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Curricular information is subject to change
By attending the fieldtrip and completing the assessed coursework, students will have the specific ability to:
1. Identify and implement the principles of research design and field-based geographical research methods.
2. Critically reflect on the application of fieldwork as a geographical research methodology through the case study of Berlin.
3. Demonstrate familiarity and critical awareness of some contemporary spatial-social issues relating to the geography of Berlin.
More broadly, students will also be able to display an advanced grasp of a range of subject-specific intellectual and practical skills, including the ability to:
1. Review work in a defined area of knowledge and synthesise information from a range of different sources.
2. Gather primary data through methods such as questionnaires, interviews, focus groups, field investigation, archival research and participant observation.
3. Analyse qualitative data generated by research methods or obtained through published sources.
4. Structure conceptual and empirical material into a reasoned argument.
Over the course of this module, you will work within groups to design and undertake a research project centred around the analysis of data collected on the overseas fieldtrip. You will have the opportunity to sign yourself up to a group project in the thematic area you are most interested in, although final group allocations will depend on the total numbers of students interested in each area.
During the start of the 7-week teaching term leading up to the fieldtip, we will undertake lecture-based learning giving context to the geographies of Berlin with a focus on contemporary spatial-social issues. The following weeks will be divided between lecture-based training on key concepts and methodologies central to geographic field research, and research planning workshops for groups to develop the research design of their projects. At the end of this time, each research group will present their research plans to the rest of the class.
The fieldtrip itself will then last 4 days, starting at 1.30pm on Sunday 10 March 2024 and ending at 1.30pm on Wednesday 13 March 2024. The fieldtrip will be a mixture of fieldwork activities with the whole class and data collection within your smaller research groups, during which you will complete a fieldnote book.
Upon return to Ireland, we will meet again to debrief on the fieldtrip. You will be expected to analyse and write up your collected field data, closing the loop of the production of embodied knowledge from the field.
Student Effort Type | Hours |
---|---|
Lectures | 8 |
Small Group | 40 |
Tutorial | 10 |
Field Trip/External Visits | 50 |
Project Supervision | 12 |
Autonomous Student Learning | 80 |
Total | 200 |
Not applicable to this module.
Remediation Type | Remediation Timing |
---|---|
In-Module Resit | Prior to relevant Programme Exam Board |
• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment
• Group/class feedback, post-assessment
Feedback will be offered individually to students on the qualitative exercise and the field journals, as there are to be undertaken individually. However, on the final project groups can be formed (though they are not required). If projects are submitted as a group, feedback will be offered to the group and then individual letter grades will be assigned. Each person in the group will get the same letter grade as other group members.
Name | Role |
---|---|
Professor Julien Mercille | Lecturer / Co-Lecturer |
Hannah Gould | Tutor |
Lecture | Offering 1 | Week(s) - 20, 21, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 31, 32, 33 | Mon 14:00 - 14:50 |
Lecture | Offering 1 | Week(s) - 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33 | Wed 16:00 - 16:50 |