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Teaching method


Retour en début de pageStrong 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 climatologist is at the centre of different scientific fields: physical modeling, teledetection, hydrology and the management of natural resources. The integration between human and physical geography is emphasized. 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 Master in Climatology is notable for the multidisciplinary background of the teaching staff. Studies will study with lecturers ingeography and physics. Activities such as seminars and integrated exercises are designed so that students progressively encounter the complexity of the climatic system. Students in the last year of the Master should therefore be able to use and understand professional climatic modelling systems.

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.

 

Retour en début de pageEvaluation

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.

| 23/07/2009 |