HGO4011 – Philosophy and methodology of human geography
Course description
Course content
This course is a compulsory component of the master’s degree in human geography. The purpose is to provide students with an overview of the range of scholarship done across geography’s sub-disciplines, and to reflect on similarities and differences in their theoretical foundations. The course starts by introducing the core concepts of space, place, scale and environment that help give coherence to geography, and a brief history of the discipline. The majority of the sessions are dedicated to an exploration of the geographical sub-disciplines and their theorical and methodological commitments. A common theme of borders ties the lectures together and shows the importance of theory for empirical research, with the aim of facilitating the development of the student’s own master’s thesis research project.?An important learning tool in the course is a reflective journal that will help you relate your own reflections to the readings and learning activities of the course. The course finishes by a discussion of how methodological positions inform fundamentals of research design: how to connect research questions, theory and methods. Lectures and seminars are given, including a seminar on master thesis topic development.?
Learning outcome
Knowledge
- Comprehend core theoretical concepts in geography,?how they have evolved over time and how they are applied to research across the discipline.
- Understand the range of scholarship done across geography’s sub-disciplines.
Skills
- Apply selected core concepts and theoretical frameworks in human geography with a high degree of understanding and reflection.
- Understand how to relate an individual research project to the wider knowledge production of an academic discipline.
- Evaluate how different theoretical frameworks, methodological choices and research questions relate to each other across the discipline.
- Develop analytical writing, reading and conversational skills at a high academic standard.
- Develop a research topic and ask analytical questions about that topic.
?
General competence
- Critically analyze strategies for acquiring knowledge within human geography.
- Discriminate between theoretical and methodological choices that are relevant for your master’s thesis.
Admission to the course
Students who are admitted to study programmes at UiO must each semester register which courses and exams they wish to sign up for in Studentweb.
If you are not already enrolled as a student at UiO, please see our information about admission requirements and procedures.
Admission to the course is dependent on admission to the master’s degree programme in Human Geography.
Overlapping courses
- 10 credits overlap with SGO4011 – Tenkning og metodologi i samfunnsgeografi (continued).
Teaching
Course tuition consists of a combination of lectures and seminars, including a seminar on master thesis topic development.?
?
Compulsory instruction and coursework
Participation in at least 80% of the lectures and seminars is mandatory.
Completed and approved compulsory course work is valid as long as the course is offered. Students who have failed to complete the compulsory attendance cannot take the exam.
?
Absence from compulsory tuition activities
If you are ill or have another valid reason for being absent from compulsory tuition activities, your absence may be approved or the compulsory activity may be postponed.
?
Access to teaching
A student who has completed compulsory instruction and coursework and has had these approved, is not entitled to repeat that instruction and coursework. A student who has been admitted to a course, but who has not completed compulsory instruction and coursework or had these approved, is entitled to repeat that instruction and coursework, depending on available capacity.
Examination
The exam is a one-week home exam. The maximum length of the home exam is 3000 words (excluding references).
The exam question will be available from 10.00 am on the day of the exam and must be submitted at 12.00 PM, 7 days later.
Previous exams and examiner guidelines
?
You submit your assignment in the digital examination system Inspera.?Read about how to submit your assignment.
?
It is possible to take the exam up to 3 times. If you?withdraw from the exam?after the deadline or during the exam, this will be counted as an examination attempt.
Examination support material
All exam support materials are allowed during this exam. Generating all or part of the exam answer using AI tools such as Chat GPT or similar is not allowed.?
Language of examination
The examination text is given in English.You may submit your response in Norwegian, Swedish, Danish or English.
Grading scale
Grades are awarded on a scale from A to F, where A is the best grade and F is a fail. Read more about the grading system.
Resit an examination
If you are sick or have another valid reason for not attending the regular exam, we offer a postponed exam later in the same semester.
See also our information about resitting an exam.
More about examinations at UiO
- Use of sources and citations
- How to use AI as a student
- Special exam arrangements due to individual needs
- Withdrawal from an exam
- Illness at exams / postponed exams
- Explanation of grades and appeals
- Resitting an exam
- Cheating/attempted cheating
You will find further guides and resources at the web page on examinations at UiO.