Master’s Dissertation

MASTER OF SCIENCE (MSc) by DISSERTATION in GEOGRAPHY

Students with an Honours qualification in another Natural Science discipline and who meet the basic requirements and approval, can also enrol for a Master’s in Environmental Science (under the banner of Geography).

Admission requirements:

• An Honours Baccalaureus Degree in Geography
• An Honours B-Degree in a subject other than Geography will also be considered providing that Geography was taken as a major for the B-Degree. In this, candidates must successfully complete the following two modules of the Honours programme in Geography, over and above applicable additional study that may be required: (1) Philosophy and Methodology  and (2) Any other related module of the Honours programme in Geography.

This qualification requires students to:

• Identify and formulate a research problem related to the science of Geography.
• Conduct research in this problem independently.
• Prepare a research dissertation according to the requirements of the Department of Geography and Environmental Management.
• Publish his/her research results (or part thereof) in an accredited scientific journal.

Purpose and characteristics of the programme

• The primary purpose of the MSc dissertation is to provide students with specialised advanced education and training while meeting the requirements of a specific research component so that students can master the required experimental and technological skills and necessary fieldwork competencies such as innovation, decision-making, strategic thinking and organisational skills.
• A dissertation-based Master of Science degree consists of a comprehensive study of a specialized area in the field of specialisation, reported on and submitted in the form of a dissertation at the end of the programme.
• The degree demands a high level of intellectual and theoretical knowledge and insight into problems related to the field of study and of critical reasoning, formulation, analysis and evaluation of a specific problem in the field of study.
• Exit level outcomes

Students should be able to: 

• Use a range of specialized skills to identify, analyse and deal with complex problems and issues drawing systematically and creatively on the theories, research methodologies, methods/techniques, literature and materials of their discipline/field of specialisation
• Operate autonomously and take responsibility for their own work and be accountable for the work of others when working with others in a team
• Manage learning tasks autonomously and professionally and continue and sustain independent learning and academic professional development
• Demonstrate advanced information retrieval and processing skills to identify, analyse, synthesise and independently evaluate quantitative and/or qualitative data, using appropriate Information Communication Technology (ICT)
• Demonstrate a comprehensive, systematic and integrated specialist knowledge of the discipline/field with a coherent and critical understanding of the theories, research methodologies, epistemologies, and methods/techniques relevant to their science discipline/ field of specialisation
• Evaluate their own and others’ academic work and initiatives against a range of criteria
• Present and communicate the results of research by appropriate academic/professional discourse, and produce a dissertation or research report which meets the standards of scholarly/ professional writing/presentation
• Operate in specialised science contexts and utilize ethical decision-making skills in dealing with complex ethical and professional issues and make informed judgements on such issues
• Critique and evaluate current research and participate in scholarly debates, addressing both theory and practice, in the science area of specialisation
• Develop a mastery of the application of research methodologies, methods/techniques and technologies applicable to the science area of specialisation
• Plan, execute and write up research, investigation or development in the science area of specialisation under some supervision