STGA Blue Badge Training Course

Human and Natural Landscapes of Scotland

Rationale

This is one of the four Scottish Tourist Guide Association Core Knowledge courses that equip you with a broad understanding of the physical, cultural, archaeological and historical character of Scotland. These courses cover a broad and diverse range of subject areas and knowledge necessary for effective tourist guiding. This course will equip you to interpret man's interaction with landscape in Scotland from the prehistoric period through the Industrial Revolution. Core Knowledge Courses are taught via face to face lectures at the University of Edinburgh, with each lecture supported by notes and information online, and field visits.

Aims and Objectives

• To be able to recognise and interpret landscape features relating to man in Scotland
• To acquire a broad understanding of the historic and pre-historic features that survive in and contribute to Scotland's contemporary landscapes
• To encourage a multi-disciplinary ‘three-dimensional' approach to the study of landscape history and environment in Scotland
• To familiarise students with Scotland's wildlife, natural environments and conservation issues

Transferable skills

In addition to the critical thinking and writing skills, this course will give you an opportunity to practice analytical and synthesising skills that could be profitably deployed in the study of humanities and social science subjects as well as in professional guiding. You will need to evaluate various approaches to, and explanations of, different types of evidence, and make critical choices between them, and you will also get some experience in collecting and synthesising evidence from primary and secondary sources.

Assessment for this course (please see Assessment information about weightings and policies)

2 x In-class assessments
Human Landscapes - slide quiz
Natural Landscapes - slide quiz
AND
1 x 2000 word essay in EITHER Human Landscapes OR Natural Landscapes

Human Landscapes - Course Content

1. Landscape, settlement and the natural environment
2. Defence and Fortification
3. Burial, Ritual and Religion
4. Agricultural and Forest Landscapes: Scotland's Rural Buildings
5. Field Trip
6. Industrial Landscapes
7. Travel and Communications
8. In-class Assessment and Essay Consultation

Natural Landscapes - Course Content

1. Top 5's part 1
2. Top 5's part 2
3. Field Trip - Botanics
4. Introduction to Scotland's Wildlife, Conservation laws and current designations, conservation action and National Parks
5. Iconic Species/ STGA area guides
6. Field Trip - Holyrood Park
7. In-class Assessment and Essay Consultation

Human and Natural Landscapes - Bibliography

Clapperton, C.M. (1983) Scotland: A New Study. David & Charles, Newton Abbott

Millman, R.N. (1975)The Making of the Scottish Landscape. Batsford, London

Millward, R. & Robinson, (1980) A. Upland Britain. David & Charles, Newton Abbott

Macinnes, L. & Stevenson, J.B. (eds.) (2000) The Historic Landscape of Loch Lomond and the Trossachs. RCAHMS/HS, Edinburgh

Parry, M.L. & Slater, T.R. (eds.) (1980) The Making of the Scottish Countryside. Croom Helm, London

Smout, T.C. (2000) Nature Contested: Environmental History in Scotland & Northern England since 1600. EUP, Edinburgh

Smout, T.C (ed.) (2002) Understanding the Historical Landscape in its Environmental Setting, Scot. Cult. P., Edinburgh

Turnock. D. (1995) The Making of the Scottish Landscape. Scolar Press, Aldershot

Whittingham, G. & Whyte, I.D. (1983) An Historical Geography of Scotland, Academic Press, London

Whyte, I.D. (1990) Edinburgh and The Borders: Landscape History. David & Charles, Newton Abbott

Wickham-Jones, C.R. (2001) The Landscape of Scotland: A Hidden History. Tempus, Stroud