Research and Critical Skills in Environmental Science (IE 5511) – 15 credits
Delivered by the Institute for the Environment, throughout terms 1 and 2 (approximately 1.5 hrs/week for 24 weeks).
Main aims of the module:
- To develop professional, research and critical skills necessary to support higher learning and development of an integrative approach to problem solving, necessary for success in environmental science careers in public or private sectors or the academic environment.
Main topics of study:
- Methods and techniques for knowledge analysis (eg Vee-heuristic, concept maps)
- Skills associated with critical and reflective understanding/evaluation (e.g. identifying knowledge claims and schools of thought, evaluating methodologies)
- Skills associated with communication of scientific issues (developing hypotheses, communicating uncertainty, referencing in scientific writing)
- Issues associated with professional practice and research in environmental sciences (e.g research ethics, academic honesty and plagiarism)
- Case studies in global climate change – development of an integrated understanding of the impacts of climate change on society and the environment and the increasing importance of sustainability as a guiding principle in all arenas of human activity
Learning activities:
Lectures, seminars, Journal club, invited talks from external speakers, dissertation preparation workshops
Assessment:
There will be a number of formative assessments throughout the module to develop and reinforce learning outcomes. The module will feature a single summative coursework assessment, which will be a proposal for dissertation topic, which will feature a literature review and critical analysis of a relevant area in environmental science, development of hypotheses, and proposal for dissertation research.
