2018/19 Taught Postgraduate Module Catalogue

GEOG5022M Professional & Personal Development

30 creditsClass Size: 50

Module manager: Luke Burns
Email: l.p.burns@leeds.ac.uk

Taught: Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun) View Timetable

Year running 2018/19

This module is mutually exclusive with

GEOG5230M	Professional Development
GEOG5811M	GIS in the Workplace (WUN)

Module replaces

GEOG5230M for MSc/PGD GIS only

This module is not approved as an Elective

Module summary

This core module aims to practically develop students’ professional skills and personal awareness. It achieves this through computer practicals, seminars, talks by professional body reps., invited talks by external speakers, careers centre interaction and attendance at School seminars or research cluster meetings. There are options to either complete a work-based project, either in industry in an academic project, or to complete some advanced skills training.

Objectives

To deliver a range of information regarding professional and personal development in multiple career environments, such as industrial, commercial, academic, public, voluntary and community environments.
To nurture professional and practitioner experience in students’ career aspirations.
To enhance student skillsets by widening their experience of different software and quantitative techniques.
To develop students’ skills in seeking work experience and employment.
To develop students’ professional dialogue and correspondence skills.
To foster work-based partnerships.
To develop collegiality amongst students, staff and work-based supervisors.

Learning outcomes
On completion of this module, students will have:
-Practical experience of learning a range of software and quantitative techniques.
-Practical experience of employability, developing CVs, hunting for job adverts in relevant industries and / or further postgraduate study.
-Practical experience of compiling an evidence-based portfolio of skills, experiences and competencies.
-Practical experience of presenting themselves in making job applications and in face to face interviews

Depending on the option taken, students will have experience of:
-Undertaking a work-based project to a professional or similar relevant standard.
-Undertaking an academic-based project.
-Undertaking advanced level practical skills acquisition.
-Minute taking, note taking, and activity logging, and of reflecting on progress.

Skills outcomes
B Cognitive skills
B1 Abstraction and synthesis of information from a variety of sources
B2 Assessment and critical evaluation of the merits of contrasting theories, explanations, policies
B3 Critical analysis and interpretation of data and text
B4 Developing reasoned arguments
B5 Solving problems and making reasoned decisions

C Practical/professional skills
C1 Plan, design, execute and report geographical research both individually and as part of a team
C3 Employ a variety of technical and laboratory-based methods for the analysis and presentation of spatial and environmental information (e.g. GIS, water chemistry, etc.)
C4 Collect, interpret and synthesise different types of quantitative and qualitative geographical data

D Key skills
D1 Learn in familiar and unfamiliar situations
D2 Communicate effectively (in writing, verbally and through graphical presentations)
D3 Apply numerical and computational skills to geographical information
D4 Use information technology effectively (including use of spreadsheet, database and word processing programmes; Internet and e-mail)
D5 Identify, retrieve, sort and exchange geographical information using a wide range of sources
D6 Work as part of a team and to recognise and respect the viewpoints of others
D7 Manage time and organise work effectively

Syllabus

Practicals likely to include:
Use of software such as: QGIS, MapInfo, R and using a range of vector and raster GIS techniques as well as statistical methods such as correlation, regression and classification.

Seminars likely to include:
CV, proposals, applications, budgeting, scoping, building a personal website and positively promoting image (e.g. LinkedIn, ReseachGate), CPD-style portfolio.

Talks likely to include:
-Talk by professional body membership staff
-Talk by Careers centre staff.
-Talk about RPG from SoG or Faculty RPG director.
-Talks from alumni or professional persons working in relevant industries.
-Attendance at a mixture of departmental seminars, research cluster meetings, GISRUK, RPG conference.

Industry-based or academia-based project, OR, advanced skills training.

Teaching methods

Delivery type	Number	Length hours	Student hours
Mini Conference	1	16.00	16.00
presentation	1	4.00	4.00
Practical	6	4.00	24.00
Seminar	10	4.00	40.00
Tutorial	2	1.00	2.00
Private study hours			214.00
Total Contact hours			86.00
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits)			300.00

Private study

Private study and independent learning will include:
Work-based project (70 hours)
Compilation of project report including the research and reflective skills log
Compilation of CPD-style portfolio
Peer reviewed interview: (each student interviews 3 others, plus is themselves interviewed)
Preparation of poster for assessment/conference
Group learning: attendance at SoG seminar or research cluster seminar
Plus,
Reading directly related to software and methods training
Wider reading around project topic or advanced skills training

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

Student attendance and progress will be monitored because this is a pass to progress module. Monitoring will be:
During practicals
From the S1 practical spot exam
At seminars
At tutorials
At conference/poster assessment

Methods of assessment

Coursework

Assessment type	Notes	% of formal assessment
Practical	Unseen practical task	25.00
Portfolio	To include multiple components as will be stipulated at outset but will mainly comprise practical outputs	25.00
Portfolio	To include multiple components as will be stipulated at outset but will mainly comprise project write up	50.00
Total percentage (Assessment Coursework)		100.00

Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated

Reading list

There is no reading list for this module

Last updated: 03/10/2018

Disclaimer

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