The course methodology combines theory, practice and fieldwork with the aim of promoting active, critical and meaningful learning. Teaching activities are progressively organised so that students develop the course-specific competences through the analysis, interpretation and critical reflection on the main contemporary territorial and socioecological processes.

The methodological approach integrates different active learning strategies, in line with the educational innovation principles promoted by the Faculty of Arts and Humanities at the UAB. In this regard, the course incorporates Challenge-Based Learning (CBL), using the analysis of a real socioecological challenge as its central focus. At the same time, it promotes Inquiry-Based Learning (IBL) through a course project that combines the use of academic sources with fieldwork, the collection of primary data and the critical analysis of territorial realities. This approach is complemented by participatory and collaborative methodologies, case studies, debates and a compulsory field trip, which encourages direct observation, territorial interpretation and an understanding of the interrelationships between the local, regional and global scales.

Continuous and formative assessment enables ongoing monitoring of students' competence development and participation throughout the semester, providing regular feedback and supporting continuous improvement in the learning process.

Across all activities, the course adopts an inclusive and interdisciplinary perspective, integrating gender perspectives, sustainability, socioecological justice and the multiscalar analysis of local and global geographical phenomena.

The course is organised into three main thematic blocks and combines guided, supervised and autonomous learning activities, fostering the application of geographical knowledge to the analysis of complex issues.

a) Guided activities

These include lectures led by the teaching staff, combining the presentation of course content with debate and active student participation through a range of teaching resources, including lectures, seminars, debates, videos, guided readings and case studies. Throughout the semester, learning activities are also carried out to consolidate students' understanding of the topics covered.

Classroom practical sessions consist of applied activities developed through active and collaborative learning. A total of ten practical sessions will be held. Students will be informed in advance about the objectives and organisation of each session. As a result of these activities, students will be required to submit the corresponding exercises.

The course includes a compulsory field trip, designed as a learning activity aimed at applying the knowledge acquired in class to the analysis of a specific real-world case. Information regarding the objectives, itinerary, planned activities and assessment criteria will be provided in advance. All field trips will be conducted in accordance with the Faculty of Arts and Humanities Field Trip Protocol.

b) Supervised activities

These include tutorial sessions and support activities designed to guide students in the completion of their coursework, answer questions and provide academic support throughout the learning process.

c) Autonomous activities

These include tasks carried out individually or in groups outside the classroom and without the direct supervision of the teaching staff. Activities may include reading academic texts, searching for information, preparing assignments, independent study or preparing oral presentations.

All autonomous activities will have submission deadlines that must be respected. Some activities may also require an oral presentation of the results obtained.

On the first day of class, the teaching staff will present the course syllabus, including detailed course contents, assessment activities, submission deadlines and the compulsory readings for each topic. From the beginning of the semester, the Virtual Campus will provide students with the specific guidelines for the course project, the detailed course schedule with the contents of each session, and all other teaching materials required to successfully follow the course. Students are responsible for consulting the Virtual Campus on a regular basis and keeping up to date with teaching materials, announcements, guidelines, the course schedule and any additional resources published by the teaching staff throughout the semester.

Important: The course promotes a safe, respectful and inclusive learning environment that encourages debate, participation and the exchange of ideas. All teaching activities will take place in an environment free from any form of discrimination or violence, including gender-based violence.

Annotation: within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.

The course is assessed through a continuous assessment system that progressively evaluates the achievement of the intended learning outcomes throughout the semester. Assessment combines a range of individual and group activities that promote the application of theoretical knowledge, critical thinking, collaborative work, oral and written communication skills, and the interpretation of territorial issues from a geographical perspective.

The assessment is distributed as follows:

• Two partial examinations: 30% of the final grade.
• In-class learning activities: 20%. These activities may include, among others, oral presentations, debates, in-class exercises (with or without prior notice), end-of-class summaries, reflection or synthesis activities, reading quizzes, or activities related to attendance monitoring and participation in teaching sessions. These activities are carried out in class, are non-recoverable, and may only be completed during scheduled class sessions.
• Classroom practical sessions (PAUL) and activities derived from the field trip: 20% of the final grade.
• Course project (CP): 30%. The project may be completed individually or in groups. It will be developed progressively throughout the semester under the supervision of the teaching staff and must demonstrate the student's ability to search for, select, analyse and synthesise information, as well as to apply the contents of the three thematic blocks to the critical analysis of a socioecological issue. The project will include fieldwork and the collection of primary data, complemented by academic and documentary sources. Detailed guidelines will be provided on the first day of class and will remain available on the Virtual Campus throughout the semester. The project will be developed following the principles of Challenge-Based Learning (CBL), focusing on the analysis of a real socioecological challenge and the development of a well-founded proposal for improvement.

General assessment criteria

Given the applied nature of the course, particular attention will be paid to students' ability to relate theoretical concepts to real-world cases, analyse territorial issues from a critical and multiscalar perspective, and develop well-supported proposals for improvement.

The final grade will be calculated as the weighted average of the different assessment activities. In order to pass the course, students must:

• Obtain a minimum mark of 5 out of 10 in the average of both partial examinations, the practical activities and the course project.
• Respect all submission deadlines established by the teaching staff.
• Submit all assignments through the Virtual Campus. Assignments submitted by email will neither be accepted nor assessed.
• Present written assignments in an appropriate academic format, including the correct citation of all sources used.

The teaching staff will inform students, through the Virtual Campus, of the assessment procedures and the dates scheduled for the review of grades.

Activities that are not submitted will receive a mark of zero (0).

Resit assessment

Students who have completed at least 66% of the assessable activities will be eligible for the resit assessment.

The following components are eligible for resit:

• the two partial examinations;
• the classroom practical sessions (PAUL) and the activities associated with the field trip.

The in-class learning activities and the course project are not eligible for resit, as they form an integral part of the continuous assessment process and enable the progressive monitoring of students' competence development, learning progress and active participation throughout the course.

"Not assessable" status

Students who have not completed assessment activities representing more than 30% of the final course grade will receive the status of "Not Assessable".

Single assessment

This course does not offer a single assessment option.

Plagiarism or fraudulent conduct

If a student commits any irregularity that may significantly affect the assessment of an activity, that assessment activity will be graded zero (0), without prejudice to any disciplinary proceedings that may be initiated by the University. If more than one irregularity is detected in the assessment activities of the same course, the student's final grade for the course will be zero (0).

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

The use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools is permitted only for specific support tasks, such as bibliographic or information searches, language proofreading or translation.

Students must explicitly declare the use of AI tools, specifying which tools were used, for what purpose, and how they influenced the development of the assessment activity. Students must also clearly distinguish their own contributions from AI-generated content.

Failure to disclose the use of AI will be considered a breach of academic integrity and may result in a partial or total reduction of the activity grade or, where appropriate, the application of the disciplinary measures established by University regulations.

Important: The use of Artificial Intelligence tools does not replace fieldwork, the collection of primary data, critical analysis or the personal reflection required in the assessment activities.s cases.