Land and Environment Research Project

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2015:

Students should discuss total time commitment with their supervisor but as a guide, a student would be expected to be engaged in their research for an average of thirty hours per week over two semesters.

Admission into Bachelor of Science (Honours) BH-SCI; Bachelor of Agriculture (Honours) 629-AA; Bachelor of Agriculture (Honours) 629-DO.

It is a requirement that students have an approved project and supervisor prior to enrolling into this subject. The Application for Admission-Honours form can be found at http://fvas.unimelb.edu.au/study/courses/honours-in-veterinary-bioscience/overview. Further information can be obtained from the Student Centre.

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Student Support and Engagement Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Overview, Learning Outcomes, Assessment and Generic Skills sections of this entry.

It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student's participation in the University's programs. Students who feel their disability may impact on meeting the requirements of this subject are encouraged to discuss this matter with a Faculty Student Adviser and Student Equity and Disability Support: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/disability

This research honours project develops a student’s ability to design and undertake a substantial body of work, to find solutions to a particular industry or discipline issue, and to report on this in written and verbal form. The project topic is developed in close collaboration between student, academic and industry advisers. Project definition is completed shortly after commencement of the semester of enrolment in the subject, and requires approval from the subject coordinator based on input from academic and industry advisors, taking into account the student’s preparation through previous selection of elective or stream subjects.

Logistic assistance for projects is coordinated on a case-by-case basis.

Each student prepares a short oral presentation on their project proposal, which is peer-reviewed, as well as a written proposal (5-8 pages) to be assessed by academic and industry advisers. A more detailed oral presentation is presented on the final results of the project to an audience of FVAS and industry staff.

Students will be enrolled in a combination of the research project subjects indicated below to ensure they have completed a total of 75 points for the research project by the end of their course.

Each of these subjects are available in Semester 1 and Semester 2:

• AGRI40001 Land and Environment Research Project - 25 points;
• AGRI40002 Land and Environment Research Project - 37.5 points;
• AGRI40003 Land and Environment Research Project - 50 points.

The objectives of this subject are to:

• develop an in-depth appreciation for the research process;
• develop individual investigative skills, critical thought and the ability to evaluate information and analyse data;
• increase the student's knowledge and understanding of the discipline area;
• develop the student’s academic research and academic writing skills.

The assessment requirements below are applicable to the entire 75 point Research project:
A Thesis of a maximum of 15,000 words (75%) due at the end of the second semester.
A 1,000 word research proposal and a 15 minute research Project talk (10%) due in the middle of the first semester of enrolment.
A 25 minute oral presentation (15%) due near the end of the second semester of enrolment.

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This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

The subject will enhance the following generic skills:
• Critical thinking and analysis
• Ability to seek out, retrieve and evaluate information from multiple sources
• Ability to explain complex concepts in written and oral form
• Time management skills
• Appreciation and implementation of the ethics associated with knowledge creation and usage
• Report writing skills
• Ability to manage large data sets