Dissertation Project - 2025 entry

The Dissertation Project is principally an independent project, designed to give you the opportunity to put into practice the specific and transferable skills you have developed during your degree to date. It will allow you to demonstrate your ability to devise, 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 module is undertaken by all undergraduate (BSc and MSci) Geology, Resource and Exploration Geology, and Engineering Geology and Geotechnics students. Project work is carried out in the summer months of Year 2, with data analysis, interpretation, and write-up throughout Year 3.

There are three main pathways you can choose from according to your preference:

1. Geological mapping, based on a recommended 24 days of fieldwork;
2. A field- or laboratory-based research project, working with one of CSM’s research groups;
3. An industrial placement, carrying out a research project with an appropriate geoscience, environmental, engineering or minerals industry company

The project is likely to be one of largest and most complex aspect of your undergraduate degree. Whilst you will have a supervisor that will be able to provide guidance and support, you will be expected to take ownership of your project and drive it forward yourself. This will allow you to demonstrate your ability to organise and undertake a substantial scientific project.

The key aims for this module are for you to be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of geological processes and applications when resolving project aims and hypotheses. You will further improve 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). As part of this work you can also develop and demonstrate your project management skills and ability to work independently, safely, and professionally.

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

Module Specific Skills and Knowledge

Discipline Specific Skills and Knowledge

Personal and Key Transferable / Employment Skills and Knowledge

The nature of the module dictates that a formal syllabus plan is not appropriate. A brief summary of the timeline is presented here:

During Term 2 of Year 2 you will start planning your Dissertation Project.

Planning is finalised in Term 3 of Year 2 along with a series of workshops to help you prepare for your SVP.

Fieldwork/lab work is carried out during the summer between years 2 and 3.

Data analysis and writeup takes place during terms 1 and 2 of Year 3

Key milestones are assessments at the beginning of Term1, middle of Term 1, and the final report submission during Term 2.

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.

Reading list for this module: