Unit information: Consultancy Project in 2021/22

Unit name	Consultancy Project
Unit code	GEOGM0029
Credit points	20
Level of study	M/7
Teaching block(s)	Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24)
Unit director	Dr. Fox
Open unit status	Not open
Pre-requisites	Completion of 3 M Level Units
Co-requisites	N/A
School/department	School of Geographical Sciences
Faculty	Faculty of Science

Description including Unit Aims

This unit brings a practical dimension to postgraduate study by providing an opportunity for students to work in small teams to address real life policy and management challenges facing external clients, including public, private and non-profit organisations.

In brief, the Unit Director, in collaboration with Cabot Institute and the Public Engagement Team, will solicit project proposals from external clients. These will be vetted by the Unit Director and then presented to students as options. Projects will be allocated to small teams of 3-5 students based upon student preferences. Over the course of the term, students will negotiate a terms of reference, undertake research, produce a report and make a final presentation to their assigned clients. This research component of the course will be complimented by a seminar series oriented around critical reflection on the key skills required by policy and management consultants.

Overall, the unit aims to give students the skills required to become effective influencers. Specific unit objectives include:

• Developing tools and techniques for problem framing and analysis in response to a client brief;
• Experience in planning, managing and delivering a research project as part of a team;
• Enhanced professional communications skills;
• The development reflective skills, particularly with regard to strategic thinking and teamwork.

Intended Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this unit, students will have achieved:

1. Insight into the challenges and dynamics of environmental management/policy in practice;
2. An understanding of a range of tools and techniques for problem framing and analysis;
3. Hands-on experience of negotiating, managing and delivering a client brief;
4. An understanding of the process of planning, managing and delivering a collective research project;
5. An enhanced capacity to communicate research, and proposed actions emerging from research, in an effective manner, both in writing and oral presentation;
6. A critical, reflective approach to consultancy practice.

Teaching Information

The unit will be taught through a blended combination of online and, if possible, in-person teaching, deliverd by University of Bristol staff with contributions from expert practioners, including

• online resources
• synchronous group workshops, seminars, tutorials and/or office hours
• asynchronous individual activities and guided reading for students to work through at their own pace

Assessment Information

25% - final presentation (all students in each group receive the same mark). [ILOs 1-5]

50% - final research report of no more than 10,000 words (all students in each group receive the same mark). [ILOs 1-5]

10% - client feedback (a standardised survey regarding professional conduct, communication and degree of success in satisfying the TOR. Each student in the group will receive the same mark). [ILOs 5 and 6]

15% - peer assessment (to mitigate free-riding and encourage critical reflection on teamwork. Individual mark). [ILOs 4 and 6]

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. GEOGM0029).

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 Faculty 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. If you have self-certificated your absence from an assessment, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (this is usually in the next assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any extenuating circumstances and operates within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.