Study information

Summer Vacation Project - 2024 entry

MODULE TITLESummer Vacation Project CREDIT VALUE30
MODULE CODECSM3379 MODULE CONVENERProf Ben Williamson, Dr Clemens Vinzenz Ullmann
DURATION: TERM 1 2 3
DURATION: WEEKS 11 11 0
Number of Students Taking Module (anticipated) 30
DESCRIPTION - summary of the module content

The Summer Vacation Project (SVP) is a 30-credit module that contributes towards the 3rd Year of your degree. Principally, it is an independent project designed to give you the opportunity to put in to practice the specific and transferable skills you have developed during your degree to date. It will allow you to demonstrate your ability to organise and undertake independent project work that involves the collection, analysis, interpretation and presentation of primary geological data (or equivalent data from a discipline that overlaps with geology). 

The SVP is undertaken by all undergraduate (BSc and MSci) Geology, Resource and Exploration Geology, Engineering Geology and Geotechnics, and Environmental Geoscience* students. Data collection is carried out in the summer vacation following Year 2 and in to Year 3, with data analysis, interpretation, and writing up your assessment taking place throughout Year 3. 

There are three main pathways through the SVP: 

  

  1. A geological mapping project, based on data collection from a recommended 20 days of fieldwork during the summer vacation between you 2nd and 3rd year; 

  1. A field- or laboratory-based research project, working with one of CSM’s research groups; 

  1. An industrial placement, carrying out a research project with an appropriate geoscience, environmental, engineering or minerals industry company 

There are three assessment points throughout Year 3 associated with the SVP, including submission of your primary data collection, a final geological map or research poster, and culminating in final dissertation.  

Your SVP is likely to be one of the largest and most important aspects of your undergraduate degree. You can use your SVP to demonstrate your ability to organise and undertake a substantial scientific project to potential future employers. It will be a challenging, yet very rewarding experience, and is a fitting conclusion to those following a BSc route in geology at the University of Exeter. 

*Students on the BSc/MSci Environmental Geoscience programme must pursue an SVP pathway of either a research project or industrial placement project associated with environmental geoscience subjects.

 

AIMS - intentions of the module
The Summer Vacation Project aims at to provide you with an opportunity to undertake an independent scientific project to demonstrate knowledge + understanding of geological processes and applications when resolving project aims and hypotheses. This will allow you to develop and demonstrate your ability to collect, record, interpret, critically analyse, synthesise and present primary geological data (or equivalent data from a discipline that overlaps with geology). It also aims to allow you to develop and demonstrate your project management skills and work independently, safely, and professionally.
INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES (ILOs) (see assessment section below for how ILOs will be assessed)

On successful completion of this module, you should be able to: 

Module Specific Skills and Knowledge: 

  1. Collect, analyse and interpret data to address project aims / hypotheses (precise nature dependent upon the project undertaken); 

Discipline Specific Skills and Knowledge: 

  1. Synthesise data from different sources, scales and disciplines into coherent, models of geological evolution; 

  1. Apply geological and related knowledge/skills to provide solutions to issues in a variety of geoscience disciplines (dependent on nature of project); 

Personal and Key Transferable/ Employment Skills and Knowledge: 

  1. Plan projects and effectively manage your time; 

  1. Demonstrate research skills such as efficient utilisation of information retrieval services; 6 Produce technical reports. 

 

SYLLABUS PLAN - summary of the structure and academic content of the module

You will start planning your SVP in Term 2 of Year 2 and specific training will be given to help with your SVP. Data collection is carried out in the summer vacation following Year 2 and in to Year 3. Completing data analysis and assessment will take place throughout Year 3, with the final dissertation submission in early Term 2.

During Term 3 of Year 2 you will take part in a series of SVP workshops. The workshops will provide you with a review of what you have learnt so far during your degree, with the focus of how those skills, knowledge and understanding will be applied during your SVP. These will be of particular importance for those working towards mapping projects, but may also help with planning and execution of field-based research and industrial placement projects. Attendance is strongly advised for all. 

During Term 1 of Year 3 you will have a series of supervisor meetings with your SVP supervisor to help with your progress through the project and the assessment points. The supervisor will also provide you with formative feedback on your work. It is recommended that you organise 5 meetings between the start of Term 1 and the final dissertation deadline in Term 2. 

During Term 1 of Year 3 you will also have 2 workshops scheduled to provide guidance for completing the assessment: 

  • Poster / map making workshop 

  • Report writing skills workshop 

 

 

LEARNING AND TEACHING
LEARNING ACTIVITIES AND TEACHING METHODS (given in hours of study time)
Scheduled Learning & Teaching Activities 20 Guided Independent Study 280 Placement / Study Abroad 0
DETAILS OF LEARNING ACTIVITIES AND TEACHING METHODS
Category Hours of study time Description
Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities 5 Contact time with Supervisors
Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities 15 Group Tutorials: mapping skills, poster/figure making/report
Guided Independent Study 280 Private Study (including fieldwork/lap top)

 

ASSESSMENT
FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT - for feedback and development purposes; does not count towards module grade
Formative feedback will be provided regularly by SVP supervisor.
 
A formative feedback submission point will exist for a draft version of the report for the Mapping Project, Industrial Placement and Research project (late in Term 1).
 
SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT (% of credit)
Coursework 100 Written Exams 0 Practical Exams 0
DETAILS OF SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT
Form of Assessment % of Credit Size of Assessment (e.g. duration/length) ILOs Assessed Feedback Method
Assessment Strategy, determined by nature of project:
Mapping Project
Field slips and notebooks 20 Equivalent to 24 days fieldwork 1-5 Detailed written feedback, supervisor meeting on request
Final interpretive geological map 20 A1 geological map 1-5 Detailed written feedback, supervisor meeting on request
Technical Report 60 Max. 60 pages 1-6 Detailed written feedback, supervisor meeting on request
 
Research Project
Field slips (if applicable) and notebooks, any other data collection (from fieldwork and/or lab work), project diary 20 Equivalent to 24 days fieldwork/lab work 1-5 Detailed written feedback, supervisor meeting on request
 Research Poster 20 A1 poster 1-5 Detailed written feedback, supervisor meeting on request
Technical Report 60 Max. 60 pages 1-6 Detailed written feedback, supervisor meeting on request
         
Industrial Placement Project        
Field slips (if applicable) and notebooks, any other data collection (from fieldwork and/or lab work), project diary 20 Equivalent to 24 days fieldwork/lab work 1-5 Detailed written feedback, supervisor meeting on request
Industrial placement poster 20 A1 poster 1-5 Detailed written feedback, supervisor meeting on request
Technical report 60 Max. 60 pages 1-6 Detailed written feedback, supervisor meeting on request

 

 

DETAILS OF RE-ASSESSMENT (where required by referral or deferral)
Original Form of Assessment Form of Re-assessment ILOs Re-assessed Time Scale for Re-reassessment
Coursework Assessment Coursework Assessment As Above August Ref/Def Period

 

RE-ASSESSMENT NOTES

If a student is referred or deferred, the failed / non-completed component(s) will be re-assessed at the same weighting as the original assessment.

RESOURCES
INDICATIVE LEARNING RESOURCES - The following list is offered as an indication of the type & level of
information that you are expected to consult. Further guidance will be provided by the Module Convener

Basic Reading:

ELE: http://vle.exeter.ac.uk/

Reading list for this module:

Type Author Title Edition Publisher Year ISBN
Set Coe, A. Geological Field Techniques Wiley-Blackwell
Set Lisle, R.J., Brabham, P. and Barnes, J.W. Basic Geological Mapping 5th Geological Society of London Handbook Series, Wiley-Blackwell 2011
Set McClay, K. The Mapping of Geological Structures Geological Society of London Handbook Series, Wiley-Blackwell 1987
Set Jerram, D. and Petford, N. The Field Description of Igneous Rocks Geological Society of London Handbook Series, Wiley-Blackwell 2011
Set Tucker, M.E. Sedimentary Rocks in the Field Wiley-Blackwell 2011
Set Passchier, C.W., Myers, J.S. and Kroner, A. Field Geology of High-Grade Gneiss Terrains Springer-Verlag, Berlin 1990
Set Fry, N. The Field Description of Metamorphic Rocks Open University Press 1995
Set Marjoribanks, R. Geological Methods in Mineral Exploration and Mining 2nd Chapman & Hall 2010
CREDIT VALUE 30 ECTS VALUE 15
PRE-REQUISITE MODULES CSM1036, CSM2183, CSM2184, CSM1042, CSM1044, CSM2051
CO-REQUISITE MODULES
NQF LEVEL (FHEQ) 6 AVAILABLE AS DISTANCE LEARNING No
ORIGIN DATE Thursday 6th July 2017 LAST REVISION DATE Thursday 1st August 2024
KEY WORDS SEARCH Geological Mapping; Industrial Placement; Research Project

Please note that all modules are subject to change, please get in touch if you have any questions about this module.