James Hutton's Edinburgh

James Hutton (1726-1797) is known the world over as the father of modern geology, but is less well known within his home city of Edinburgh.

In the late 18th century, Hutton developed a ground-breaking ‘Theory of the Earth’ and used detailed observations of rocks around Edinburgh to illustrate and support his ideas.

This one-day course, which combines both classroom sessions with two short excursions, will give an overview of Hutton’s life and work, and an opportunity to walk in his footsteps through Holyrood Park and the city centre, to appreciate how his ideas came from the landscape he lived in.

This course will feature field trips to locations in or around Edinburgh (your teacher will confirm the itinerary in class).

Any recommended reading will be advised by the course teacher once the course is confirmed to run. You will require access to a computer or other device with internet connection.

If you have fully engaged with all the learning activities and have attended regularly, by the end of the course you should be able to:

• Understand how James Hutton’s background, genius and location provided the foundation for the development of his ideas
• Develop observational and analytical skills to interpret features in the rocks and landscape of Edinburgh that were used to support these ideas
• Explain the significance of Hutton’s work in the development of scientific thought, and demonstrate an increased awareness of the contributions of minoritised individuals associated with his work.

This course is designed for anyone interested in learning about the geology and landscape of Edinburgh and the history of science.  It assumes no prior knowledge and provides a basic introduction to Edinburgh’s geology and the life and work of James Hutton.

We will be walking at a slow pace in two short excursions, on pavements and footpaths with some steps.

We welcome all and are committed to fostering a positive culture and sense of community among learners and staff. We expect learners to treat others with dignity and respect. Learners must be aged 16+.

If you have a disability, learning difficulty, health condition, or personal circumstances which may affect your learning, please let us know so that we can make appropriate adjustments in accordance with the Equality Act 2010.

Wherever possible, we mainstream adjustments in line with the University’s Accessible and Inclusive Learning Policy.

Learners will have limited access to the University’s student support services who will signpost appropriate local sources of support.

There are no specific entry requirements for this course. You do not need to have any prior knowledge about geology.

You will need to have reading, listening and communication skills, including the ability to understand detailed ideas and information presented orally and in writing. You must be comfortable studying in English if it is not your first language. You will need basic digital skills, such as using a computer and navigating a website, to access the study materials.

Booking is available until 23:59 the day before the course is due to start, unless the course is full or cancelled.