Level 3 Geography

Course Description

Geography is an excellent subject that deals with what is happening in the world around us. Students studying Geography strengthen their abilities to research, communicate in writing, use spatial reasoning skills, use statistics accurately and appropriately, analyse a range of data sets and draw valid and accurate conclusions.

The Year 13 course involves an in-depth study of New Zealand’s biggest income earner – tourism. It aims to give students a clear understanding of the tourism development process and the consequences of tourism for the people and the environment. An overnight field trip in Term 3 will support the learning in this unit.

A significant biome of New Zealand will also be studied – coastal environments. This topic allows students to have an in-depth knowledge of a local coastal environment with an emphasis on the natural processes that have produced natural landform features and how people are modifying the natural processes. Geographic skills like spatial analysis, topographic mapping skills and the ability to evaluate people’s viewpoints are developed.

A range of other global topics will be studied throughout the year too. Coral reefs and climate refugees will be a focus with investigation into their global distribution, relevant perspectives from different groups of people, and significance and impact on people.

Geography at University is considered as both a Science and a Humanities’ subject and is cross-creditable depending on your chosen emphasis. A number of students who study Geography at University will go onto careers in planning, spatial analysis and the use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) or environmental science. Other students combine Geography with Law or Commerce while medical students that require a Humanities’ subject can choose Geography.

The standards and topics offered in this course may be altered at the discretion of the Teacher in Charge.