Master of Science (Geography)

Course MC-SCIGEO (2013)

Note: This is an archived Handbook entry from 2013.

Year and Campus:	2013 - Parkville
CRICOS Code:	062189B
Fees Information:	Subject EFTSL, Level, Discipline & Census Date
Level:	Graduate/Postgraduate
Duration & Credit Points:	200 credit points taken over 24 months full time. This course is available as full or part time.

Coordinator

Dr Russell Drysdale

Email: rnd@unimelb.edu.au

Dr Nicole Cook

Email: nicole.cook@unimelb.edu.au

Contact

Melbourne Graduate School of Science
Faculty of Science
The University of Melbourne

T: +61 3 8344 6128
F: +61 3 8344 3351

W: www.graduate.science.unimelb.edu.au

Course Overview:	The Master of Science (Geography) is a coursework masters degree incorporating a substantial research project. The Master of Science gives students the opportunity to undertake a substantive research project in a field of choice as well as a broad range of coursework subjects including a professional skills component, as a pathway to PhD study or to the workforce.
Objectives:	At the completion of this course, students should: be familiar with current debates in their chosen field of geographic inquiry; be able to develop research questions from a critical reading of a body of literature; be able to design a field or laboratory based research project; and gain an understanding of major conceptual debates in physical geography, and their implications for research methodology.
Course Structure & Available Subjects:	Students must complete 200 pts including: Discipline Core subjects (25 points); Discipline Elective subjects (50 points); Professional Skills subjects (25 points); Research Project (100 points). This course is only available on a full-time basis commencing in semester one.
Subject Options:	Physical Geography Stream Discipline Core Students must take one of: Subject Study Period Commencement: Credit Points: MAST90007 Statistics for Research Workers Not offered in 2013 12.50 AGRI90075 Research Methods For Life Sciences Not offered in 2013 12.50 and one of: Subject Study Period Commencement: Credit Points: GEOG90018 Contemporary Geographical Thought Not offered in 2013 12.50 GEOG90008 Advanced Reading in Geography Not offered in 2013 12.50 * AGRI90075 Research Methods for Life Sciences is only available to students with no experience in undergraduate statistics. * Students who have completed GEOG30003 Geographical Thought or its equivalent are ineligible to enrol in GEOG90018 Contemporary Geographical Thought and must enrol in GEOG90008 Advanced Reading in Geography. - Discipline Elective Students must take 4 of the following subjects: Subject Study Period Commencement: Credit Points: GEOG90003 Integrated River & Catchment Management Not offered in 2013 12.50 EVSC90015 Environmental Impact Assessment Not offered in 2013 12.50 GEOG30001 Coastal Landforms & Processes Not offered in 2013 12.50 GEOG30022 Rivers: Hydrology and Ecology Not offered in 2013 12.50 GEOM90008 Foundations of Spatial Information Not offered in 2013 12.50 EVSC90001 Global Environment and Sustainability Not offered in 2013 12.50 EVSC90010 Environmental Risk Assessment Not offered in 2013 12.50 NRMT90004 Conservation Genetics Not offered in 2013 12.50 ENST90005 Environmental Policy Not offered in 2013 12.50 GEOG30023 Global Climate Change in Context Not offered in 2013 12.50 ERTH90027 Fluvial Geomorphology and Hydrology Not offered in 2013 12.50 * Students are permitted to take up to two 3rd-year subjects only. - Human Geography Stream Discipline Core Students must take: Subject Study Period Commencement: Credit Points: NRMT90003 Social Research Methods Not offered in 2013 12.50 and one of: Subject Study Period Commencement: Credit Points: GEOG90018 Contemporary Geographical Thought Not offered in 2013 12.50 GEOG90008 Advanced Reading in Geography Not offered in 2013 12.50 * Students who have completed GEOG30003 Geographical Thought or its equivalent are ineligible to enrol in GEOG90018 Contemporary Geographical Thought and must enrol in GEOG90008 Advanced Reading in Geography. - Discipline Elective Students must take 4 of the following subjects: Subject Study Period Commencement: Credit Points: ENST90002 Social Impact Assessment and Evaluation Not offered in 2013 12.50 EVSC90015 Environmental Impact Assessment Not offered in 2013 12.50 ANTH90001 Heritage and Cultural Environments Not offered in 2013 12.50 ENST90004 Climate Change Politics and Policy Not offered in 2013 12.50 GEOG90007 China Field Class PG Not offered in 2013 25 GEOG90008 Advanced Reading in Geography Not offered in 2013 12.50 EVSC90001 Global Environment and Sustainability Not offered in 2013 12.50 NRMT90004 Conservation Genetics Not offered in 2013 12.50 ENST90005 Environmental Policy Not offered in 2013 12.50 DEVT90003 The Political Ecology of Development Not offered in 2013 12.50 GEOG30019 Sustainable Development Semester 1 12.50 GEOG30021 The Disaster Resilient City Not offered in 2013 12.50 * Students are permitted to take up to two 3rd-year subjects only. - Integrated Geography Stream Discipline Core Students must take one of: Subject Study Period Commencement: Credit Points: NRMT90003 Social Research Methods Not offered in 2013 12.50 MAST90007 Statistics for Research Workers Not offered in 2013 12.50 AGRI90075 Research Methods For Life Sciences Not offered in 2013 12.50 and one of: Subject Study Period Commencement: Credit Points: GEOG90018 Contemporary Geographical Thought Not offered in 2013 12.50 GEOG90008 Advanced Reading in Geography Not offered in 2013 12.50 * AGRI90075 Research Methods for Life Sciences is only available to students who have no experience in undergraduate statistics. * Students who have completed GEOG30003 Geographical Thought or its equivalent are ineligible to enrol in GEOG90018 Contemporary Geographical Thought and must enrol in GEOG90008 Advanced Reading in Geography. - Discipline Elective Students must take 4 of the following subjects: Subject Study Period Commencement: Credit Points: ANTH90001 Heritage and Cultural Environments Not offered in 2013 12.50 EVSC90015 Environmental Impact Assessment Not offered in 2013 12.50 ENST90002 Social Impact Assessment and Evaluation Not offered in 2013 12.50 ENST90004 Climate Change Politics and Policy Not offered in 2013 12.50 GEOG90007 China Field Class PG Not offered in 2013 25 GEOG90003 Integrated River & Catchment Management Not offered in 2013 12.50 EVSC90010 Environmental Risk Assessment Not offered in 2013 12.50 EVSC90001 Global Environment and Sustainability Not offered in 2013 12.50 GEOM90008 Foundations of Spatial Information Not offered in 2013 12.50 GEOG30022 Rivers: Hydrology and Ecology Not offered in 2013 12.50 GEOG30001 Coastal Landforms & Processes Not offered in 2013 12.50 NRMT40004 Community Natural Resource Management Not offered in 2013 12.50 NRMT90004 Conservation Genetics Not offered in 2013 12.50 ENST90005 Environmental Policy Not offered in 2013 12.50 DEVT90003 The Political Ecology of Development Not offered in 2013 12.50 GEOG30019 Sustainable Development Semester 1 12.50 GEOG30021 The Disaster Resilient City Not offered in 2013 12.50 GEOG30023 Global Climate Change in Context Not offered in 2013 12.50 DEVT30001 Africa: Environment, Development, People Semester 2 12.50 ERTH90027 Fluvial Geomorphology and Hydrology Not offered in 2013 12.50 * Students are permitted to take up to two 3rd-year subjects only. - All Streams Professional Skills Students must select two of the following subjects: Subject Study Period Commencement: Credit Points: BUSA90403 Business Tools: Money People & Processes Semester 2 12.50 BUSA90471 Business Tools: The Market Environment Semester 1 12.50 SCIE90007 E-Science Not offered in 2013 12.50 MAST90045 Systems Modelling and Simulation Not offered in 2013 12.50 SCIE90005 Ethics and Responsibility in Science Not offered in 2013 12.50 MAST90044 Thinking and Reasoning with Data Not offered in 2013 12.50 SCIE90012 Science Communication Not offered in 2013 12.50 SCIE90013 Communication for Research Scientists Semester 1 12.50 All Streams Research Project The research project will be taken over four consecutive semesters and will begin on the Monday of the first semester of research project enrolment (semesters 1 or 2) (indicative for 2013: March 4 and July 29) and continue until the end of the final semester of research project enrolment. The research project work continues over summer and winter breaks, minus recreation leave of 4 weeks per year. For how long and at what time within the enrolment the actual period of leave is to be taken needs to be negotiated with a student's supervisor. The thesis will be due for submission at the end of the formal examination period of the final semester of research project enrolment (usually fourth semester) if an earlier date is not specified. The assessment requirements below are applicable to the entire 100 point Research Project: A research proposal modelled on a research grant application style, due at the end of the first 12.5 points: 12.5% A full literature review and research proposal seminar, due at the end of the first 25 points: 12.5% A 25,000 word thesis and a research results seminar, due by the end of the full 100 points (i.e. at the end of year 2): 75% Students select their research project load in consultation with their project supervisor and the program coordinator, and must enrol in at least 12.5 points of research project per semester. Therefore, in each semester students must be enrolled in one of the subjects listed here, with the total research project load equalling 100 points over the two years of full-time study. EXAMPLE: Year 1, semester 1: GEOG90010 Geography Research Project 12.5 pts Year 1, semester 2: GEOG90010 Geography Research Project 12.5 pts Year 2, semester 1: GEOG90011 Geography Research Project 25 pts Year 2, semester 2: GEOG90013 Geography Research Project 50 pts Subject Study Period Commencement: Credit Points: GEOG90010 Geography Research Project Not offered in 2013 12.50 GEOG90011 Geography Research Project Not offered in 2013 25 GEOG90012 Geography Research Project Semester 1 37.50 GEOG90013 Geography Research Project Not offered in 2013 50
Entry Requirements:	An undergraduate degree with a major in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Environmental Science, Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Science, Geography or Zoology, with at least an H3 (65%) in the major, or equivalent. Quotas may be applied and preference may be given to applicants with evidence of appropriate preparation or potential to undertake research. Entry is subject to the capacity of the department to provide adequate supervision in, and resources for, a research project appropriate to the interests and preparation of the individual student and may be subject to the agreement of a member of academic staff to supervise the project module. Selection is not automatic and, in particular, is subject to competition.
Core Participation Requirements:	It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study and reasonable steps will be made to enhance a student’s participation in the University’s programs. Students who feel their disability may impact upon their active and safe participation in a course are encouraged to discuss this with the relevant course coordinator and the Disability Liaison Unit.
Further Study:	The Master of Science offers a pathway to a PhD.
Graduate Attributes:	Graduates will: have the ability to demonstrate advanced independent critical enquiry, analysis and reflection; have a strong sense of intellectual integrity and the ethics of scholarship; have in-depth knowledge of their specialist discipline(s); reach a high level of achievement in writing, research or project activities, problem-solving and communication; be critical and creative thinkers, with an aptitude for continued self-directed learning; be able to examine critically, synthesise and evaluate knowledge across a broad range of disciplines; have a set of flexible and transferable skills for different types of employment; and be able to initiate and implement constructive change in their communities, including professions and workplaces.
Links to further information:	http://graduate.science.unimelb.edu.au

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