assessment Class tests, essays, group and independent projects, poster presentations, practical assignments, reports |
Module Information
Stages and Modules
| Module Title | Module Code | Level/ stage | Credits | Availability |
Duration | Pre-requisite | Assessment |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| S1 | S2 | Core | Option | Coursework % | Practical % | Examination % | ||||||
| Physical Geography: Earth, Fire and Ice | GGY1007 | 1 | 20 | YES | 12 weeks | N | YES | 100% | 0% | 0% | ||
| Europe in Prehistory | ARP1008 | 1 | 20 | YES | 12 weeks | N | YES | 100% | 0% | 0% | ||
| Themes in Historical Archaeology | ARP1010 | 1 | 20 | YES | 12 weeks | N | YES | 30% | 30% | 40% | ||
| Ancient Humans and Landscapes | ARP1006 | 1 | 20 | YES | 12 weeks | N | YES | 80% | 0% | 20% | ||
| Environmental Change: past, present and future | ARP1007 | 1 | 20 | YES | 12 weeks | N | YES | 50% | 30% | 20% | ||
| Introduction To World Archaeology | ARP1013 | 1 | 20 | YES | 12 weeks | N | YES | 75% | 0% | 25% | ||
| Archaeological Excavation | ARP1014 | 1 | 20 | YES | 16 weeks | N | YES | 75% | 0% | 25% | ||
| Physical Geography: Earth, Wind and Water | GGY1009 | 1 | 20 | YES | 12 weeks | N | YES | 50% | 0% | 50% | ||
| Human Geography: Society, Power and Culture | GGY1011 | 1 | 20 | YES | 12 weeks | N | YES | 100% | 0% | 0% | ||
| Human Geography: Society, Economy and Population | GGY1012 | 1 | 20 | YES | 12 weeks | N | YES | 100% | 0% | 0% | ||
| Archaeological Excavation | ARP2039 | 2 | 20 | YES | 16 weeks | N | YES | 75% | 0% | 25% | ||
| Ireland in Prehistory | ARP2041 | 2 | 20 | YES | 12 weeks | N | YES | 40% | 40% | 20% | ||
| Thinking through Things Theorizing Global Archaeology | ARP2043 | 2 | 20 | YES | 12 weeks | N | YES | 90% | 10% | 0% | ||
| From St Patrick to the Plantation: The Archaeology of Historic Ireland | ARP2045 | 2 | 20 | YES | 12 weeks | N | YES | 60% | 0% | 40% | ||
| Palaeoenvironmental Techniques | ARP2051 | 2 | 20 | YES | 12 weeks | N | YES | 100% | 0% | 0% | ||
| Landscapes and Geographical Information (GIS) | GGY2002 | 2 | 20 | YES | 12 weeks | N | YES | 100% | 0% | 0% | ||
| Geographical Research Skills | GGY2055 | 2 | 20 | YES | 12 weeks | N | YES | 100% | 0% | 0% | ||
| Contemporary Approaches to Geographical Enquiry | GGY2056 | 2 | 20 | YES | 12 weeks | N | YES | 100% | 0% | 0% | ||
| Geographies of Economic Restructuring and Social Change | GGY2044 | 2 | 20 | YES | 12 weeks | N | YES | 70% | 30% | 0% | ||
| Geomorphology | GGY2052 | 2 | 20 | YES | 12 weeks | N | YES | 100% | 0% | 0% | ||
| Cultural and Political Geography | GGY2054 | 2 | 20 | YES | 12 weeks | N | YES | 100% | 0% | 0% | ||
| Archaeology in Practice | ARP2057 | 2 | 20 | YES | 12 weeks | N | YES | 100% | 0% | 0% | ||
| The Archaeology of Islands (Residential Fieldtrip Module) | ARP2058 | 2 | 20 | YES | 12 weeks | N | YES | 100% | 0% | 0% | ||
| Global Environmental Change | GGY2058 | 2 | 20 | YES | 12 weeks | N | YES | 100% | 0% | 0% | ||
| Geography and Employability | GGY2059 | 2 | 0 | YES | YES | 24 weeks | N | YES | 100% | 0% | 0% | |
| Remaking Cities: Comparative Research Project | GGY2060 | 2 | 20 | YES | 12 weeks | N | YES | 100% | 0% | 0% | ||
| Exploring Dynamic Environments (Mallorca) | GGY2061 | 2 | 20 | YES | 12 weeks | N | YES | 75% | 25% | 0% | ||
| Managing Environmental Issues (Belgium) | GGY2062 | 2 | 20 | YES | 12 weeks | N | YES | 60% | 40% | 0% | ||
| Space, Culture and Mobility (Malta) | GGY2063 | 2 | 20 | YES | 12 weeks | N | YES | 50% | 50% | 0% | ||
| Sea-level change: past, present and future | GGY3035 | 3 | 20 | YES | 12 weeks | N | YES | 25% | 0% | 75% | ||
| Geoforensics | GGY3049 | 3 | 20 | YES | 12 weeks | N | YES | 100% | 0% | 0% | ||
| Archaeology/Palaeoecology Dissertation | ARP3056 | 3 | 40 | YES | YES | 24 weeks | Y | YES | 100% | 0% | 0% | |
| Society, Death and Disease | ARP3053 | 3 | 20 | YES | 12 weeks | N | YES | 0% | 70% | 30% | ||
| Independent Project | ARP3069 | 3 | 20 | YES | YES | 12 weeks | Y | YES | 100% | 0% | 0% | |
| Geography Dissertation | GGY3081 | 3 | 40 | YES | YES | 24 weeks | Y | YES | 100% | 0% | 0% | |
| Geography At Work | GGY3065 | 3 | 40 | YES | YES | 24 weeks | N | YES | 85% | 15% | 0% | |
| Geography, Science and Society | GGY3066 | 3 | 20 | YES | 12 weeks | N | YES | 100% | 0% | 0% | ||
| Spaces of Urbanisation in Emerging Economies and Sustainable Development | GGY3063 | 3 | 20 | YES | 12 weeks | N | YES | 40% | 0% | 60% | ||
| Geographies of contested territories | GGY3074 | 3 | 20 | YES | 12 weeks | N | YES | 100% | 0% | 0% | ||
| Kingship and Religion in the First Millennium AD | ARP3085 | 3 | 20 | YES | 12 weeks | N | YES | 90% | 10% | 0% | ||
| Geographical Independent Research Essay | GGY3083 | 3 | 20 | YES | YES | 12 weeks | Y | YES | 100% | 0% | 0% | |
| Advanced Geographical Information Systems | GGY3060 | 3 | 20 | YES | 12 weeks | N | YES | 100% | 0% | 0% | ||
| Climate Change | GGY3073 | 3 | 20 | YES | 12 weeks | N | YES | 100% | 0% | 0% | ||
| Environmental Geopolitics | GGY3084 | 3 | 20 | YES | 12 weeks | N | YES | 60% | 40% | 0% | ||
| 3 | 20 | YES | 12 weeks | N | YES | 100% | 0% | 0% | ||||
| Human-Environment Dynamics in the Holocene | ARP3086 | 3 | 20 | YES | 12 weeks | N | YES | 30% | 30% | 40% | ||
| Human Evolution and Innovation through Prehistory | ARP3087 | 3 | 20 | YES | 12 weeks | N | YES | 45% | 0% | 55% | ||
| Domestic, Symbolic and Funerary Monuments in Prehistoric Europe | ARP3088 | 3 | 20 | YES | 12 weeks | N | YES | 40% | 35% | 25% | ||
| Critical Thinking | ARP3089 | 3 | 20 | YES | 12 weeks | N | YES | 50% | 50% | 0% | ||
| Maps and Mappings | GGY3090 | 3 | 20 | YES | 12 weeks | N | YES | 100% | 0% | 0% | ||
| Special Subject | ARP3091 | 3 | 20 | YES | 12 weeks | N | YES | 100% | 0% | 0% | ||
| Environmental Catastrophes | GGY3095 | 3 | 20 | YES | 12 weeks | N | YES | 50% | 0% | 50% | ||
Notes
At each stage, students are required to take 60 credits worth of modules in Archaeology-Palaeoecology (ARP module codes) plus 60 credits worth of modules in Geography (GGY module codes) from the above list. In addition to a total of 120 credits worth of credit-bearing modules at Stage 1, students on this programme are also required to take the non-credit-bearing module ARP1101 ‘Study Skills for Archaeology’. ARP1014 includes a four-week field excavation in June between Stages 1 and 2. ARP2039 is only available if ARP1014 was not taken at Stage 1 (e.g. to students transferring in from other programmes or institutions, needing to take this module to meet their CIfA/UAUK accreditation requirements), includes a four-week field excavation in June. Students are normally required to take either ARP2043 or GYY2055 (both may be taken). GGY2059 is a non-credit bearing module, does not count towards the 120 CATS-points-per-year requirement. Students are normally required to do either a dissertation or practice-oriented 40 CATS module at Stage 3 and will take either ARP3056, GGY3065 or GGY3081 to satisfy this requirement. ARP3069 is not a standard option but is provided: (i) to accommodate visiting students at Stage 3 and (ii) to provide an alternative to the double-weighted ArcPal dissertation module (ARP3056) under exceptional circumstances, as advised by supervisor; compulsory if ARP3056, GGY3065, GGY3081 or GGY3083 are not taken; not otherwise available. ARP3091 dependent on staff availability. GGY3083 is not a standard option but is provided: (i) to accommodate visiting students at Stage 3 and (ii) to provide an alternative to the double-weighted Geography dissertation module (GGY3081) under exceptional circumstances, as advised by supervisor; compulsory if ARP3056, ARP3069, GGY3065 or GGY3081 are not taken; not otherwise available.