Unit information: Dissertation: MSc Climate Change Science and Policy in 2023/24

Unit name	Dissertation: MSc Climate Change Science and Policy
Unit code	GEOGM0062
Credit points	60
Level of study	M/7
Teaching block(s)	Academic Year (weeks 1 - 52)
Unit director	Professor. Richards
Open unit status	Not open
Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units)	None
Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units)	None
Units you may not take alongside this one	None
School/department	School of Geographical Sciences
Faculty	Faculty of Science

Unit Information

The aim of this unit is for students to design, execute and write up a research project on their chosen topic. Students will pursue a topic, developing and undertaking specific areas of inquiry under supervision to produce their final dissertation. The key focus will be on original analysis and interpretation, and the ultimate aim will be to produce research outputs of a standard that could contribute to a scientific publication. Students will be expected to demonstrate an ability to draw together a range of skills, techniques and subject sources to explore their chosen topic. Students will be supervised by a specialist supervisor, or supervisors as appropriate. The unit is assessed via a written dissertation in the form of a journal publication and by an oral presentation.

Your learning on this unit

On successful completion, students will:

1. be able to design, plan and implement a research project that it is feasible within the available time to high scientific and professional standards.
2. be able to successfully organise their own resources, including time, to produce a piece of work under a tight timeline.
3. be able to adapt and react if the project diverts from the original plan.
4. have developed specific practical and analytical research skills that relate to their research methodology e.g. accessing and assessing appropriate secondary data (library- or archive-based information, model output), modelling, field work, lab work, policy analysis, etc.
5. be able to link their specific research to the wider scientific literature and broader societal context.
6. be able to confidently communicate scientific results in an oral presentation to a scientific non-specialist audience such as at a science conference.
7. be able to present a clear, coherent, and structured argument in written form, in the style of an academic research paper to the standard expected for submission of a manuscript to a leading international journal.

How you will learn

Independent study and research supported by supervisor

How you will be assessed

Written 7500-word dissertation report in the form of an academic journal research paper (100%) [ILOs 1-7]

Word count does not include references, total word count including references not to exceed 12,000 words.

Resources

If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.

If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. GEOGM0062).

How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks, independent learning and assessment activity.

See the University Workload statement relating to this unit for more information.

Assessment
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit. The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. For appropriate assessments, if you have self-certificated your absence, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (for assessments at the end of TB1 and TB2 this is usually in the next re-assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any exceptional circumstances and operates within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.