THE UNIVERSITY of EDINBURGH

DEGREE REGULATIONS & PROGRAMMES OF STUDY 2024/2025

Timetable information in the Course Catalogue may be subject to change.

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DRPS : Course Catalogue : School of Geosciences : Postgraduate Courses (School of GeoSciences)

Postgraduate Course: Professional Skills in Environment & Development (PGGE11267)

Course Outline
SchoolSchool of Geosciences CollegeCollege of Science and Engineering
Credit level (Normal year taken)SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) AvailabilityAvailable to all students
SCQF Credits20 ECTS Credits10
SummaryThis course will provide students with the professional and practical skills and knowledge required by employers across a range of organisations working to tackle pressing environmental and developmental challenges around the world. Visiting professionals teach the key tools and techniques they employ on a daily basis, share their expertise and diverse experience, and bring ¿real-world¿ insight to complement the academic focus of other courses.
Course description This course will provide students with training in key professional and practical skills required by employers across a range of organisations working to tackle pressing environmental and developmental challenges around the world. Visiting professionals will be teaching the key tools and techniques they employ on a daily basis; sharing their expertise and diverse experiences; and bringing real-world insight to complement the academic focus of other courses. Students work on a group project throughout the course to gain experience applying the professional and practical skills taught on the course.
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
Pre-requisites Co-requisites
Prohibited Combinations Other requirements None
Information for Visiting Students
Pre-requisitesNone
High Demand Course? Yes
Course Delivery Information
Academic year 2024/25, Available to all students (SV1) Quota:  41
Course Start Semester 2
Timetable Timetable
Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) Total Hours: 200 ( Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4, Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours 196 )
Assessment (Further Info) Written Exam 0 %, Coursework 100 %, Practical Exam 0 %
Additional Information (Assessment) Written Exam 0 %, Coursework 100 %, Practical Exam 0 %

ASSIGNMENT 1 (40%): Individual Reflective Essay, due 12:00 noon, Thursday week 8 (13th March)

ASSIGNMENT 2 (60%): Group exercise on Project Management, please upload slides by 9am day of presentation. Due 9am, Thursday, week 10 (27th March)

ASSIGNMENT 1: INDIVIDUAL REFLECTIVE BLOG (40%): Students will be asked to write an independent reflective blog on how they personally approach and engage in professional environment and development work, considering their unique skills/enthusiasms and the techniques/approaches discussed in different lectures [corresponds to LO 2 and 3 and assesses students soft-skills and narrative knowledge]

ASSIGNMENT 2 (60%): GROUP PROJECT MANAGEMENT: In small groups, students will be given a mock project call and subsequently mock project
information to respond to. Drawing on class lectures, students will be marked on submissions and a presentation related to (a) the project proposal,
(b) its management and MEL, and (c) its final reporting [corresponds to LO 1 and 2 and assesses student's technical skills and procedural knowledge]
Feedback Not entered
No Exam Information
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
  1. Apply technical skills in the use of key tools and techniques employed by a range of organisations working to tackle environment and development challenges,
  2. Have transferable skills in teamwork, negotiation and facilitation
  3. Articulate their own personal approach to and strengths in engaging in professional environment and development work
Reading List
We engage in academic and grey literature on this course. Some organisations¿ websites to consult are:
a. Oxfam https://www.oxfam.org.uk/
b. BOND https://www.bond.org.uk/
c. IIED https://www.iied.org/
d. IDS https://www.ids.ac.uk/
e. SIDA https://intdevalliance.scot/
f. Global Justice Now https://www.globaljustice.org.uk/
g. Thinking and Working Politically Community of Practice https://twpcommunity.org/
Additional Information
Graduate Attributes and Skills As this course specifically aims to provide students with a range of skills, experience and abilities that they will be able to apply in their professional lives, this course contributes directly to the graduate attributes and personal and professional skills required by students across our PGT programmes. The course will provide graduate attributes and personal and professional skills in: techniques, tools and project management skills required in a wide range of professional organisations working at the interface of environment and development challenges, from government, international development agencies, international NGOs, grassroots organisations, private enterprises and policy making. The course will also provide transferable so-called ¿soft skills¿, in collaboration and negotiation, teamwork and facilitation, problem solving and organisation and presentation.
KeywordsProfessional skills,tools,techniques,environment,development,global challenges
Contacts
Course organiserDr Clare Barnes
Tel: (0131 6)50 2287
Email:
Course secretaryMrs Lynn Taylor
Tel:
Email:
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