This course is intended to give a general introduction to the field of Physical Geography and Ecosystems Sciences. The main focus is to increase your understanding and general knowledge about processes in the lithosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere and the atmosphere.

By completing this course you will learn about minerals and rock types that build our planet, landforms (geomorphology) and how these are shaped by processes inside the crust of the earth (endogenic processes) and processes acting on the surface (exogenic processes) and how these affect and are affected by biological processes and human interaction. You will study basic meteorology, climatology and climate change, hydrology and oceanography and get a better understanding for mechanisms acting on what is generally referred to as Global Change. In Ecosystems Science you will learn more about the biomes of the world, the relationship between biomes and climate regions and specific processes active in different biomes, such as for example soil forming processes.

You will also be introduced to different methods used to gather data and information about our environment, using different field data collection techniques, remote sensing (aerial photographs and satellite images) to make maps and Geographical Information Systems (GIS) to analyse different environmental issues. You will be acquainted with different models and analytical tools for describing processes and phenomena in the world around us.

This course is the introduction course to the BSc programme in Physical Geography and Ecosystems Sciences, which in turn is the entrance to no less than 5 different Masters’ programmes at our department and as such it gives an exquisite introduction to a broad field of knowledge about the environment and environment related sciences. However, this course is also an excellent complement for students having other fields as main subject, for example Biology, Ecology and Environmental Science.

Teaching on the course consists of lectures, practical exercises, field visits and exercises, seminars, groups and individual project work. The exam is a traditional written exam.