Program Overview

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GEOGRAPHY OF ITALY AND OF EUROPE

Course Details

• Code: 90427
• Academic Year: 2025/2026
• Credits: 4 cfu
• Scientific Disciplinary Sector: M-GGR/01
• Language: Italian
• Teaching Location: Genova
• Semester: 2ｰ Semester
• Modules: This course is a module of Geography

Aims and Content

Learning Outcomes

The course aims to provide the foundations of general geography, with specific reference to the contents and skills addressed in nursery and primary school. It proposes to convey a critical knowledge of the main aspects, processes, and problems faced by geography, with references to the Italian and European context.

Aims and Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the course, students will be able to:

• Understand the main spatial processes taking place at the Italian and European scale
• Understand the complex relationships between the components of Italian and European landscapes
• Critically analyze some problems of geography of Italy and Europe
• Plan didactic activities related to the problems of geography of Italy and Europe studied

Teaching Methods

The teaching activities will be organized to encourage active learning, alternating between frontal and laboratory teaching. Frontal lessons will provide basic tools to understand main territorial processes, while laboratory-type activities will stimulate critical and transcalar analysis of geography problems.

Syllabus/Content

The module proposes to study the main processes affecting the geography of Italy and Europe, focusing on themes such as:

• The idea of Europe
• The European Union
• Europe outside Europe
• Administrative geography in Europe and in Italy
• Human population in Europe and in Italy
• Mountain regions in Europe and in Italy
• Rural regions in Europe and in Italy
• Urban regions in Europe and in Italy
• The sea in Europe and in Italy

Recommended Reading/Bibliography

• For attending students: Varotto M. (2025). Il primo libro di geografia. Torino: Einaudi.
• For non-attending students:
  • Varotto M. (2025). Il primo libro di geografia. Torino: Einaudi.
  • Study of one book to choose from a list of provided texts
  • At least one of the following texts from a specified list

Teachers and Exam Board

• Teacher: Giacomo Zanolin
• Exam Board:
  • Giacomo Zanolin (President)
  • Renata Allegri (President Substitute)

Lessons

• Lessons start: 24 February 2026
• Class schedule: Available on the course page

Exams

Exam Description

The exam will be oral, assessing the acquisition of knowledge of the geography of Italy and Europe and the skills needed to implement this knowledge in effective teaching activities.

Assessment Methods

The oral exam will verify:

• The localization of the main geographical processes relating to Italy and Europe
• The understanding of the main territorial processes taking place at the Italian and European scale
• The ability to critically analyze and transcend political, economic, and cultural problems relating to Italy and Europe
• The ability to design teaching activities for primary and/or nursery schools using the knowledge acquired

Exam Schedule

• Dates: 13 January 2026, 27 January 2026, 10 February 2026, 19 May 2026, 3 June 2026, 17 June 2026, 14 July 2026, 4 September 2026
• Time: 09:30
• Location: Genova

Further Information

• It is possible to take the exam only after having acquired the laboratory credit in Didactics of Geography.
• All students are invited to periodically consult the course page on the e-learning portal AulaWeb for information and materials.