Master of Science by Coursework in Nature, Society, and Environmental Governance

• 1. The Social Sciences Divisional Boardprogramme shall electbe forunder the supervision of the courseGraduate a Standing Committee. The Academic Director(s)Teaching and CourseExaminations DirectorCommittee of the School of Geography and the Environment. 

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• 2. Each candidate will be responsiblerequired to the Standing Committee.

• 2. Candidates must follow a course of instruction in HumanNature, GeographySociety, and Environmental Governance for at least three terms, and will, when entering for the examination, be required to produce a certificate from the Course Director to this effectfull-time.

    

• 3. The examination will consist of:

  • (i) a written examination of three three-hour papers as described in the schedule;

     

  • (ii) two assessed essays based upon elective courses;

  • (iii) a dissertation on a subject selected in consultation with the supervisor and the Course Director and approved by the  Course and Academic Directors3.

• 4. Candidates must submit tothree theportfolios Courseof Directorwork and a dissertation as detailed below, and also attend two elective courses. 

• Portfolio 1 - Foundations 

• 4. Candidates must submit a 2,000 word annotated bibliography by thenoon endon Thursday of week 8 of Michaelmas term and a 3,000 word written assignment by noon on Thursday of week 0 of Hilary Termterm. 

• Portfolio in2 the– yearTheory inand whichAnalysis 

• 5. theyCandidates entermust thesubmit examination,a the10 titleminute recorded presentation by noon on Thursday of week 8 of Hilary term and a brief3,000 statementword written assignment by noon on Thursday week -1 of theTrinity formterm.  

• Portfolio 3 – Research Skills 

• 6. Candidates must submit a 1,750 word dissertation proposal by noon on Thursday of week -1 of Trinity term, a 1,500 word fieldtrip report by noon on Thursday of week 2 of Trinity term, and scopewill ofmake a 10 minute presentation on their dissertation, together with the name of a person who has agreed to act as their supervisortopic during preparationTrinity of the dissertationterm.
   

It may be (

• aDissertation ) a theoretical argument related to themes in contemporary human geography and/or environmental governance, or (b) a piece of empirically based research, or (c) an extended treatment of an issue which is intended to be the basis for future research for the degree of M.Litt. or D.Phil. In that case (c), it may be part of a proposal and/or application for further degree study.

• 57. TheCandidates must submit a dissertation shall be of ano maximummore lengththan of 1512,000 words and accompanied by an abstract not exceeding 150 words. The maximum word count shall include footnotes, but exclude appendices, references and the abstract. The detailed format and specification of the dissertation shall be approved by the Standing Committee, and published in the course handbook.

• 6. The deadline for submission is noon on the first weekdayTuesday in September. 

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• 8. Candidates should refer to the Course Handbook for full details of Septemberthe requirements for each assessment.  
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• 9. All assessments must be submitted using the University approved online submission system. Technical information on the requirements for online submissions is provided in the yearCourse Handbook.  
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• 10. Candidates who fail either assessment for Portfolio 1 will have the opportunity to resubmit in whichweek 5 of Trinity term, candidates who fail any of the writtenassessments examinationfor Portfolios 2 and 3 will have the opportunity to resubmit and/or make a further presentation in the first week in September. Candidates will be informed of the exact dates for re-submissions/further presentations after the exam board has confirmed that reassessment is takenrequired. TwoIn copiesthe case of failure of the dissertation, mustthis may be submitted,resubmitted toeither by noon on Tuesday of week 1 of Hilary term the M.Scfollowing examiners (Natureyear, Societyor and Environmental  Governance), c/o Examination Schools, High Street, Oxford OX1 4BG. The examiners may retain one copy ofby the dissertation of each candidate who passes the examination for depositdeadline in anclause appropriate library. Both copies must bear the candidate’s examination number but not his/her name.

• 7. All submitted work shall be accompanied by a separate statement certifying that the submitted work is the candidate’s own work except where otherwise indicated.

• 8. In the written examination the examiners will permit the use of hand-held pocket calculators subject to the conditions set out under the heading ‘Use of calculators in examinations’ in the Regulationsfollowing year. 

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• 11. Candidates must present themselves for thean Conductoral ofexamination Universityif Examinations.

• 9. The examiners may also examine any candidate viva voce on the candidate's written papers, dissertation, or both.

• 10. Arrangements for reassessment shall be agreedrequired by the Standing Committee and published in the course handbookexaminers.

• 11. The examiners may award a distinction for excellence in the whole examination.

Schedule

• (a) Core courses

  The core courses will be examined under the following heads:

  • 1. Research Skills

    Candidates will be expected to have a knowledge of research methods in social, environmental, and geographical research. These will include qualitative and quantitative methods relevant to contemporary research themes.

  • 2. Theory and Analysis

    Candidates will be expected to have knowledge of relevant debates in human geography and related disciplines concerning the relations between nature and society, science and environmental politics, and global and local political and economic processes.

  • 3. Policy and Governance

    Candidates will be expected to have knowledge of relevant debates and issues concerning environmental policy and governance, and corporate environmental management.

• (b) Elective courses

  Candidates will be expected to show advanced knowledge of two of the elective courses on offer in any one year.