Explore UCD

UCD Home >

GEOG10140

Academic Year 2026/2027

Mapping a Sustainable World (GEOG10140)

Subject:
Geography
College:
Social Sciences & Law
School:
Geography
Level:
1 (Introductory)
Credits:
5
Module Coordinator:
Dr Jeremy Auerbach
Trimester:
Autumn
Mode of Delivery:
On Campus
Internship Module:
No
How will I be graded?
Letter grades

Curricular information is subject to change.

As a core first year module, Mapping a Sustainable World aims to provide students with a foundation in geographical data, mapping, spatial analysis and writing skills. It will explore the organisation and manipulation of geospatial data, cognitive mapping and basic statistics, and will address locational considerations (e.g. coordinates and space), map projections, and map design. It will also introduce technological tools and methods available to map, analyse and disseminate geographical information. The module will be mainly tutorial-based but will include lectures and local fieldwork, providing an interactive and applied learning environment to explore technical and technological geospatial methods and approaches. In doing so, it will enhance students’ geospatial awareness and provide them with skills to examine relationships, interactions and interdependencies between human and physical components of the environment. It will provide skills applicable across the rest of the modules in the first and subsequent stages of the Geography curriculum and, in particular, prepare students for the core Geographic Information Systems module in stage 2.

About this Module

Learning Outcomes:

This module is as a core skills module and aims to deliver the following learning outcomes:

• increased awareness of geospatial research and its techniques, methods and tools;
• acquisition of mapping and map interpretation skills;
• understand fundamental techniques of data exploration, organisation and analysis;
• develop literature search, writing and referencing skills.

Indicative Module Content:

Week 1
Lecture 1 - Introduction to the module and SDGs: maps and sustainability
Lecture 2 - Reading, understanding maps, geography at our fingertips, mapping what we see, do, and cannot see

Week 2
Lecture 3 - Advancements in technology for mapping: remote sensing, drones, sensors, and GPS
Lecture 4 - GPS apps on mobile phones – demonstration

Week 3
Lecture 5 - Research Design
Lecture 6 - Research Design

Week 4
Lecture 7 - Data types and measurement: quantitative versus qualitative – nominal, ordinal, etc.
Lecture 8 - Stats: mean, max/min, standard deviation, central tendency, weighted, etc.

Week 5
Lecture 9 - Introduction to hypothesis testing
Lecture 10 - Hypothesis testing for sustainability

Week 6
Lecture 11 - Sampling methods and interpretation: representativeness, group size, gender, age cohorts, random/targeted, etc. Factoring sample group parameters when interpreting answers.
Lecture 12 - Survey design and data management and interpretation: survey answer types (multiple choice, open ended, etc.), how to analyse qualitative responses, turning qualitative into quantitative, ethics, etc.

Week 7
Lecture 13 - Sustainability behaviours and infrastructure and their spatial distribution
Lecture 14 - Survey123 – signing in and demonstration and fieldwork preparation (Bring laptops if possible).

Week 8 [Fieldwork Week]
No Lecture - FIELD TRIP

Week 9
Lecture 15 - Field trip recap and data visualization: visual analysis versus tables and graphs, histograms, etc. Examples of available data and work through of data analysis and interpretation.
Lecture 16 - ArcGIS Online – demonstration and application (bring laptop if possible)

Week 10
Lecture 17 - Cartographic choices: practicalities of map-making and data quality checks
Lecture 18 - Mapping and statistical fallacies

Week 11
Lecture 19 - Ecological and social footprint of technology.
Lecture 20 - Using mobile app calculate personal footprint and changing a committed parameter, calculate it again. Class discussion on results.

Week 12
Lecture 21 - SDG issues in the context of the field trip case study
Lecture 22 - Ethical considerations: geoslavery, privacy, big brother, data protection, etc.

UNESCO highlights a set of key competencies that support individuals in their development and support society in achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UCD has adapted these competencies and is combining them with others to form a general framework of learning competencies. This module will help you develop the competencies below to the levels specified. 
Learning Competency Additional Information Level

Collaboration

 The ability to learn from others; to understand and respect the needs, perspectives and actions of others (empathy); to understand, relate to and be sensitive to others (empathic leadership); to deal with conflicts in a group; and to facilitate collaborative and participatory problem solving. Advanced Beginner

Critical Thinking

 The ability to question norms, practices and opinions; to reflect on one’s own values, perceptions and actions. Advanced Beginner

Systems Thinking

 The ability to recognize and understand relationships; to analyse complex systems; to think of how systems are embedded within different domains and different scales; and to deal with uncertainty. Advanced Beginner

Strategic

 The ability to collectively develop and implement innovative actions that further sustainability at the local level and further afield. Advanced Beginner

Integrated Problem Solving

 The overarching ability to apply different problem-solving frameworks to complex sustainability problems and develop viable, inclusive and equitable solution options that promote sustainable development, integrating the competencies in this list. Advanced Beginner

Self-awareness

 The ability to reflect on one’s own role in the local community and (global) society; to continually evaluate and further motivate one’s actions; and to deal with one’s feelings and desires. Advanced Beginner

Normative

 The ability to understand and reflect on the norms and values that underlie one’s actions; and to negotiate values, principles, goals, and targets, in a context of conflicts of interest and trade-offs, uncertain knowledge and contradictions. Advanced Beginner

Anticipatory

 The ability to understand and evaluate multiple scenarios for the future – possible, probable and desirable; to create one’s own visions for the future; to apply the precautionary principle; to assess the consequences of actions; and to deal with risks and changes. Advanced Beginner

Digital Literacy and Judgement

 The ability to access, evaluate, create and communicate information in digital environments; to engage critically, ethically and responsibly with digital technologies and digital information; to understand their opportunities, limitations, risks and impact on individual’s digital identities; and to exercise informed judgement in digital participation and decision-making. Advanced Beginner

AI Literacy & Agency

 The ability to understand, critically evaluate and responsibly engage with artificial intelligence; to recognise how AI systems are shaped by human values; to assess their ethical, social and environmental implications; and to exercise human judgement, agency and accountability in AI-related contexts. Advanced Beginner

Wellbeing

 Wellbeing is having the resources and skills to meet life's challenges, including attributes such as personal development skills, resilience, stress management, strengths, lifestyle skills, nutrition, physical activity, sleep, alcohol/substance use, academic skills, time management, goal setting, interpersonal skills, group work, communication. Advanced Beginner

The United Nations identified seventeen Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as core to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and UCD contributes in general to SDG 4 Quality Education. Further SDGs explored within this module if relevant are listed below. A scale of 1 - 5 indicates the extent to which the SDG is covered.


Goal Name Description Coverage

End poverty in all its forms everywhere 3

End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture 3

Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages 4

Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all 3

Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls 3

Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all 4

Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all 4

Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all 3

Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation 4

Reduce inequality within and among countries 4

Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable 4

Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns 4

Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts 4

Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development 3

Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss 4

Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels 3

Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development 3
 

Student Effort Hours:
Student Effort Type Hours
Autonomous Student Learning

70
Lectures

20
Tutorial

10
Field Trip/External Visits

8
Total

108

Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
Teaching and learning on this module will include:
- Lectures
- Active / task-based learning through peer and group work in tutorials and occasionally during lectures
- Inquiry and case-based learning through the one day fieldtrip and case study based assignments

The use of artificial intelligence (AI) or other automated writing tools for submitted assignments is strictly prohibited. This is a sustainability module and AI is not sustainable. Any evidence of the use of AI writing will be considered a violation of academic integrity. This does not include AI-assisted spelling or grammar checkers.

Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Not applicable to this module.
 

Assessment Strategy
Description Timing Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade In Module Component Repeat Offered
Participation in Learning Activities: Tutorial preparation & participation Week 2, Week 3, Week 4, Week 5, Week 6, Week 7, Week 8, Week 9, Week 10, Week 11, Week 12 Graded No
50
 No
Individual Project: Final autonomous research project including maps, data analysis and written discussion of results. Week 11 Graded No
40
 No
Practical Skills Assessment: Participation in fieldwork data collection (Dublin) and present your group’s findings from the fieldwork day in Dublin. Week 8 Graded No
10
 No

As part of UCD's student support, under the Additional Consideration policy, extensions may be available for the following assessments in the module: Assignment (including essay/poster), Portfolio, Reflective Assignment, Report(s), and Individual Project.


Carry forward of passed components
No
 

Resit In Terminal Exam
Spring No
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 

Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment
• Group/class feedback, post-assessment

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

- Group feedback will be provided at the start of each tutorial on the performance of the class in the previous tutorial. - Timely individualised feedback will be provided via Brightspace on assignment / project submissions. - Students are welcome to meet with the module coordinator during office hours if more detailed feedback / further clarification is required.

Name Role
Dr Tine Ningal Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Wagner Guilherme Alves da Silva Tutor
Andrea Castagna Tutor
Rashmi Guha Ray Tutor
Mr Xiuge Guo Tutor
Alex Maingi Tutor
Emma Rebekka Petersen Tutor
Ruodi Yang Tutor

Timetabling information is displayed only for guidance purposes, relates to the current Academic Year only and is subject to change.
Autumn Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12 Thurs 14:00 - 14:50
Autumn Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12 Tues 14:00 - 14:50
Autumn Tutorial Offering 1 Week(s) - 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12 Mon 10:00 - 10:50
Autumn Tutorial Offering 2 Week(s) - 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12 Mon 11:00 - 11:50
Autumn Tutorial Offering 3 Week(s) - 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12 Mon 14:00 - 14:50
Autumn Tutorial Offering 4 Week(s) - 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12 Mon 15:00 - 15:50
Autumn Tutorial Offering 5 Week(s) - 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12 Tues 15:00 - 15:50
Autumn Tutorial Offering 6 Week(s) - 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12 Tues 16:00 - 16:50
Autumn Tutorial Offering 7 Week(s) - 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 12 Wed 10:00 - 10:50
Autumn Tutorial Offering 7 Week(s) - 9, 10, 11 Wed 10:00 - 10:50
Autumn Tutorial Offering 8 Week(s) - 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12 Wed 12:00 - 12:50
Autumn Tutorial Offering 9 Week(s) - 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12 Wed 16:00 - 16:50
Autumn Tutorial Offering 10 Week(s) - 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12 Thurs 11:00 - 11:50
Autumn Tutorial Offering 11 Week(s) - 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12 Thurs 12:00 - 12:50
Autumn Tutorial Offering 14 Week(s) - 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12 Fri 11:00 - 11:50
Autumn Tutorial Offering 15 Week(s) - 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12 Tues 10:00 - 10:50
Autumn Tutorial Offering 20 Week(s) - 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12 Tues 11:00 - 11:50
Autumn Tutorial Offering 21 Week(s) - 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12 Tues 12:00 - 12:50
Autumn Tutorial Offering 22 Week(s) - 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12 Fri 09:00 - 09:50
Print this page
Fill in the following details:
Enter the body of your query here.

From time to time UCD would like to send you further information that we feel, based on your enquiry, would be of interest to you.