Plymouth's historic harbor has seen many changes in commercial function over the last several centuries. Today, many businesses cater to the tourist trade.

The desolate tors of Dartmoor, near Plymouth, form the backdrop for the exercise on fluvial geomorphology.


A busy shopping day in downtown Cork.

 


The rugged cliffs of Ballycotton Bay near Cork are the focus of the exercise on coastal erosion.


UNT students take a break from the exercise on coastal erosion.


UNT students explore a cave at Ballycotton Bay.

An exposure of glacial till near Clew Bay, Ireland. The till forms part of the exercise reconstructing Pleistocene glacial movements.

Islands formed from glacial drumlins in Clew Bay on Ireland's rugged northwest coast. The drumlins provide another clue to former glacier movement

UNT

BRITISH ISLES FIELD SCHOOL

see the powerpoint

The next offering of the field school is tentatively set for Summer II, 2021. Interested students should contact Dr. Williams.

trip information summary (WORD doc)

Course Outline

Course Description: This course is available at the undergraduate or graduate level. For geography majors this course counts as 3 hours of regional science and 3 hours of earth science (Groups A and B, in the geography degree requirements). For non-geography majors this course can substitute for most upper-level geography courses (one 3-hour regional science course and one 3-hour earth science course). Non-geography majors should talk to their advisors about how to use the course to satisfy their degree requirements. Ask your advisor to contact Harry Williams if they have questions about the course.

Cost: you will pay tuition and fees* for 6 credit hours, plus a program fee. At this early stage, we can only estimate the program fee - it will be approximately $2400 and tuition/fees will be approximately $2000. The program fee covers all travel in the UK and Ireland, accommodation and class materials. It does not include food (about $20/day) or airfare (~$1600). A $100 application fee is paid when applying online and a $500 deposit is payable when signing up for the program at the Study Abroad Center, the rest of the cost will be due in July 2021. Note: you must sign up for the program to be eligible to apply for the International Education Fee Scholarship worth  ~$500. There is also a Study Abroad Travel Grant. The scholarship and travel grant applications include merit and financial need.  *certain on-campus fees (e.g. Rec Center) are waived.

Accommodation: In university residences (dorms). Most residences have single rooms, shared kitchens, TV lounges and laundry facilities.
Enrollment Limit: Probably about 14.
Financial Aid: International Education Fee Scholarships ~$500 and Travel Grants ~$500. 

Other: After the field school you will be at liberty to stay on in Europe for independent travel: many major European cities are relatively close-by and travel/accommodation can be inexpensive for students.

If You're Interested? For more details, contact Harry Williams (Geography) HarryF.Williams@unt.edu 
To sign up for the program and pay the deposit, go to the GLE Office 236 Sage (after September 2020).

Instructors:  Dr. Harry Williams. Dr. Williams is a geomorphologist/coastal geologist originally from the London area. He completed his geography undergraduate degree at the University of Plymouth

Field Work: This 6 credit-hour course gives students direct experience in applying geographical field techniques in a foreign setting - the British Isles and Ireland. The field school visits and stays in five cities - Plymouth (England), Cork (Ireland), Galway (Ireland), Bangor (Wales) and Edinburgh (Scotland). At each city, students conduct one-day human and physical geography exercises, designed to provide training in various field techniques. Each exercise is designed to be completed in one day. Duration of field work will be approximately three weeks and includes a "free day" at each of the five cities. 

Prerequisite(s): This course is NOT only for advanced geography students or geography majors. Anyone with a basic background in geography (the freshman courses listed below) can take this course (or by 
consent).
Prerequisite(s): 
GEOL 1610 or GEOG 1710 or GEOG 2180, AND GEOG 1200 or GEOG 2170, OR consent of department.

Course Grade: Your grade will be based on 10 written reports (one covering each field exercise)  to be completed by the end of the trip (most written reports can be completed on the same day as the exercise). 

Course Text Book: British Isles Field School Notes and Exercise Packet (produced by instructors).

 Llandudno
Students measuring sediment characteristics on the pebbly beach at Llandudno, North Wales.


Tenaments built over street-level shops form an important part of Edinburgh's residential living space.

The Salisbury Craigs (foreground) and Arthur's Seat (background) - two of the features included in the exercise reconstructing Edinburgh's volcanic past.


Lunch on Arthur's Seat, overlooking the city of Edinburgh (summer, 2000)

EXAMPLE SCHEDULE

Sunday July 8: Depart DFW for London Heathrow.

Monday July 9: Arrive London Heathrow; meet at Terminal 5 arrivals area at 9.30. Drive to Plymouth
Tuesday 10:
Stream morphology on Dartmoor
Wednesday 11: Historic changes in commercial function - Plymouth harbor
Thursday 12: Free day
Friday 13: Drive/ferry to Cork
Saturday 14: Coastal erosion at Ballycotton Bay
Sunday 15: Cork historical geography survey
Monday 16: Free day
Tuesday 17:
Drive to Galway
Wednesday 18: Field reconstruction of glacier movement - Clew Bay
Thursday 19: Free day
Friday 20: Mental mapping of Galway
Saturday 21:. Drive/ferry to Bangor
Sunday 22: Beach morphology and sediment transport at Llandudno
Monday 23: Tourism survey at Llandudno and Rhyl
Tuesday 24:
Free day
Wednesday 25: Drive to Edinburgh
Thursday 26: Reconstructing Edinburgh's ancient volcanic landscape
Friday 27: Survey of historical town planning in Edinburgh
Saturday 28: Free day
Sunday 29: Drive to London – stay at hotel near Heathrow
Monday 30: Depart for DFW (unless staying on to explore Europe).


The sea front at Plymouth (2002)


Ballycotton Bay, Ireland (2002).


Sampling Irish culture (2002).


Taking a break on Dartmoor (2002).

edinburgh 2016
Edinburgh 2016, Arthur's Seat volcano overlooking old/new Edinburgh.

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