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The study of natural processes shaping the Earth’s surface

Physical Geography

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Would you like to know more about the influence of natural processes on the evolution and dynamics of the landscape?

This minor focuses on the study of natural processes shaping the Earth’s surface, and its impact on land use. The influence of climate, tectonics and vegetation on the evolution and dynamics of the landscape and the interaction of the different components of System Earth will be considered, including the oceans, atmosphere, hydrosphere, geosphere, biosphere and anthroposphere. 

Related VU master’s programmes: 

Overview courses

  • Climate Science

    The land, oceans and atmosphere form a coupled system that interact to give a certain climate and type of weather. This course focuses on the interactions between the atmosphere and the oceans.

  • Geobotany

    Lectures on evolution of the plant Kingdom, the application of biological proxies that are being employed for palaeoenvironmental and climate reconstructions and the excursion aims at integration of the world of the plants and vegetation communities with the abiotic components in the landscape.

  • Electives

    In period 2 you choose one of the following electives:

    In period 2 you choose two of the following electives: Biogeosciences, Sociale Geografie I (Dutch), Sediment Dynamics, Water Management of the Netherlands.

    Check the study guide for details about the courses.

  • Land Use Change

    Studies of land-use change incorporate concepts and knowledge from a wide range of disciplines. Geography, as a spatial science, contributes significantly to the understanding of land-use change whilst demography and economics help explain underlying trends. This course offers a cross-sectional overview of methods, tools and current research progress in the analysis of land-use change, based on lecturing, supervised practical and an interactive session.

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