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Applied Project (Consultancy)

Module description

In this module you will apply and develop Geographical Information Science through the revolution of spatial analysis, mapping and geo-technologies. Through the application of GIS to explore real-world challenges you will undertake your own independent, high quality and substantial research into a project that meets the requirements of an external partner in a consultancy style role. This module offers you the opportunity to work and build links with the types of organisations you will be seeking employment with on successful completion of the programme.

By drawing on skills and knowledge taught in the programme and with appropriate guidance and supervision, you will be responsible for designing, planning and implementing the study, as well as analysing the data and writing it up.

You will identify a project partner and define your project over Terms 1 and 2 with support in seminars and workshops. By the start of the summer term you will have a project proposal agreed and an project partner assigned.

Applying exploration to real-world challenges via UoE external partners such as ALCIS, BRC, Met Office, or Esri’s customers offers the opportunity to challenge you to propose solutions to contemporary problems.

Module aims - intentions of the module

The Applied Project will allow you take gain experience in designing and carrying out digital transformation through GIS. This will link the practical, theory and knowledge you gained during the taught components of the programme to a specific research challenge. You will be responsible for collaboratively planning and conducting the research dissertation, with input from a project partner.

The module aims to increase your transferrable and employability skills. You will:

• Identify a project partner to support geo-spatial transformation.
• Formulate a research method with clearly identified aims and objectives
• Problem-solve by linking theory to practice, developing tools and workflows applied to novel and unfamiliar problems.
• You will work with environmental and/or social geo-spatial data and subject this to analysis and interpretation.
• Gain collaborative experience and expertise in a geo-spatial sector, identifying needs, customers, solutions or insights.
• Demonstrate audience awareness - presenting research outputs effectively, ethically and responsibly.

The dissertation is an example of applied learning that puts employability at the heart of the module. It gives you an opportunity to work within the geo-spatial sector to design, plan and carry out geo-spatial analysis to solve real world challenges in a consultancy style role. The module will draw on existing collaborations with industry and commercial partners such as ALCIS, BRC, Met Office, Southwest Water, or Esri’s customers or allow you to identify and develop a project partner yourself. You will also be assigned an academic host to support you in your project.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

ILO: Module-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 1. Apply geospatial techniques to integrate, analyse, visualise and interpret location data, for natural and/or human environments.
• 2. Apply appropriate location analysis or modelling techniques to solve complex problems whilst meeting business, time and budget requirements in the context of project design.
• 3. Establish the business value of location data to deliver a solution in line with business needs, quality standards and timescales.

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 4. Consider the implications of sources of error, bias, imprecision, uncertainty, incomplete data on analysis, outcomes and uncertainty for decision making and project design.
• 5. Recognise the different data requirements, applications and limitations of spatial data formats.
• 6. mplement location data curation and quality controls, for example geometric accuracy, thematic accuracy, resolution, precision and fitness for use.
• 7. Critically explore topics of relevance resulting in you becoming a knowledgeable expert in your project topic.

ILO: Personal and key skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 8. Take personal responsibility for work objectives and delivery of outputs.
• 9. Apply cartographic design principles and standards to present, visualise and showcase representations of location data which meets the needs of different end-users (e.g. technical detail vs non-technical decision makers).
• 10. Act with integrity and respect to ethical, legal, privacy, health and safety, and regulatory frameworks and in a way that promotes trust in the profession.
• 11. Be an active agent of change, applying GIS skills to contribute to a sustainable transformation to the benefit of organizations and citizens.

Syllabus plan

Applied learning is achieved mostly through guided independent study followed up by advisor meetings for feedback and development. The first two terms focus on planning and development of project ideas. This is met through a short series of scheduled learning and teaching session related to:

• Thinking about research
• Research Ethics
• Health & Safety
• Research Literature
• Identifying a project and advisor / partner

At the end of Term 2 you will formulate a detailed dissertation proposal, including risk assessment and ethics forms. You will be assigned a dissertation host based on your proposal.

In Term 3 you will begin your project. You will arrange meetings with your project partner and academic host on an individual basis. Other staff will be available by arrangement for other specialist advice if required.

Writing up will take place in August, with completion and hand-in of a dissertation reporting on your project due in September.

Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

Formative assessment

Summative assessment (% of credit)

Details of summative assessment

Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)

Re-assessment notes

Deferral – if you miss an assessment for certificated reasons judged acceptable by the Mitigation Committee, you will normally be either deferred in the assessment or an extension may be granted. The mark given for a re-assessment taken as a result of deferral will not be capped and will be treated as it would be if it were your first attempt at the assessment.

Referral – if you have failed the module overall (i.e., a final overall module mark of less than 50%) you will be required to redo the relevant assessment. If you are successful on referral, your overall module mark will be capped at 50%.

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

You will be expected to read original theory articlesâ?¯and those related to spatial analysis problem solving and research.

Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources

• ELE

Indicative learning resources - Other resources

• The Johns Hopkins coronavirus dashboard scientist – hear how the COVID-19 dashboard evolved into a real time tool to monitor and respond to the pandemic (Gardener 2020).  

• Communities see how land-use changes affect water (Salazar et al., 2020)  
• Interns and GIS Improve Campus Transportation (Linn and Fodge).  

Key words search

Applied project, theory, practice, spatial data science, GIS, spatial analysis, applied learning, transformational learning, environmental solutions.