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Solutions Project (Academic)

Module description

Developing skills to conduct original research will be vital for your ability affect meaningful change. Your Solutions Project will allow you to focus on a topic of your choice. You will be responsible for designing, planning and implementing the study, as well as analysing the data and writing it up. You will define your project over Terms 1 and 2 via seminars and workshops. By the start of the summer term, you will have a project proposal agreed and an academic supervisor assigned. You will be encouraged to develop your proposal in collaboration with one of the programme’s academics and so apply your learning to a real-world sustainability challenge. 

Module aims - intentions of the module

This module will allow you take a deep dive into a sustainability topic. You will gain experience in designing and carrying out a substantial research project. This will link the theory and knowledge you gained during the taught components of the programme to a specific sustainability challenge. You will be responsible for planning and conducting the research dissertation, with input from your academic supervisor.

• You will gain an overview of a significant body of literature in a particular study area of sustainability.
• You will learn how to synthesise and structure this information. You will situate your dissertation project within this body of work and so identify gaps in research literature.
• You will formulate a research method with clearly identified aims and objectives.
• You will collect data and subject this to analysis and interpretation.
• You will produce a dissertation that reports on this significant piece of work.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

ILO: Module-specific skills

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

• 1. Undertake critical and self-motivated exploration of topics of relevance to your research community which results in you becoming a knowledgeable expert in your dissertation topic
• 2. Critically and independently assess the field in which your research project will be conducted
• 3. Follow systematically and consistently the phases of a research project, i.e. design, data collection, data analysis and report writing using methods and techniques agreed by the supervisor

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

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

• 4. Assimilate and critically review academic literature that is relevant to the dissertation topic
• 5. Identify and apply, independently and with originality, appropriate methodologies and theories for solving a range of complex and demanding problems in sustainability and environmental science
• 6. Independently apply established techniques of analysis, practical investigation, and enquiry within sustainability science
• 7. Generate findings and recommendations that would consist of solutions to a sustainability challenge

ILO: Personal and key skills

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

• 8. Devise and sustain independently a logical and reasoned argument with sound, convincing conclusions
• 9. Effectively communicate complex arguments, evidence and conclusions in a range of general and specialised contexts using a variety of formats to specialist and general audiences
• 10. Analyse and evaluate appropriate data and complete a range of research tasks independently
• 11. Evaluate own strengths and weaknesses in relation to graduate-level professional and practical skills, and act independently to develop new areas of skills as necessary demonstrating the skills and attitudes needed to advance own knowledge and understanding
• 12. Reflect effectively and independently on learning experiences and evaluate critically personal achievements

Syllabus plan

Potential dissertation topics are introduced in the Global Challenges module, this includes projects presented by academics and external partner organisations. You will discuss dissertation topics during seminars and workshops. You will continue to explore possible dissertation topics over Terms 1 and  2

Teaching in Term 1 and 2 will include a series of methods lectures, seminars and workshops that will ensure you have sufficient research design skills and abilities to progress your learning. Topics will cover research design and qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis methods.  You will use the skills and knowledge gained in Term 1 to produce a mini-methods project which will provide you with the opportunity to practice research, data analysis and writing.

Teaching in Term 2 will equip you with an understanding of how to conduct a period of independent research. You will submit your second progress report during the middle of Term 2. You will formulate a detailed dissertation proposal at the end of Term 2, including risk assessment and ethics forms. You will be assigned a dissertation supervisor based on your research proposal. You will meet with your supervisor on a regular basis, either in person, via telecommunication or email.

In Term 3 you will begin your research. You will arrange meetings with your supervisor 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

Specific readings will be provided for the module consistent with the taught areas of theory for that year but in general you will be expected to read original theory articles or book chapters. A couple of examples are given below but these may not be included in the year’s syllabus. You can contact the module lead in the Autumn semester for details of the theory that will be covered in the upcoming year.

• Barass, R., 2002. Scientists Must Write: A Guide to Better Writing for Scientists, Engineers and Students
• DeLyser, D., et al. 2009. The SAGE Handbook of Qualitative Geography, Sage Publications
• Miller, T.R., Wiek, A., Sarewitz, D., Robinson, J., Olsson, L., Kriebel, D. and Loorbach, D., 2014. The future of sustainability science: a solutions-oriented research agenda. Sustainability science, 9(2), pp.239-246.
• Ruxton, G.D. and Colegrave, N., 2006. Experimental Design for the Life Sciences. OUP. ISBN 01992 52327

Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources

• ELE page: https://vle.exeter.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=9350
• Gapminder data visualistion application https://www.gapminder.org

Key words search

Environmental sustainability, theory, practice, policy