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Teaching methodStrong points of the pedagogical approach The teaching strategy takes its inspiration from the idea of ‘taking responsibility for one’s own learning’ and offers a wide range of learning situations. The courses are focused on problems in society: environmental changes, mobility, urbanization, globalization and developing countries. Activities such as seminars and integrated exercises are carried out in advanced areas of geographical research. Ability to use advanced methods of geographical analysis is an important objective of the training: geographical modeling, geographical information systems and satellite teledetection. Practical work gives students the opportunity of dealing with concrete problems and finding solutions to them, often in small groups. The computer rooms with special software for geographical analysis are always open to students. In the first year of the Master, the field work consists of a week of supervised exercises in the Alps or Spain. This is compulsory in the first year of the Master. Students who choose a research focus must do a second field course in the second year.
Students will mainly be assessed on the basis of individual work (e.g. reading, consultation of databases and bibliographic references, writing monographs and reports, presentation of seminars, dissertation and work placement). Where necessary, students will also be assessed on how much they have learned from lectures. As far as possible, there will be continuous assessment, including regular ‘open book examinations’. Certain activities will not be given a precise mark but will be officially certified. Assessment of the dissertation is in two stages : a ‘progress report’ at the end of the first year of the Master and the final presentation.
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6/02/2009
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