Department of

Geoinformatics, Geography
and Meteorology

Study guide

GGY 252 – Process Geomorphology

Last revision:
11/02/2025 – MJ LOUBSER
© Copyright reserved / © Kopiereg voorbehou
 ORGANISATIONAL COMPONENT

General premise and educational approach

Introduction: The undergraduate curriculum of the Department of Geography focuses

on the “management of the integrated interactive and changing human-environment
system, directed at sustainable development and improved quality of life”.

Since processes in the natural environment are a prerequisite to an understanding of

environmental issues and hence environmental management, several geomorphic and other
environmental processes are to be investigated. This second year course focuses specifically
on practical and theoretical aspects of geomorphic processes including topics such as
weathering, mass movement, fluvial action, soil erosion, and cold environments.

Significance of this module: Without an understanding of environmental processes, both

current and past, it is not possible to predict and plan for the future. The course, therefore, is
designed to introduce theory and concepts relating to landscape processes, which form part
of the broader environment.

Instructions for the use of the study manual: This study manual provides an outline of
what is required, suggested source material and the necessary time frames for the course GGY
252 (Process Geomorphology)

Contact information
Position/Role Name Email / Telephone

Lecturer

Course co-ordinator Dr Michael Loubser [email protected]

Tutor To be announced N/A

Tutor To be announced N/A

Study materials and purchases

There are no prescribed works for GGY252; however, given the relevance and nature of
the topic, recently published material is freely available in many academic journals. Students
are urged to browse the journal section of the library and the electronic journals on the
Academic Information Centre Web Page. Peer reviewed journal articles normally represent
the "cutting edge" of scientific research and are therefore more appropriate than textbooks;
remember that most textbooks are already "out of date" the day that they are published.
While the Internet does provide a substantial body of literature, please remember that much
of the material is qualitative and introductory.

Learning activities

Contact time and learning hours

This module carries a weight of 12 credits, indicating that a student should spend an
average of 120 hours to complete the course (including time spent preparing for tests and
examinations). Therefore, you should devote an average of just over 8.5 hours of study time
per full week to this module.
Contact sessions
Lecture sessions for this course will take place at the times below commencing on 12
February 2025 and finishing with an examination that will take place in June.

Lectures:
Day Time Venue
Wednesday 09:30 – 10:20 HB 3-15
Friday 09:30 – 10:20 HB 3-15

The lecture notes will be provided to you prior to the lecture times. You are expected to go
through them on your own prior to each lecture and revise them again afterwards.

Practicals:
Day Time Venue
Monday 13:30 – 16:20 Geography 2-15 (Geolab)
Tuesday 14:30 – 17:20 Geography 2-15 (Geolab)
Thursday 14:30 – 17:20 Geography 2-15 (Geolab)

All students should attend at least one of these practical sessions every week. Practicals are
compulsory for this course and practical assessments will occur routinely.

Plagiarism
A major problem in writing assignments is plagiarism; any work that does not originate
from the student must be acknowledged. Plagiarised work will result in a mark of 0% being
awarded and may lead to expulsion from the University. Read the warning on page 8 of this
course guide.

Assessment policy and approach

The assessment of the course is based on an evaluation of practical exercises,
continuous assessment, a semester test, and an examination. The specific mark allocation
appears below in the Study Component of this guide. The marking scale for assignments and
presentations is attached to this document as an appendix. A Class Mark sub-minimum of 40%
is required in order to qualify for the examination. In order to pass the course students are
required to achieve a final mark of 50%. If a student does not achieve 50%, he/she will be
required to repeat the course in the following year.

General
Because of the high value of academic work and the demands made by lecturers and
students, it is expected that students will have the necessary academic disposition and
motivation towards independent study. Every student is expected to be self-disciplined, and
display academic dedication, scientific excellence and scholarship. Students are the vehicles
through which the University displays its products at local, national and international level. The
quality of its products are cherished and jealously guarded.
Any issues regarding the course should be dealt with through the course lecturer and
thereafter, in exceptional circumstances, the Head of Department can be consulted.
 1 Student support
The University of Pretoria supports you in various ways free of charge. For academic support
contact the tutors allocated to the module (see section 2.1), and/or the Faculty Student
Advisor (see section 2.1).

FLY@UP: The Finish Line is Yours

● Think carefully before dropping modules (after the closing date for amendments or
cancellation of modules).
● Make responsible choices with your time and work consistently.
● Aim for a good semester mark. Don’t rely on the examination to pass.

FLY@UP: www.up.ac.za/fly
The FLY@UP encourages students to make use of @up
Finish the available UP resources in order to finish their
Line is degrees in the shortest possible time. email:
Yours [email protected]

For academic support

● Contact the tutors allocated to the module (see section 2.1), and/or
● Contact the Faculty Student Advisor (see section 2.1).

Academic support
Goal setting &
motivation Individual consultations and
Academic Adjustment to workshops about
success university life - Time management
coaches Test / Exam - Study methods
preparation
Stress Management
Career exploration
For e-learning support
● Report a problem you experience to the Student Help Desk.
● Approach the assistants at the help desks (adjacent to the Student Computer
Laboratories in IT Building, NW2, CBT, etc).
● Visit the Open Labs situated in the Informatorium Building to report the problem at the
offices of the Student Help Desk.
● Call 012 420 3837.
● Email [email protected]

Safety in the evening: Green Route

● From 18:00 till 06:00 Security Officers are available to escort you (on foot) to and from
your residence or campus anywhere east of the Hatfield campus through to the LC de
Villiers terrain.
● Departure point is next to the ABSA ATM next to the Merensky Library.
● Phone the Operational Management Centre if you need a Security Officer to fetch
you from the residence to the campus.

See Appendix 2 for more support services

 STUDY COMPONENT

Introduction

The purpose of the course GGY252 is to provide an academic study into the processes
that are changing our landscape. Further, the module is designed to develop academic skills,
such as reading and writing, and practical observational and analytical skills. It is assumed
that the student is already able to read, write, and apply critical academic thought.

Process Geomorphology is a component of Geography, the Earth and Environmental

Sciences. It is, therefore, multidisciplinary and deals with the causes and consequences of the
changing landscape. It should be clear that material researched and presented in GGY252
is relevant to all other courses that are presented in the undergraduate programme and in
other academic disciplines. Similarly, material presented in other disciplines has relevance for
Process Geomorphology.

Module structure
Notional
Study theme and study units Method of instruction
hours
Introduction Lecture and discussion 2

Theme 1: Philosophy of Science Lectures, class discussion and 4

• Introduction to philosophy of science readings.
• The role of modelling in geomorphology
Theme 2: Rock Weathering Lectures, class discussion and 12
• Processes and environmental controls readings.
• Field and laboratory techniques
Theme 3: Soil Erosion Lectures, class discussion and
• Surface erosion readings. 12
• Subsurface erosion (piping)
• Erosion modelling
• Conservation
Theme 4: Mass movement Lectures, class discussion and
• Slope stability conditions readings. 10
• Mass movement types
Theme 5: Cold climate geomorphology Lectures, class discussion and 12
• Periglacial processes, landforms readings.
• Case study examples
Theme 6: Alternative Approaches to Lectures, class discussion and 6
Geomorphology readings.
• Alternative Approaches to Weathering
• Extra-terrestrial Geomorphology
Analytical and Observational Field Techniques: Practical lectures, practical 38
Tasks test, and assignment
• 1) Clast Shape and size submission
• 2) Fabric analysis
• 3) Sediment Textural Analysis
• 4) Drainage basin analysis
• 5)Academic synthesis
• 6)Academic presentation
• 7) VR prac (Golden Gate National Park)
• 8) Field based weathering and erosion
study
Revision and Evaluation Assessment & Exam revision 24

Total 120
Assessment
Assessment criteria
Work assessed for this course includes online assessments, a series of practical exercises,
two class tests and a formal examination. The criteria used for the assessment of assignments
are attached (Appendix 2).

Ancillary Exam information

An ancillary exam will be written in the week after the exam for students whose marks
match one of the following criteria:

• the final mark is at least 45% and up to 49% AND either the exam mark or the semester
mark is above 50%, OR
• the exam mark is below 40% and the final mark is at least 50%

Indiviual Student’s Mark Structure

The Semester Mark comprises 60% of the course and is compiled from the semester test,
practical exercises and online assessments.

A minimum of 40% Class Mark is required to write the examination.

Mark weightings (relative %) for the course are allocated as follows:

Online assessments 10
Practical exercises 20
Class test 1 15
Class test 2 15
Examination 40
100
 APPENDIX 1: READING LIST

You are expected to download and read these articles according to the schedule designated by the
lecturer”

Hall, K., Thorn, C. and Sumner, P. 2012: On the persistence of ‘weathering’. Geomorphology, 149-150, 1-
10.

Le Roux, J.J.*, Morgenthal, T.L., Malherbe, J., Pretorius, D.J. and Sumner P.D. (2008). Water erosion
prediction at a national scale for South Africa. Water SA, 34, 305-314.

Patton, A.I., Rathburn, S.L. and Capps, D.M. 2019. Landslide response to climate change in permafrost
regions. Geomorphology, 340, 116 – 128.

Seutloali, K.E. and Beckedahl, H.R. 2015. Understanding the factors influencing rill erosion on roadcuts in
the south eastern region of South Africa. Solid Earth, 6, 633 – 641.

Sharma, R., Sharma, U.K. and Mahajan, A.K. 2015. Rainfall and Anthropogenically Accelerated Mass
Movement in the Outer Himalaya, North of Dharamshala Town, Kangra District, Himachal Pradesh:
A Cause of Concern. Journal Geological Society of India, 86, 563 – 569.

WARNING
DEPARTMENTAL STANCE ON PLAGIARISM

You are warned not to commit plagiarism in any shape or form. Plagiarism includes inter alia the
direct copying of someone else’s work, whether published or not, including material that appears on
the internet, without due acknowledgement and the citing of the source. You are also warned that
extensive use of the work of others in the form of direct quotes is not only unacceptable but in certain
instances can also constitute a form of plagiarism. Consult the UP website for further information.
 APPENDIX 2: SUPPORT SERVICES

Please download a QR code reader on your cell phone. To download a QR code reader open your
mobile app store (App Store, Google Play or Windows Marketplace) and search for QR code readers.

Student Provides counselling and therapeutic 012 420 2333

Counselling Unit support to students. [email protected]

012 420 5233

Student Health Promotes and assists students with
Services health and wellness.
012 420 3423

[email protected]
Provides support for UP students and
The Careers
graduates as they prepare for their
Office 012 420 2315
careers.

24-hour Operational Management 012 420-2310

Department of Centre 012 420-2760
Security
Services 24-hour Operational Manager cell 083 654 0476
Crisis Line 0800 006 428

Enquiries concerning studies, 012 420 2371/4001

Department of
accommodation, food, funds, social Roosmaryn Building, Hatfield
Student Affairs
activities and personal problems. campus

Centre for
Identifies and provides training of
Sexualities, AIDS 012 420 4391
student peer counsellors.
and Gender

012 420 2064

Provides specialised services to
Disability Unit www.up.ac.za/disability-unit
students with disabilities.
email: [email protected]

Fees and http://www.up.ac.za/enquiry

012 420 3111
funding www.up.ac.za/fees-and-funding

012 420 3051

IT Helpdesk For student IT related queries
[email protected]