Masters Degrees in Human Demography

This programme trains you to do research in the Spatial Sciences: economic and cultural geography, spatial planning and demography. The programme is aimed at people who want to become successful researchers in the field.

The two-year Research Master in Spatial Sciences (before September 1, 2016 called Regional Studies) is interdisciplinary. Spatial sciences, regional studies geography and spatial planning constitute an interrelated, inherently broad and multi-disciplinary field. A field not only rich in theoretical variety but also encompassing both qualitative and quantitative research methodologies, from ethnographic to case study to statistical and econometric approaches. You will develop real competences in all of these areas, in order to choose your own area of research, and become a successful researcher in the Spatial Sciences field in general.

You will participate in research projects under supervision of experienced staff members, within the Faculty's Research Program tWIST: Towards Wellbeing, Innovation and Spatial Transformation. Regular personal coaching, guidance and monitoring will help you to identify your own preferred learning trajectory and develop your individual research agenda. You are required to gain some international experience, by doing research in a foreign context, and by participating in international workshops or conferences. You can also choose to study abroad.

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The MRes Critical Human Geographies is a full-time taught Masters programme. It forms part of the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) South West Doctoral Training Centre – a hub of world-class social science research – and so provides in-depth research training in the social sciences in general and human geography in particular. With a focus on preparing you for a career in social science research, whether at doctoral level at university, or in the public and private sectors, the MRes programme provides core modules in social and geographical theories and methodologies, along with three research-led modules through which you can experience the variety of cutting-edge scholarship undertaken in the department:

1. Geographies of Culture, Creativity and Practice,
2. Geographies of Life,
3. Space, Politics & Power.

The programme structure and content of the MRes in Critical Human Geographies reflects our commitment to integrating MRes students into the wider research culture of the department, whilst the title of the degree reflects the commitment that human geography staff at the University of Exeter have to pursuing critical intellectual agendas within the discipline.

Programme structure

The MRes Critical Human Geographies programme comprises 180 credits which is made up compulsory research training modules (which includes a compulsory 60 credit research dissertation). The following tables describe the programme and constituent modules. Constituent modules may be updated, deleted or replaced as a consequence of the annual programme review of this programme.

Compulsory modules

The following is an indicative list of the likely compulsory modules;

• Research Methods and Design in Human Geography;
• Contemporary Debates in Human Geography;
• Dissertation;
• Geographies of Culture,
• Creativity and Practice;
• Geographies of Life;
• Space, Politics and Power;
• Qualitative Methods in Social Research;
• Applied Quantitative Data Analysis’
• Philosophy of the Social Sciences.

Careers

The MRes Critical Human Geographies is essentially designed to develop in you a broad based and relevant knowledge of research approaches and methods in human geography and the social sciences, and to provide you with a range of transferable skills appropriate to Masters level research within the discipline. The programme aims to prepare you for careers as a professional researcher in either academic or non-academic environment. The core training in social scientific philosophy, epistemology, methodology and analysis are set within a contemporary human geography context, allowing you to apply the wider concepts and skills introduced in the broader social scientific setting to specific topics of geographical inquiry.

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About the course

Aberystwyth University’s Masters in Practising Human Geography is specifically designed to provide you with the knowledge, skills and competencies required of an advanced, professionally trained researcher specialising in Human Geography. Based at Aberystwyth University’s internationally-renowned Department of Geography and Earth Sciences (DGES), this course will equip you with both subject-specific expertise and a broad base of professional skills which are transferrable into a wide range of employment contexts.

To help you become a thorough and professional researcher, you will receive a comprehensive grounding in the practical research methodologies of the discipline. You will also be trained in the philosophical, epistemological and theoretical approaches to Human Geography. Together, the uniquely practical and theoretical approaches to the subject will make you a balanced, adaptable and highly-competitive candidate for employment and further doctoral-level research.

Throughout the course you will demonstrate initiative and self-motivated learning, supported by the crucial self-awareness to be both flexible in working practice but always academically rigorous. Your skills in communication, teamwork and project-management will be strengthened, and you will become fully confident in framing coherent and insightful questions and expressing them in oral and written form in a range of group and individual settings.

These qualities, supported by comprehensive subject knowledge, will enable you to gain employment with government agencies, public bodies, research institutes and private consultancies.

The DGES invites applications from postgraduate students in a range of related disciplines including geologists, geographers and environmental earth scientists.

This degree will suit you:

- If you wish to obtain the expertise required for advanced research in Human Geography;
- If you are interested in pursuing a career in Human Geography;
- If you wish to obtain an excellent postgraduate qualification from an internationally-recognised, research-led institute;
- If you wish to build upon your a second class degree or higher in a related discipline.

Course content and structure

The course is a year-long, full-time programme divided into two parts over three semesters. In part one, you will establish a breadth of necessary skills in a number of core modules whilst directing your own study by choosing specialist modules. In part two, you will apply your learning in the individual dissertation worth an additional 60 credits. Contact time is approximately 10 -14 HOURS per week and our small, friendly classes provide a productive environment where you can engage with your subject matter fully supported by staff and your peers.

Core modules:

Advanced Research in Human Geography
Geographical Research Methodologies
Key Concepts and Debates in Human Geography
MA Dissertation
Principles of Research Design
Quantitative Data Collection and Analysis

Optional modules:

Postgraduate Work Experience
Rural Economy, Society and Policy
Risk Management and Resilience in a Changing Environment

Assessment

Assessment: Part 1 of the course is delivered and assessed through lectures, tutorials and essay projects. In Part 2, the successful acceptance of your dissertation (up to 20,000 words) leads to the award of an MA. 

Employability

Every aspect of the MA in Practising Human Geography is designed to enhance your employability. Alongside the development of your subject-specific knowledge and experience, an especially noteworthy strength of this course is the emphasis on personal development. As an emerging specialist in Human Geography, your strengthened research and critical faculties will make you a strong candidate for any post where ideas and topics need research, analysis, discussion, expansion and classification.

In addition to gaining such specialised knowledge in the theoretical concepts of Human Geography, the course aims to develop your more general skills such as written and oral communication, data handling and statistics, team work, information technology and problem solving. These skills are highly prized by employers and can be applied across innumerable graduate and master’s level jobs. Because you will have secured and proved your competency in these areas, you will be very well equipped for entering the general employment market but also in pursuing positions in subject-related professions.

A host of employers look for accuracy, thoroughness, an eye for detail and the ability to find and prove connections across broad subject matter, and you certainly will have proven yourself, simply by graduating from this prestigious MA course.

Professional Exposure and Networking

You will have the opportunity to attend two major research groups (the Cultural and Historical Geography Group and the New Political Geographies Group) which are based in the Institute of Geography and Earth Science. These groups are comprised of experts in their fields who regularly contribute to international debates. By attending meetings and seminars, you will experience Practising Human Geography at the cutting edge; you will be aware of the most up-to-date debates, theories and methodologies in the context of a lively and robust working department. This will give you an enviable edge and fluency in your professional and doctoral applications.

You will also be strongly advised to take every opportunity you can to widen your professional exposure. The department’s regular guest seminars and the residential ‘theory school’ in conjunction with Cardiff and Swansea Universities, are such opportunities. These provide excellent opportunities for you to network and socialise with your teachers and peers in a professional context.

Project Management in the Dissertation

The dissertation project will require you to work independently and to pursue your own individual topic. You will be required to cultivate a professional work ethic to deliver the combination of research, analysis, communication and presentation demanded by this project. This rigorous part of the MA will require you to employ project management skills which are entirely transferrable to almost any work context that Master’s graduates apply for.

Studying for this Master’s degree will allow you to sharpen up all your core scientific disciplines, your professional work ethos and your presentation and communication skills. Once secured by obtaining your Masters Degree, you will have gained confidence in the level of your academic expertise and practical field skills, which in turn will enhance your employability in both highly specialised related professions and also on broader, unrelated professional paths.

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Overview

The Geography MA/MSc programmes provide a strong grounding in current geographical theory, methods and issues by drawing on the expertise of our human geography staff from across the School. Combining core training in theory and practice with the opportunity for you to specialise in your chosen areas, you can choose the length of the dissertation. It is possible to develop your own area of research or to complete a dissertation on a subject advertised by the School (see below). Opportunities to work with institutions and groups beyond the university are provided through our close ties with museums, archives, community organisations and artists. Depending on options you choose, you can study key issues such as globalisation and development; cities, space and power; and collaborative cultural geographies. MRes version of this course is also available.

This programme:

- provides an advanced understanding of geographical theory, methods and substantive issues at the cutting edge of human geography
- allows you to design your own programme with help from our staff and take advantage of the flexibility of the length of dissertation and the number of option modules you study
- equips you with advanced-level research skills including project design, planning and management, as well as analytical and interpretive skills that are ideal for those looking to enhance their qualifications, broaden skills and knowledge specialisms, or to conduct further research.

Specialist topics

- Projects available from our human geography specialists change every year and a full lists of research topics is available at http://www.geog.qmul.ac.uk/docs/pgadmissions/194250.pdf.

Why study at QMUL Geography?

- Professional and friendly environment: We are recognised as an international centre for excellence in teaching and research. Our work is at the forefront of human geography, shaping debates and providing significant new insight and understanding. We are also known for our friendly, collegial and welcoming ethos and are home to many of contemporary human geography's best known scholars.
- Research excellence: Almost 80 per cent of our research outputs (books and articles) are rated as world-leading (4*) or internationally excellent (3*) placing us 5th in the UK for this measure. Our research scores increased across all areas in the latest UK score of research excellence (REF 2014) and we're ranked joint 11th for geography in the UK overall. We're also proud to feature in the top 100 departments in the world to study geography (QS World University Rankings by Subject 2016).
- Employability: 94% of respondents from our postgraduates were in work or further study six month after graduation; 91% at graduate level (DLHE 2015).
- Capital location: We're a School that cares about the world beyond the university, working with a range of community groups, artists, cultural and heritage institutions and policy makers, particularly here in east London. Our passion is to demonstrate through research and teaching the intellectual and political significance of geographical research and understanding. We encourage our students to become part of this vibrant intellectual culture.

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A NEW PROGRAMME WITH A SOLID FOUNDATION

Human Geography is a new Master’s programme that starts in September 2017. It stems from the former Economic Geography and Urban Geography programmes. You can specialise in one of the two fields by choosing a track:

 

• Urban Geography: Neighbourhoods & Residential Dynamics
• Urban Geography: Daily Life & Public Spaces
• Economic Geography: Business & Location
• Economic Geography: Regional Development & Policy

CITIES AND URBAN REGIONS: OPPORTUNITIES AND CONCERNS

Urban regions are bubbling, dynamic places where people get together and generate new ideas. They are breeding grounds for innovation and economic growth. Many people still move to the city, chasing their dreams: for a challenging career, a pleasant living environment, all the amenities within easy reach. And besides the local residents, large numbers of tourists visit the city seeking an entertaining stay.

The continuous urban growth in an increasingly global economy has both winners and losers. On the one hand, there are start-ups that expand to become large companies. While on the other hand, there are traditional companies that succumb to global competition. How can we explain success and failure?

Urban growth also leads to a great diversity of people and lifestyles, which ensure thriving communities. Yet there are also places where spatial and social inequalities reveal themselves between communities. This results in unpleasant living environments and neighbourhoods in decline. How do you breathe new life into those communities?

In the Human Geography Master's programme you learn how urban and economic issues are interwoven. As a student of the Human Geography Master’s, you will study the city and its economic developments from various academic perspectives and thematic angles, with an interdisciplinary approach.

AN INTERNATIONAL FOCUS

This Master’s programme has an international character. We welcome students from around the world onto the programme. This way you are provided with the opportunity to come into contact with other cultures and national contexts. You will go on an international fieldtrip and can complete your Master's thesis project and/or internship abroad. You will be able to find work in many fields, positions, and locations following graduation.

PROGRAMME OBJECTIVE AND WORKING METHODS

This Master’s programme gives you a thorough understanding of important urban and economic issues. You will receive comprehensive training in the methodological and critical analytical skills needed to find possible solutions for challenges in urban regions. Working from a scientific and theoretical foundation, you come into contact with the daily practice. Through guest lectures and practical assignments (active learning), you will learn what graduates do and be able to determine where you would be most at home.

Your choice of graduation subject and the accompanying research internship provides the best way for you to present yourself to future employers. The programme has made arrangements with various companies, research agencies and government organisations regarding internships and interesting research projects.

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Offered in collaboration with Queen Mary University of London (QMUL), this new programme offers an unparalleled opportunity to study the social, political, cultural and economic development of the modern city from historical perspectives and through comparative experience of two of the great urban laboratories of the Western world, Paris and London. You can choose a full year in Paris or the split-site option in Paris and London.

In this interdisciplinary programme, taught in English, you will explore the development of urban topography and planning through site visits and analysis, using a primarily bifocal approach to the growth of city living and management, and how that has shaped the fabric of the world.

With faculty expertise drawn from ULIP and three Schools in QMUL’s Faculty of the Humanities and Social Science, as well as its split-site delivery, the programme enables students to develop both their empirical understanding of and their methodological approaches to what distinguishes and what connects these two cities, while expanding these comparative insights towards a broader engagement with urban history and culture, and the challenges cities face today.

Programme structure:

The programme consists of four modules plus a dissertation and an assessed research methodology component. Two core modules are delivered in the autumn term in Paris at ULIP, and two optional modules taken from a range offered in Paris at ULIP and in London at Queen Mary University of London in the second term. You can choose, therefore, between a split-site programme in Paris and London or a full year in Paris.

The programme is delivered via small-group seminars where you will be encouraged to discuss key issues and participate through seminar presentations. The programme will also be supported by a hands-on approach, including site visits and workshops. Sessions are led by members of faculty from ULIP, and the Schools of History, Geography and English and Drama from QMUL in weekly seminars led by staff members with original research qualifications and interests in the area.

Entry requirements:

Students should have an upper second-class honours degree in a relevant Humanities-related subject. A recognised equivalent from an accredited overseas institution is also accepted.

If English is not your first language, satisfactory evidence of your English language proficiency must be provided. IELTS 7.0 (minimum writing 6.5) is the minimum level for entry to the course.

The degree is taught entirely in English and there is no French language requirement.


If you have any questions, please feel free to email us at [email protected] or call us at the following number +33 1 44 11 73 83.

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Our Human Geography Research MA is a recognised pathway within the the ESRC Northern Ireland/North East (NINE) Doctoral Training Partnership. It provides advanced-level training in research skills, methods and theories so you can pursue a career in research.

Our course equips you with the knowledge and research skills needed to develop as a human geography researcher. Throughout the course you will develop:
-The ability to define research problems and design appropriate methods for their investigation
-Individual research interests through choosing your own projects
-Your research profile
-Research skills in data collection and analysis
-An understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of different data types and research methods
-Bibliographic and computing research skills, including the use of specialist software
-A professional approach to ethical issues surrounding research in human geography
-Research skills in qualitative and quantitative data analysis techniques
-Communication skills for the effective dissemination of research to both specialist and non-specialist audiences

Our key areas of research in human geography include:
-Social and cultural geography
-Economic geographies
-International development
-Geopolitics

Newcastle University is one of the leading places for geographical research in the UK. In 2014, we received recognition for the quality of our publications and research outputs. 80% of our geography research output is world-leading or internationally excellent. This ranks us fourth in the UK for output quality. The impact of our research was also recognised, with Newcastle ranked equal third in the UK.

Following the assessment of case studies ranging from a wide topic area, 70% were rated as world-leading, including:
-The role of universities in regional growth
-New ways of benchmarking economic areas
-Standards for the assessment of water quality
-The impact of people trafficking

Delivery

Members of our vibrant research community deliver teaching and assessment. Tutors are from geography and the Centre for Urban and Regional Development Studies (CURDS).

Facilities

We provide high quality facilities for our postgraduate students. Facilities include a dedicated postgraduate suite for geography students.

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About the MSc programme

This programme provides an understanding of the key themes of contemporary geographical thought and allows you to develop an appreciation of the methodological implications of such theoretical developments.

Human geography and urban studies are dynamic and pertinent areas of the social sciences, drawing together concerns with space, economy, society and the environment. In addition to the understanding key geographical themes and methodology insight, you will be able to develop a substantive field of research interest.

This programme will be of interest if you have studied geography or a related social science subject at undergraduate level and are now looking for a more focused introduction to human geographical research. It is designed as preparation for study at PhD level, as well as further training in a broad range of substantive geographical and environmental themes. It draws on the breadth of theoretical understanding, research expertise and practical experience in the Department as well as the strength of LSE’s offering across the social sciences, allowing for learning in specialised courses elsewhere in LSE.

Graduate destinations

Many graduates from this programme go on to do PhD degrees, while others enter a wide variety of employment including consultancy, the public sector and education.

Further information on graduate destinations for this programme

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This programme will provide advanced training in geographical thought and analysis. Students will choose either of two 'pathways' - "Social/Cultural Geography" and "Population Studies". These are based in the areas of research expertise of the Human Geography staff within the Department of Geography & Planning.

One third of the course (60 credits) will provide specific training based upon the pathway chosen.

A further 60 credits will deliver generic research skills training required in order for ESRC Research Training Accreditation. This is delivered in combination with Planning staff in the Department, but also in combination with students studying in Sociology.

Finally, students will also undertake a 60 credit dissertation. This piece of independent research will allow students to develop the skills developed during the taught components of the research and to focus on a topic of interest to them.

Students will undertake 60 credits of taught work relevant to their chosen pathway. In Social/Cultural Geography, this would involve key areas/concepts of interest to contemporary human geography and related to staff expertise. An indicative list would involve issues such as identity, political activism and resistance, experiences of migration and diaspora, alternative economic practices, and health and the lifecourse. In Population Geography, a similar list could include demographic theory, household-level analysis of population trends, analysing social segregation, and critically interpreting migration statistics.

60 Credits of research training will be structured across 4 15-credit modules shared between the Department of Geography & Planning and Social Sciences in the University more broadly. These modules would provide training in the design, collection and analysis of research data, together with training in the philosophical and theoretical basis of research.

60 Credits of the degree will take the form of a supervised dissertation, conducted independently by the student (with support from a relevant member of staff) on a topic of their choice.

Why Geography?

We’ve exceptional academic staff with expertise in a range of areas:

Geographies of Population and the Lifecourse
Globalisation, Development and Place
Advanced Environmental Analytical Techniques
The study of Environmental and Climate Change.

Career prospects

Our degrees provide pathways into rewarding careers and our graduates have found employment in a wide range of industries and organisations, both in the UK and abroad. Graduates of the Environment and Climate Change MSc have gone on to continue their studies towards a PhD, or are employed in a wide range of positions, including environmental, energy and engineering consultancies, multinational companies (energy), local government, environmental bodies, research positions and teaching.

PhD graduates are now working in academic life as lecturers in Geography, Environmental Science, Economic History, Development Studies and Statistics at universities in the UK and overseas. Others are employed in applied fields, working in Europe, Africa and across the world, for example as professional statisticians (one is now Director of Statistics in Zambia, another working in the Health Service in the UK), development professionals (including a member of staff on the WHO malaria programme in East Africa), and scientists at climate and environmental research centres around the world.

Students will be well placed to undertake a career in social science research at the end of their studies, both in an academic and a non-academic environment.

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Migration in today's globalised world stands at the heart of key national and international debates; including migrants' and asylum seekers' rights and citizenship; state security and border management; and the globalisation of skilled labour markets. This interdisciplinary MSc offers the best of migration teaching from across UCL.

About this degree

The programme combines theoretical and policy debates about migration. Students are equipped with the advanced skills, methods, concepts and theories essential for the study of global migration and gain the opportunity to apply them in both general and more specialised contexts relating to the processes, policies and politics of migration.

Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits.

The programme consists of two core modules (30 credits), a compulsory methods module (15 credits), five elective modules (75 credits) and the research dissertation (60 credits).

Core modules

• Interdisciplinary Approaches to Global Migration
• Issues in Global Migration
• Social Science Research Methodologies and Methods I

Elective modules

Students choose from a range of modules offered across UCL which specialise in migration. The list may include the following:

• Social Science Research Methodologies and Methods II (essential only if intending further research training)
• Thinking Space
• Migration and Urban Multiculture
• Mining Social and Geographic Datasets
• Globalisation and Security
• Gender, Generation and Forced Migration
• Ethnicity, Migration and Health
• Migration in the European Union
• International Human Rights Law
• Gender, Generation and Forced Migration
• Anthropology of Nationalism, Ethnicity and Race
• Anthropology and Development
• Postcolonial Cultural Geographies
• Comparative Human Rights Law
• Globalisation in the Twentieth Century
• Equality, Justice and Difference
• Population and Development
• Economics of Migration (Economics prerequisites)
• International and European Refugee Law

Dissertation/report

All MSc students undertake an independent research project which culminates in a dissertation of 10-12,000 words.

Teaching and learning

The programme is delivered through a combination of lectures, seminars, presentations, discussions, independent reading, practicals and workshops. The majority of modules are assessed through coursework although a small number are assessed by examination.

Further information on modules and degree structure is available on the department website: Global Migration MSc

Careers

Graduates of this programme will be well equipped to work with migrants and asylum seekers in different parts of the world, and gain posts in UN, EU, national policy think tanks, government research and policy departments, NGOs, community-based and grassroots organisations. The programme provides an excellent foundation for students wishing to pursue doctorates in the interdisciplinary field of migration studies.

Recent career destinations for this degree

• Programme Assistant, Migration Policy Institute Europe
• Programme Manager, International Network for Aid, Relief and Assistance (INARA)
• Campaign and Communication Intern, UNHCR (UN Refugee Agency)
• Paralegal, Law Office of Robert B. Jobe
• MSc in China and Globalisation, King's College London

Careers data is taken from the ‘Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education’ survey undertaken by HESA looking at the destinations of UK and EU students in the 2013–2015 graduating cohorts six months after graduation.

Why study this degree at UCL?

UCL has internationally recognised expertise in the field of migration. It has two established research units, the Migration Research Unit and the Centre for Research on Economic Analysis of Migration. Cutting-edge research on migration also takes place across UCL in many different disciplines including law, public policy, anthropology, development planning, area studies, humanities and health. The involvement of such a wide range of disciplines in teaching on the MSc in Global Migration is unique.

Students benefit from the consolidation of migration expertise across UCL which is complemented by a departmental migration seminar series, and a vibrant and expanding body of PhD students in this field.

Migration research at UCL has a strong international dimension, benefiting from networks across Europe, Africa, Asia and the Americas.

Research Excellence Framework (REF)

The Research Excellence Framework, or REF, is the system for assessing the quality of research in UK higher education institutions. The 2014 REF was carried out by the UK's higher education funding bodies, and the results used to allocate research funding from 2015/16.

The following REF score was awarded to the department: Geography

81% rated 4* (‘world-leading’) or 3* (‘internationally excellent’)

Learn more about the scope of UCL's research, and browse case studies, on our Research Impact website.

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This Masters in Human Geography: Spaces, Politics & Ecologies considers how geography has been used to actively engage with the world beyond the academy, focusing on social justice and social change, environment and development, and cultural and historical geographies.

Why this programme

• The School’s Human Geography Research Group has strong working collaborations with the Glasgow Centre for International Development, the Glasgow Refugee, Asylum & Migration Network (GRAMNET), Glasgow Life/Museums, NVA, The Royal Society.
• If you are considering pursuing doctoral research in human geography and the social sciences or seeking to develop a career in research in public, private and voluntary sectors, this programme is designed for you.
• The School of Geographical and Earth Sciences is proud to announce that it is ranked 28th in the world (QS World Rankings 2016).
• The School is consistently ranked amongst the top 10 in the UK and top 5 in Scotland, recently achieving 2nd in Scotland and 9th in the UK (Guardian University Guide 2017).
• Focusing upon the themes of spaces, politics and ecologies, the MRes in Human Geography offers a postgraduate training in research methodologies and techniques with reference to specific theories and literatures.

Programme structure

Modes of delivery of the MRes in Human Geography: Spaces, Politics & Ecologies include lectures, seminars and tutorials and allow students the opportunity to take part in workshops, project and team work.

Core courses

• Conceptualising Human Geography 1: spaces, politics, ecologies
• Conceptualising Human Geography 2: geographical engagements
• Researching Human Geographies: design, methods, ethics.

You will also take two courses in qualitative and quantitative methods in the social sciences and undertake an independent piece of research on a topic chosen by you.

Career prospects

Career opportunities include positions in non-governmental organisations (eg, Oxfam, Barnardos, SEPA, Scottish Natural Heritage), teaching, and PhD study.

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There is ever-growing national and international demand for qualified professionals and scientists who have expertise in one or more domains of social and environmental modelling and GIS-based spatial analysis and decision support. The UCL's Geospatial Analysis MSc provides rigorous scientific and vocational training for the next generation of scientific modelling and decision-support professionals.

See the website http://www.ucl.ac.uk/prospective-students/graduate/taught/degrees/geospatial-analysis-msc

Key Information

- Application dates
All applicants:
Open: 5 October 2015
Close: 29 July 2016
Optional qualifications: This degree is also available as a PG Diploma and a PG Certificate with fees set accordingly.

English Language Requirements

If your education has not been conducted in the English language, you will be expected to demonstrate evidence of an adequate level of English proficiency.
The English language level for this programme is: Good
Further information can be found on http://www.ucl.ac.uk/prospective-students/graduate/life/international/english-requirements .

International students

Country-specific information, including details of when UCL representatives are visiting your part of the world, can be obtained from http://www.ucl.ac.uk/prospective-students/international .

Degree Information

The programme combines a rigorous treatment of underlying theory for, and methods of implementing and exploiting, spatial analysis and decision support. Optional courses provide the opportunity to develop expertise in modelling and analysis in one or more areas of social and environmental science with social and policy dimensions.

Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits.

The programme consists of four core modules (60 credits), four optional modules (60 credits) and a research dissertation (60 credits).

A Postgraduate Diploma (120 credits, full-time nine months, part-time two years) is offered.

A Postgraduate Certificate (60 credits, full-time 12 weeks, part-time one year) is offered.

- Core Modules
GIS Principles and Technology
Mapping Science
Principles of Spatial Analysis
Representation, Structures and Algorithms

- Options
Airborne Data Acquisition
Climate Modelling
Geodemographics and Population Geography
GIS Design
Network and Locational Analysis
Spatial Decision Support Systems
Spatio-temporal Analysis and Data Mining
Surface Water Modelling
Terrestrial Carbon: Modelling and Monitoring
Web and Mobile GIS

- Dissertation/report
All MSc students undertake an independent research project which culminates in a dissertation of approximately 12,000 words and a poster presentation.

Teaching and Learning

The programme is delivered through a combination of lectures, seminars, tutorials and laboratory and computer-based practical classes. Assessment is through independent project work, practical-based and written coursework, and the dissertation.

Further information on modules and degree structure available on the department web site Geospatial Analysis MSc http://www.ucl.ac.uk/gis

Funding

Scholarships relevant to this department are displayed (where available) below. For a comprehensive list of the funding opportunities available at UCL, including funding relevant to your nationality, please visit the Scholarships and Funding website http://www.ucl.ac.uk/prospective-students/scholarships .

Careers

There is a national and international need for scientists with skills in GIS-based analysis and decision support complemented by a deep knowledge of domain-specific models and analytical methods that can be brought to bear on environmental issues and their social consequences. The MSc provides an ideal foundation for PhD research, or for prospective employment within research organisations, consultancies, government departments and a wide range of industries.

- Employability
A student on the first cycle of the course came with work experience in water engineering in several Middle Eastern countries. He took the options in Spatial Decision Support, Network and Locational Analysis, Geodemographics and Population Geography, and Spatio-Temporal Analysis and Data Mining to broaden and add depth to his skills base; his dissertation was undertaken with Kuwait's Environmental Public Authority. He spent a year acting as a consultant on water engineering projects worldwide and returned to UCL in September 2013 to study for a PhD.

Why study this degree at UCL?

The Geospatial Analysis MSc is run by UCL Geography, which enjoys an outstanding international reputation for its research and teaching. The programme brings together the department's strong expertise in spatial science and social and environmental modelling.

Contributions to the programme are also made by UCL Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering, providing complementary expertise in geographic information systems.

Students enter a vibrant, enthusiastic, and international research environment in which collaboration and free-ranging debate are strongly encouraged. UCL's location, in central London, provides easy access to many key intellectual venues and resources, such as the British Library.

Student / staff ratios › 43 staff including 15 postdocs › 158 taught students › 70 research students

Application and next steps

- Applications
Students are advised to apply as early as possible due to competition for places. Those applying for scholarship funding (particularly overseas applicants) should take note of application deadlines.

- Who can apply?
The programme is particularly suitable for students with an undergraduate degree in Geography, Earth or Environmental Science, Geomatics, Oceanography, or another relevant discipline. Applicants with relevant professional experience in geographic information systems, spatial analysis or decision support will also be considered.

What are we looking for?
When we assess your application we would like to learn:
- why you want to study Geospatial Analysis
- why you want to study Geospatial Analysis at UCL
- what particularly attracts you to this programme
- how your academic and/or professional background meets the demands of a challenging academic environment
- where you would like to go professionally with your degree

Together with essential academic requirements, the personal statement is your opportunity to illustrate whether your reasons for applying to this programme match what the programme will deliver.

For more information see our Applications page http://www.ucl.ac.uk/prospective-students/graduate/apply .

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Visit our website for more information on fees, scholarships, postgraduate loans and other funding options to study Global Migration at Swansea University - 'Welsh University of the Year 2017' (Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2017).

The MSc by Research Global Migration enables students to pursue a one year individual programme of research. The Global Migration programme would normally terminate after a year. However, under appropriate circumstances, this first year of research can also be used in a progression to Year 2 of a PhD degree.

You will be fully integrated into one of our established research groups and participate in research activities such as seminars, workshops, laboratories, and field work.

Key Features

Swansea is a research-led University and the Department makes a significant contribution, meaning that as a postgraduate Geography student you will benefit from the knowledge and skills of internationally renowned academics.

In the latest Research Assessment Exercise, 95% of Geography research at Swansea was judged to be of international quality, and 60% was regarded as World-leading or internationally excellent.

Facilities

As a student of the Global Migration programme you will have access to:

Computer laboratory with 24 computers providing general IT software and programmes dedicated to Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Remote Sensing Computer laboratory with 10 high-performance Linux workstations delivering software tools for advanced GIS and remote sensing applications

Specialist laboratory suites for stable isotope ratio analysis; tree ring analysis; extraction and identification of organic compounds; pollen extraction and analysis; rainfall simulation; tephra analysis; soil and sediment characterisation

In addition, the computing facilities include 15 dual-processor workstations for Earth Observation, a 20-node multiprocessor Beowulf cluster, and the Department’s IBM ‘Blue Ice’ Supercomputer, used mainly for climate and glaciological modelling.

Research

All academic staff in Geography are active researchers and the department has a thriving research culture and a strong postgraduate community.

The results of the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2014 show that Geography at Swansea University is ranked joint 9th in the UK for research impact and 11th in the UK for research environment.

Research groups include:

Environmental Dynamics

Glaciology

Global Environmental Modelling and Earth Observation

Migration, Boundaries and Identity

Social Theory and Urban Space

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Introduction to the programme

Human Geography is a research field which focuses on studying the spatial behaviour of people, firms and organisations. Or, to put it simply, it is a study that observes the relationship between human activities and their spatial environment. Because it is an integrative discipline, Human Geography serves as an excellent platform for integrating knowledge from various related disciplines, such as Sociology, Anthropology, Psychology, International Relations, Economics, Business Administration and Development Studies.

Specialisations in the Master's in Human Geography

The Human Geography Master's programme at Radboud University offers five specialisations and the option to develop your own specialisation:

- Conflicts, Territories and Identities

- Economic Geography

- Europe: Governance, Borders and Identities

- Globalisation, Migration and Development

- Urban and Cultural Geography

- Free specialisation: combination of courses of your own choice, subject to approval by the Examination Board

The Master's programme can also be conducted in dual mode (information in Dutch: studying next to working in the human geographic profession). Additionally there is a post-Master's programme for secondary teacher training also called educational Master's at the ILS (in Dutch).

Assessment during the programme

Throughout the Master's programme you will be assessed by a mixture of written exams, essays, papers, projects, oral presentations and your Master's thesis.

Career prospects with a degree in Human Geography

Graduates of the Master's in Human Geography will be qualified for many different job positions. These jobs all require excellent analytical skills at an academic level, a critical perspective, thorough knowledge of societal relations and a clear vision of how crucial societal problems can be solved. Human Geography graduates find jobs rather easily at (international) research institutes, international companies, or at consultancy firms. Top-ranking positions, in private industry as well as in governmental and non-governmental organisations can also be found.

Our approach to this field

Human Geography is a research field which focuses on studying the spatial behaviour of people, firms and organisations. Or, to put it simply, it is a study that observes the relationship between human activities and their spatial environment. Because it is an integrative discipline, Human Geography serves as an excellent platform for integrating knowledge from various related disciplines, such as Sociology, Anthropology, Psychology, International Relations, Economics, Business Administration and Development Studies.

See the website http://www.ru.nl/english/education/masters/human-geography

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Human geography is a dynamic discipline with profound influence on current debates in the social sciences and humanities. Human geographers focus on the relationships between space and society, in particular the interconnection between environment, place and identity, knowledge, globalisation processes, social justice, and a variety of other themes of crucial relevance in our contemporary world.

This programme provides you with a rigorous grounding in social theory and mainstream debates and techniques in human geography. It also offers a thorough training in qualitative and quantitative methods. The MSc is closely linked to the University's Cabot Institute, which brings together multidisciplinary research into all aspects of global environmental change.

Programme structure

Core units
-Experimental Geographical Methods: Practising Post-humanism in Social Research
-Theorising Society and Space
-Researching Society and Space: Hermeneutics, Genealogy, and Critical Theory

Optional units - Optional units can change from year to year, but may include:
-Affect/Biopolitics/Technologies
-Explanation, Causation and Longitudinal Analysis
-Geographies of Time and Timing
-Geographies of Knowledge
-Practical Statistics for Use in Research and Policy
-Post-colonial Matters

ESRC-funded students must take either of the following:
-Explanation, Causation and Longitudinal Analysis
-Practical Statistics for Use in Research and Policy

Dissertation
You will complete a research-based dissertation of up to 15,000 words. You begin work on the dissertation in May and submit by the middle of September.

Careers

The programme equips you for a career in high-level public research, business and the creative industries, and provides an outstanding academic training for prospective PhD students and for those seeking a Master's-level qualification.

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