ENVR09030 2019 Dissertation

Identify, conceptualise, formulate and communicate a research proposal for a specific environmental science/management topic.

Complete a programme of work requiring sustained effort with the objective of developing critical abilities in analysis, synthesis and evaluation.

Identify the objectives of the study, formulate an appropriate methodology and review the literature relevant to the study.

Collect, collate and analyse relevant data, using statistical tests as appropriate.

Evaluate and synthesise the main findings of the study and develop appropriate recommendations and conclusions and present this information in Presentations, Draft Reports and final Dissertation document.

Manage a personal learning process, demonstrate monitoring and revision procedures through the development of the dissertation and recognise the information and resource requirements of the study.

Demonstrate an in-depth understanding of the standard scientific research processes, including study of assigned research guidance documents, review of published peer-reviewed scientific papers relating to water and wastewater services and statistical analysis of assigned scientific data.

This module will be delivered using blended learning techniques. This will include workshops, augmented by independent learning and directed learning. This approach is expected to address student-learning needs. Moodle will be used to upload educational material (i.e. presentations and recordings of online lectures plus supplementary reading material) and as a means of assessment (e.g. quizzes, uploading assignments and presentations).

This blended approach  brings students together to facilitate group learning.

This module is assessed by 100% Continuous Assessment.

The assessments will consist of the following:

Written project proposal in weeks 2 - 3 of Semester 5 and accompanying presentation 

One MCQ in weeks 3 - 5 of Semester 5 covering the directed reading material on completing a dissertation

One written assignment to be submitted in weeks 6 - 8 covering the statistical analysis of the assigned scientific data.

One written assignment to be submitted in week 9 - 10 reviewing a number of scientific publications.

Presentation on progress to date with the dissertation (weeks 10 - 12 of Semester 5)

Presentation on progress to date with the dissertation (weeks 5 - 7 of Semester 6)

Final dissertation document in week 12 of Semester 6.

In the event that the overall mark for the dissertation is less than 40%, then the learner must undertake one or more failed elements to achieve a pass mark of 40%.

This module is undertaken by learners over two academic semesters in Year 3 of the MSc programme.

As part of the preparatory work for the Dissertation, the learner will be required to study a selection of directed reading material and then complete a set of MCQs and assignments relating to the directed reading material. The directed reading material will include guidance documents on completing a dissertation, published peer-reviewed scientific papers (to be reviewed by the learner) and scientific data (to be statistically analysed by the learner). This preparatory work will constitute 30% of the Dissertation marks.

The main element of the Dissertation (70% of the total marks) will require the learner to identify a research question in an appropriate area of environmental protection.  The learner will submit a formal proposal for the proposed research, including the aims and objectives, why the research is deemed relevant, the proposed methodology, a preliminary review of relevant literature and a preliminary work schedule. Learners will be required to prepare a presentation on their proposal.

Once the dissertation proposal is accepted, each learner will be assigned an individual supervisor who will guide the learner to work independently to complete the dissertation to deadline. Learners will also be required to prepare two additional presentations on their progress.

Presentations will be uploaded to the Moodle platform and may also be delivered at dissertation workshops.