Undergraduate Programme and Module Handbook 2010-2011 (archived)

Module GEOG3602: DISSERTATION (40 CREDITS) IN GEOGRAPHY B (EURO-ABROAD)

Department: Geography

GEOG3602: DISSERTATION (40 CREDITS) IN GEOGRAPHY B (EURO-ABROAD)

Type	Tied	Level	3	Credits	40	Availability	Available in 2010/11	Module Cap	None.	Location	Durham

Tied to	FR89

Prerequisites

Taken year 2 either as ERASMUS students; or on the Singapore or California Exchange Programme; or a year out on a VSO training programme

Corequisites

NONE

Excluded Combination of Modules

NONE

Aims

To enable students to plan and execute a substantial piece of independent geographical research on an approved topic
To provide students with an opportunity to collect and analyse data from primary and/or secondary sources using mainly natural scientific research methods
To encourage students to develop the transferable skills of advanced literacy and presentation

Content

An individual piece of work chosen by the student and approved by the Departments Director of Learning and Teaching
Early formulation of the topic and progress towards completion are monitored by the Dissertation Tutor, with whom there are five discussion tutorials during Level 3
The dissertation should be based mainly on primary and/or secondary social science research. It may relate to courses or field work undertaken whilst abroad, but this is not compulsory

Learning Outcomes

Subject-specific Knowledge:

Formulation: identify a clear objective; establish the relevant substantive and theoretical context; produce a scholarly and critical review of relevant literature

Subject-specific Skills:

Use appropriate and relevant social research methods; identify a logical structure and argument; show relevance and depth; produce a critical appraisal of the outcome

Key Skills:

demonstrate advanced skills of literacy, numeracy, graphicacy, editing and proof-reading, documentation and bibliography

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

It is their own work on a topic of their own choice, done largely in their own time and reflecting their level of training, attitude, motivation, powers of organization and analysis
Students have contact with a Dissertation Advisor while abroad, and self directed work makes an important contribution to the formulation of the project, which may be related to the country to which they have been. We expect that most of the data analysis and writing up take place during Level 3

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Activity	Number	Frequency	Duration	Total/Hours
Tutorials	Varies	Terms 1 and 2	30 mins	3	■
Student Preparation & Reading Time				397
Total				400

Summative Assessment

Component: Dissertation		Component Weighting: 100%
Element	Length / duration	Element Weighting	Resit Opportunity
Dissertation submissions should be typed, using 12 pt Arial font, on A4 paper with 1.5 line spacing, 2 cm left, right, top and bottom margins. The main part of the dissertation, following the title page and abstract and any acknowledgements, must not exceed 35 printed pages, including maps and diagrams. In addition, the dissertation should include a list of References and may include one or more Appendices giving supplementary material. This additional material should not exceed 35 printed pages.		100%	NONE

Formative Assessment:

Feedback on Dissertation Proposal which is submitted in the first week of Level 3

■ Attendance at all activities marked with this symbol will be monitored. Students who fail to attend these activities, or to complete the summative or formative assessment specified above, will be subject to the procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University