Core Taught Modules
INDICATIVE MODULES
The schedule below is indicative of one year of full-time study. If you study over two years part-time, course content will be the same and your Dissertation is studied in the second year of the course. However, you can choose when to study the taught elements of the course, either studying all of the modules within first two semesters of your first year, or splitting these up over both years.
SEMESTER ONE
Key themes in Human Geography and Sustainability (15 credits)
Through exposure to current research, you'll be introduced to the diverse range of subject matter across the field, and the questions, issues and real-world problems the discipline seeks to solve. In particular, you'll develop an appreciation of how these relate to the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including the creation of sustainable cities and communities, good health and well being, reduced inequalities and clean energy. You will develop research and communication skills useful in academic and commercial environments, undertake a critical systematic literature review and learn how to critically appraise and synthesise research findings.
Approaches to Research Design and Process (15 credits)
Further preparing you to conduct a major piece of research, you'll be introduced to the main issues surrounding research questions, research design and evidence gathering across a range of social science disciplines. You will explore the differences between various types of research design - for example, experimental, cross-sectional and longitudinal research - and the consequences of these designs for the development of different methodologies, including interviews and focus groups, questionnaires and ethnography.
Philosophy of the Social Sciences (15 credits)
You will study the philosophy of the social sciences, together with philosophical debates around different methodological approaches to social science research. This module features the work of a range of key thinkers, including Durkheim, Popper, Kuhn, Weber, Adorno, and Foucault, who have informed the ways in which researchers consider knowledge in the social sciences. We start with the enlightenment idea of the search for science and the nineteenth century beginnings of social science. Topics covered include: naturalism, the relationship between the individual and society, falsificationism, paradigm shifts, the interpretive tradition, critical theory, structuralism and post-structuralism. The overall intention is for students to be able to apply different philosophical positions to their own research interests.
MODULES RUNNING ACROSS SEMESTER ONE AND TWO
Advanced traineeships in Human Geography and Sustainability (15 credits)
Introduced in 2022, our advanced traineeships provide an exciting opportunity to contribute to one of our live research projects, working with a research mentor in an area of human geography, environmental studies, or sustainability. During your research traineeship, you'll gain key insights into different aspects of the research process, ranging from research design, to the delivery of impact-related activities, and what it's like to work with partners. You'll develop subject-specific and generic research knowledge and skills, for example, producing clear and effective written work in the form of full or partial research reports, systematic literature reviews, grant proposals or ethics applications. This not only improves your understanding of contemporary societal challenges, but also builds your CV, enhancing future employability.
SEMESTER TWO
Advanced methods in Human Geography and Sustainability (15 credits)
Engaging with quantitative and qualitative sources of data, you'll deepen your understanding of the principles of research design, different methodological strategies and approaches within human geography and sustainability-related research, and in relation to the UN SDGs. This includes geographical information systems (GIS), spatial analysis and modelling, participatory research, digital research methods, and ethnography, as well as ethics, health and safety in the context of your proposed research.
Quantitative research and data (15 credits)
The module provides a comprehensive introduction to the principles and practices of quantitative social science research. You’ll become familiar with the different ways in which statistical, mathematical, or numerical data is collected and evaluated, through polls, questionnaires, and surveys, or by manipulating pre-existing statistical data using computational techniques. You’ll also learn to evaluate and appraise these methods to assess their suitability in relation to the question of causality, for example, or in addressing problems of operationalisation and theories of sampling. Practical work will include qu estionnaire design, data analysis and the writing of a quantitative research design. You’ll also gain hands-on experience of cutting edge software used in the analysis of quantitative data sets.
Qualitative research and data (15 credits)
Through discussion of the principles and practices of qualitative social research, this module provides a solid overview of the wide range of qualitative methods used in social science research. You will learn to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of different forms of investigation, such as in-depth interviews, focus groups, participant observation, or visual (artistic) research. You’ll be introduced to associated methods of data capture, including field notes, audio and/or video recordings, and transcripts, gaining practical experience of software used by qualitative researchers in the management and analysis of qualitative data.
MODULES RUNNING ACROSS SEMESTER TWO AND THREE
Dissertation Module (60 credits)
Demonstrating your knowledge and interest in the discipline, you'll identify a research question, design your method of inquiry, collect suitable primary and/or in-depth secondary data, undertake appropriate analysis and present your findings in a 20,000-word written report. While we can provide a list of potential projects, one of the many advantages of our course is your option to choose your own dissertation subject and which may include research on place and space; mobility; sustainability; time; environment; diversity; inclusion; responsibility; nature; culture; policy and practice. To illustrate the potential scope, research projects being led by staff in the school currently involve exploring the health implications of vaping in 'super-diverse' communities, securing a 'just transition' to the use of electric vehicles in rural areas and new forms of sustainable energy more widely, examining the geographies of pet theft, identifying the impact of 'fast fashion' pollution on river environments, developing new methods of knowledge 'co-creation' with local communities and creating new strategies for migration integration and settlement.
