Master of Science (Geography)

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.

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.

Students must complete 200 pts including:

• Discipline Core subjects (25 points);
• Discipline Elective subjects (50 or 62.5 points);
• Professional Skills subjects (12.5 or 25 points);
• Research Project (100 points).

This course is only available on a full-time basis commencing in semester one.

Physical Geography Stream

Discipline Core

Students must take one of:

and one of:

* 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 or 5 of the following subjects:

* Students are permitted to take up to two 3rd-year subjects only.

-

Human Geography Stream

Discipline Core

Students must take:

and one of:

* 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 or 5 of the following subjects:

* Students are permitted to take up to two 3rd-year subjects only.

-

Integrated Geography Stream

Discipline Core

Students must take one of:

and one of:

* 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 or 5 of the following subjects:

* Students are permitted to take up to two 3rd-year subjects only.

-

All Streams

Professional Skills

Students must select 1 or 2 of the following subjects:

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

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.

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.

The Master of Science offers a pathway to a PhD.

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.