Course Title: Geospatial Science Honours Project A

Part A: Course Overview

Course Title: Geospatial Science Honours Project A

Credit Points: 24.00


Course Code

Campus

Career

School

Learning Mode

Teaching Period(s)

GEOM2125

City Campus

Undergraduate

145H Mathematical & Geospatial Sciences

Face-to-Face

Sem 1 2006,
Sem 1 2008

Course Coordinator: Professor William Cartwright

Course Coordinator Phone: +61 3 9925 2423

Course Coordinator Email: william.cartwright@rmit.edu.au


Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities

In order to be eligible for admission to the Bachelor of Applied Science in Geospatial Science (Hons), and this course prospective students must have:

• satisfied the requirements of the BAppSc pass degree;
• completed a Major in the particular area/s of study, including any prerequisite subjects specified by the department; and
• attained the appropriate standard across all subjects.

An appropriate standard is usually a grade of H2A or H2B on average over the Second/Third Year subjects. (GPA of about 2.5)

Please note that you will not be required to achieve an overall Honours standing in all your Second/Third Year subjects for entry to Honours.

Students who do not meet the minimum threshold requirement for admission to Honours will require the approval of to the Bachelor of Applied Science in Geospatial Science (Hons) Course Team Leader or Head of School before being admitted to the course.


Course Description

This subject provides an opportunity for students to develop their research expertise to a high level in an area of Geospatial Science. The research- project will exhibit elements of investigative research and include interpretive commentary by way of a substantial thesis. Each project will have an internal supervisor who will be an academic member of staff. In many instances, where appropriate, there will also be an external second supervisor or advisor, ie: external to the School, who has a particular interest in that project area.


Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development

Capability Level
GC1.1/1.2 Knowledge - 3
GC 2.1/2.2 Technical - 2
GC 3.1/3.2 Critical Analysis & Problem Solving - 3
GC 4.1/4.2 Communication - 3
GC 5.1/5.2 Personal & Professional Awareness - 2
GC 6.1/6.2 Independent & Integrated Practice - 3


On completion of this subject, the student will:

1. be able to undertake a comprehensive literature review;
2. have a demonstrated ability to design and carry out experimental work in the field and/or the laboratory;
3. be able to produce, record and report high quality data;
4. have a demonstrated ability to suitably analyse the data and report the results;
5. be able to appraise and discuss the results obtained in a manner suitable to the nature of the project’s aims and objectives; and
6. be able to communicate the results of a scientific investigation to peers and to the general public, both orally and in written form.


Overview of Learning Activities

The research project will develop the student’s ability to conduct, critically appraise and report on a geospatial science research investigation, and will thus ensure that the attributes described in the course objectives are attained.  This will be achieved by:

Face-to-face meetings with allocated supervisor.

Research programme.

Development of dissertation.

Presentations.


Overview of Learning Resources

Professional Journals and contemporary graphics and multimedia magazines and videos.

Postgraduate Information Research Skills Tutorials (on-line)
UNIT 1: Developing a search strategy
UNIT 2: Database searching
UNIT 3: Locating the full-text
http://www.lib.rmit.edu.au/tutorials/postgrad/

UMPA’s Thesis Writing Guide
http://www.umpa.unimelb.edu.au/publications/thesiswriting.html

Writing a Thesis
http://www.umpa.unimelb.edu.au/publications/WritingGuideDL.pdf


Overview of Assessment

Oral presentation.

Dissertation.