The module is designed for students to produce original investigative research on a geographical or environmental topic. The project identifies an issue which can be examined through fieldwork and/or by library/archival investigation. Students are encouraged to do fieldwork or gather other information, as appropriate, during the summer vacation prior to Level Six. An academic supervisor is allocated to each student to provide guidance on the project.

Support will be given by staff in two forms (i) general sessions (6 hours) for the whole group which provide information on time management, data analysis, literature searching, report format and assessment criteria (ii) one-to-one supervisor sessions (a minimum of 6 hour-long meetings; a maximum of 12) for specific project guidance.

Specify the number of independent study hours attributed to each type of activity (eg reading / assessment preparation). Total hours should equate to Independent Study Hours identified on page 1 of this form.

The student will primarily be engaged in independent learning involving planning data collection (including fieldwork), analysis and presentation (282 hours).

One 7500-9000 word project document [1, 2, 3] (100%)

Formative Assessment:
One 15-minute presentation on project progress, scheduled in the middle of Teaching Block 1.

These will vary according to the nature of the project, but will commonly include:
University Library, Faculty of Sciences Learning Resource Centre, IT, Internet & email facilities, access to GIS and other software, access to laboratories and laboratory equipment, and access to field equipment.

Clifford, N. & Valentine, G. (2010) Key Methods in Geography (2nd edition). Sage Publications.
Gomez, B & Jones, J.P. (2010) Research Methods in Geography. Wiley-Blackwell.
Parsons, T & Knight, P.G. (2005) How to do your dissertation in Geography and other related disciplines (2nd Edition). Chapman & Hall.
Rogers, A., Viles, H. & Goudie, A. (2002) The students' companion to geography. 2nd edition Blackwell.

None