Postgraduate Taught Programme: Human Geography(ESRC Accredited)

Aims

Staff in Geography & Environment at Aberdeen are at the forefront of national and international research in a range of fields within Human Geography, including environmental management, regional and economic policy, rural development and transport planning.

The Programme holds full postgraduate research training recognition from the Economic and Social Science Research Council. Human Geography at Aberdeen is a partner institution of the Scottish Doctoral Training Centre's Human Geography Pathway.  Students intending to take the MRes as a direct bridge to PhD research are welcome to discuss possible applications to the ESRC for "1+3" fees and maintenance funding. Students who successfully complete the MRes and wish to begin a PhD will be helped to apply to the ESRC for "+3" studentships covering 3 years fees and maintenance.

The main aim of the programme is to prepare students for a research degree in Human Geography, broadly defined, while providing a comprehensive introduction to social sciences research strategies. The inter-disciplinary nature of Human Geography means that subject specific training incorporates a wide range of philosophies, epistemologies, concepts and methods. These subject-specific components combine the expertise of staff who represent various research specialisms within the discipline. Students are introduced to the diverse ways of currently doing Human Geography by researchers who work in fields including rural and regional development and policy, uneven development economic restructuring, transport and mobility, environmental management and policy. The complementary social sciences training delivered by the School of Social Science exposes students to the research of staff and peers from cognate disciplines (e.g. Sociology, Anthropology, Politics and International Relations).

Students completing the degree programme should be adequately prepared either to undertake further research towards a PhD, or to enter employment as researchers in fields outside the academy, such as government, non-governmental organisations, environmental consultancy and branches of the media, where knowledge and skills cultivated by the programme are in demand.

Requirements

The minimum requirement is a first degree (equivalent to a British second class Honours degree). The Programme Selector will consider applicants with non-standard qualifications, particularly those with substantial work experience. 

It is important when submitting an application that you ensure you have completed all the necessary sections and enclosed all the relevant documentation to ensure that your application can be processed as quickly as possible.

Even if you have been educated in the medium of English you must meet our English Language requirements. These are located at www.abdn.ac.uk/sras/international/english.shtml. This programme requires that you meet the 'Postgraduate Standard' level of English proficiency. If you are in doubt about your proficiency in English, contact the British Council office or its equivalent in your country. If your first language is not English, it is important that your proficiency in English is good in order for you to study successfully at the University of Aberdeen . Without this ability you will find great difficulty in understanding lectures, producing written work and sitting examinations.

We have one intake each year in September. Late applications may be asked to wait until the next intake should the programme coordinator feel there is insufficient time to consider the application. Prospective students who require a visa to study in the UK are advised to apply as early in the year as possible to secure a place. Applications received after 30th June from students who need to apply for a visa to study in the UK will not be processed for entry in September of that year but may be considered for entry the following year as appropriate.

It is important to note that the programmes of postgraduate study at the University of Aberdeen are very competitive and the entry requirements stated are a guide to the minimum requirements, but do not guarantee entry.

Syllabus

Geography and Environment in the University of Aberdeen is part of an Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) accredited outlet. As such, the guidelines for postgraduate training provided by the ESRC are followed closely. These guidelines are in place to ensure that an adequate formal training is provided to all research students in research methodologies, analytical skills, theory and philosophy and transferable employment related skills. Broadly based, generic social science, and subject specific training is provided. Research training is formally organised as a Master of Research in Human Geography. The overall approach to research training adopted by the Department aims to strike a balance between generic social science and more specialised, subject specific training.

Students following a 1+3 PhD will complete the MRes in year one of their four year programme. Successful completion of the MRes, as set out in the degree regulations below is a condition of progressing to the +3 stage. Students who have funding for a +3 PhD will have their research skills assessed at registration and they will be required to complete part of, or the entire, MRes programme as a condition of their registration, depending upon previous knowledge and experience. All students are required to complete the module Research Strategies and Professional Development and, normally, all human geography students will complete the departmental courses in quantitative and qualitative research skills respectively. Completion of these three courses leads to the award of a Postgraduate Certificate in Research Methods in Human Geography. Successful completion of any prescribed research training courses is a pre-requisite for progression beyond the first year of the PhD. Training continues after the first year of a research degree, with between 5-10% of time to be spent in formal, advanced The ESRC training guidelines, which informed the design of the Master of Research in Human Geography degree programme, are set out below. The key elements of general research training are as follows:

• broadly based training: incorporating a grounding in the main philosophical and methodological issues of the social sciences;
• research design and strategy: ensuring that research students are aware of the stages of research design and implementation with an emphasis upon their own subject area;
• oral presentation skills: ensuring that research students have the opportunity to present and discuss their research at seminars, workshops and conference both within and outwith their home institution;
• bibliographic and computing skills
• teaching skills: allowing students to gain teaching experience and to hone their presentation, communication, specialist and professional skills;
• generic, employment-related skills: generic communication skills (writing, dissemination and media awareness) and project management and team-working skills;
• ethical and legal issues
• exploitation of research and intellectual property rights

Discipline specific training guidelines are also laid down with the programme following the guidelines established by the Human Geography panel of the ESRC training division. These guidelines recognise the inter-disciplinary nature of Human Geography and the varied theoretical and methodological approaches used in Human Geographical research.  

Generic Social Science Research Training

The Postgraduate Training Programme delivered by the School of Social Sciences constitutes the generic spine upon which individual disciplines build their advanced, discipline specific training for research students. It provides the essential social science skills that will stand students in good stead in their future careers as well as providing a base for completing a successful programme of research leading to the award of a higher degree. The programme offers four modules, namely Methodology, Theory and Ethics, Research Skills Workshops, Approaches to Analysis and Seminar. The programme modules are delivered through a combination of lectures, seminars and practical work with an emphasis on small group work. In exceptional circumstances an exemption from these courses may be granted at the discretion of the Programme Directors and the Head of College.  

Subject Specific Research Training

The aim of the postgraduate training provided by Geography and Environment at the University of Aberdeen is to add value to generic social science training and to ensure that discipline specific training requirements set out by the ESRC are addressed. The training is designed to meet the needs of research students in all three years of their registration. It is delivered through courses that comprise 'subject specific' training within the Master of Research and through advanced training.  

Generic and Transferable Skills Training

A variety of training courses are offered across the University of Aberdeen to meet generic and transferable training needs of research students. They are designed to address the skills training requirements of research students identified by the UK research councils.  

Transfer from MRes to MPhil or PhD

It is normal practice for research students in Human Geography to be registered for the degree of MRes in the first instance. Those intending to continue to a higher research degree transfer at the end of the first year. Students who have already received appropriate research training at postgraduate level, or who are exempted from the MRes due to workplace research experience, may be registered at the outset for an MPhil or a PhD. Final decisions regarding upgrading to MPhil or PhD are taken once all marks for the MRes are known. Students are formally warned before the submission of the dissertation if they are considered to be 'at risk' of not meeting the progression threshold. If an earlier assessment of progress is required, for example, to secure continuing funding, a provisional judgement will be made by the supervisor(s) and the Director of the Doctoral Programme. There are 3 options available to students who have successfully completed the MRes:

1. Complete the MRes, be awarded the degree and leave the University of Aberdeen.
2. Complete the MRes, be awarded the degree and apply to resume studies as a research student on a 24 month (f-t) / 48 month (p-t) MPhil or 36 month (f-t) or 60 month (p-t) PhD programyme (note that earlier submission is possible).
3. At the end of the MRes year, transfer to year 2 of the MPhil or PhD programme. In this case students are not formally awarded the degree of Master of Research in Human Geography, but an academic transcript will list the courses taken and grades achieved.

Postgraduate Certificate in Research Methods in Human Geography

The Postgraduate Certificate in Research Methods in Human Geography is a formal qualification for students who, while being required to complete some formal research training, are not required to complete the entire 180 credits of the MRes.  Students are required to complete a generic skills course and methodological courses taught from a disciplinary perspective.  The curriculum followed by most PGCert students is:

• Research Strategies and Professional Development
• Using, creating and analysing data sets:  quantitative research strategies
• Understanding the subject :  qualitative research techniques.

The award of Postgraduate Certificate in Research Methods in Human Geography and subsequent progression to the MPhil/PhD programme, is normally provisional on a pass in all taught modules on the programme with a mark of 12 or above on the CAS constituting three quarters of the total assessment. Students who pass all elements of the course but do not achieve the above criteria may make a case to the Head of Discipline to progress to the MPhil/PhD programme but should note that progression is not automatic.

Assessment

The Master of Research Programme is assessed wholly by continuous assessment. Assignments include essays, group reports and presentations. The assessment strategy is designed to evaluate, for individual students, their intellectual development and the development of transferable skills such as written and verbal communication, team work skills and information retrieval skills.

The dissertation provides students with an opportunity to demonstrate that they can apply the skills acquired in the taught modules they have completed. All assessed work is collated for inspection by the external examiner who offers guidance on the academic standards to be attained in the programme. The subject-specific taught courses and the dissertation are assessed by two markers appointed from within the outlet, with the external examiner fulfilling a moderating role.

Teaching

A variety of teaching methods are employed across the modules which comprise the programme; lectures, student-led seminars, workshops and tutorials. These formats provide students with a formal introduction to specific topics and an opportunity to debate issues arising from the lecture with their peers, an approach well suited to small group teaching and to encouraging students to engage critically with a wide range of theoretical, methodological and professional development topics.

Funding

The course is accredited by the ESRC. Enquiries about ESRC funding should be directed to the Graduate School Admissions Unit.

Fees

Information on tuition fees, including the current fee level, can be found on the University Registry website.

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