Compulsory module titles:
For the M.Sc., a student must complete six taught modules and a research placement or research dissertation. The basic structure of the M.Sc. (180 credits) is as follows:
- GEOG 400: Research Methods (15 credits)
- GEOG 411: Principles of Environmental Informatics (15 credits)
- GEOG 412: Environmental Informatics In Practice (15 credits)
- GEOG 413: Geo-informatics (15 credits)
- TWO Optional Modules (15 credits each)
PLUS
- GEOG 451: Research Placement (90 credits) or GEOG 452: Research Dissertation (90 credits)
As such, the taught and research elements both account for 50% of the overall programme.
For the Postgraduate Diploma (120 credits), a student must also complete the four compulsory modules (above) plus two optional modules. Then the Diploma student undertakes GEOG 454: State-of-the-Art Literature Review (30 credits).
Current optional module titles (all 15 credits):
GEOG 401: Research Planning Workshop
GEOG 414: Resource & Environmental Management
GEOG 415: Environmental Justice
GEOG 416 Environmental Auditing
GEOG 417: Rural Land Policy
GEOG 419: Health and Environment
ENV 415: Hydroinformatics (Department of Environmental Science)
ENV 408: Modelling Environmental Processes (Department of Environmental Science)
ENV 444: Environmental Quality and Standards (Department of Environmental Science)
D. CS 408: Information Management (Department of Communications Systems)
D. CS 461: IT Applications (Department of Communications Systems)
CSM 002: Advanced Distributed Systems (Department of Computing)
CSM 003: Advanced Interactive Systems Design (Department of Computing)
CSM 004: Mobile Computing (Department of Computing)
CSM 007: Ubiquitous Computing (Department of Computing)
ITO 003: Strategy and IT Management (Management School)
ITO 012: Information and Communication Technologies (Management School)
SOCL 523: Environmental Risk (Department of Sociology)
Work/Study Placement (if any):
GEOG 451 is a placement opportunity for the MSc students which is an optional alternative to a dissertation (GEOG 452). It is designed to give students experience of working with an outside organisation or an in-house research group. The student carries out research on an EI problem defined by the organisation to meet its needs. The students have a departmental supervisor and a facilitator in the host organisation. The final report is of the same size as a dissertation and there is also learning journal to allow the student to reflect on, and the staff to assess the learning experiences.
Progression Requirements:
To progress from the Postgraduate Diploma to the Masters, the student needs to have passed all six taught modules.
To pass and obtain the degree of MSc (180 credits) a student must achieve a mean mark of at least 50% in the six taught modules and at least 50% in the dissertation or placement. Satisfactory completion of coursework for the taught modules is a prerequisite for submitting a dissertation or undertaking a placement. A mean mark of 70% or over in all the units (including the dissertation or placement) will lead to the award of M.Sc. with Distinction. The award of Pass with Merit requires an overall average mark of 60% or greater, with marks of 65% or greater in modules whose credit values total at least 50% of the programme's total credit rating. One fail mark (under 50% but not less than 40%) in a taught module may be condoned provided that the mean of the marks for the six taught modules is at least 50%. Where the overall mean mark falls below 50%, or the student achieves a mark below 50% for more than one module, assessed work equivalent to half of the course (90 credits) may be resubmitted once. All coursework receiving a mark below 40% must automatically be resubmitted. Resubmitted coursework can receive a maximum mark of 50%. If the dissertation or placement mark is less than 50% then, at the discretion of the Board of Examiners, either may be resubmitted (once only) in order to achieve a maximum mark of 50%. An uncondoned mark of less than 50% after resubmission will prevent the award of MSc.
To pass and obtain the Postgraduate Diploma (120 credits), a student must achieve a mean mark of at least 50% in the six taught modules and the state-of-the-art literature review. A mean mark of 70% or over for all six modules plus the state-of-the-art literature review will lead to the award of a Distinction. The award of Pass with Merit requires an overall average mark of 60% or greater, with marks of 65% or greater in modules whose credit values total at least 50% of the programme's total credit rating. One fail mark (under 50% but not less than 40%) in a taught module may be condoned provided that the mean of the marks for the six taught modules is at least 50%. Where the overall mean mark falls below 50%, or the student achieves a mark below 50% for more than one module, assessed work equivalent to half of the course (60 credits) may be resubmitted once. All coursework receiving a mark below 40% must automatically be resubmitted. Resubmitted coursework can receive a maximum mark of 50%. If the mark for the state-of-the-art literature review is less than 50% then, at the discretion of the Board of Examiners, this piece of work may be resubmitted (once only) in order to achieve a maximum mark of 50%. An uncondoned mark of less than 50% after resubmission will prevent the award of a Postgraduate Diploma.
