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Overview

A supervised research dissertation of up to 20,000 words on an approved topic.

The purpose of this graduate-level paper is to provide you with the opportunity to carry out an individual piece of master's research under the supervision of a staff member who is an expert in a related part of the discipline.

About this paper

Paper title Research Dissertation
Subject Geography
EFTS 0.5
Points 60 points
Teaching period(s) 1st Non standard period (27 February 2026 - 19 February 2027) (On campus)
2nd Non standard period (17 July 2026 - 9 July 2027) (On campus)
Domestic Tuition Fees ( NZD ) $4,996.50
International Tuition Fees Tuition Fees for international students are elsewhere on this website.
Limited to
MA
Eligibility

Enrolments for this paper require departmental permission. View more information about departmental permission.

Contact

geography@otago.ac.nz

Teaching staff

Interested students should, in the first instance, contact the School of Geography (geography@otago.ac.nz)

Paper Structure

Students work on an independent research project appropriate to the master's level. Research is undertaken with a specific sub-discipline of geography/environmental management, supervised and advised by one or more academic staff members.

Teaching Arrangements
  1. Regular meetings with supervisor.
  2. There is a programme of seminars run by the School of Geography designed with research students in mind. Your attendance at these seminars is compulsory.
Textbooks

No textbook is required

Graduate Attributes Emphasised
Global perspective, Interdisciplinary perspective, Lifelong learning, Scholarship, Communication, Critical thinking, Cultural understanding, Ethics, Environmental literacy, Information literacy, Research, Self-motivation.
View more information about Otago's graduate attributes.
Learning Outcomes

On completion of this paper students will be able to:

  • identify and contextualise a research problem and use the research literature to develop theoretical and methodological frameworks to investigate specific research questions;
  • devise and implement a programme of practical work to investigate the research questions;
  • analyse information and draw conclusions relevant to their research questions;
  • write a report to communicate the outcomes of their research effectively.

Overview

A supervised research dissertation of up to 20,000 words on an approved topic.

The purpose of this graduate-level paper is to provide you with the opportunity to carry out an individual piece of master's research under the supervision of a staff member who is an expert in a related part of the discipline.

About this paper

Paper title Research Dissertation
Subject Geography
EFTS 0.5
Points 60 points
Teaching period(s) 1st Non standard period (5 March 2027 - 18 February 2028) (On campus)
2nd Non standard period (16 July 2027 - 30 June 2028) (On campus)
Domestic Tuition Fees Tuition Fees for 2027 have not yet been set
International Tuition Fees Tuition Fees for international students are elsewhere on this website.
Limited to
MA
Eligibility

Enrolments for this paper require departmental permission.

Contact

geography@otago.ac.nz

Teaching staff

Interested students should contact the School of Geography.

Paper Structure

Students work on an independent research project appropriate to the master's level. Research is undertaken with a specific sub-discipline of geography/environmental management, supervised and advised by one or more academic staff members.

Teaching Arrangements
  1. Regular meetings with supervisor.
  2. There is a programme of seminars run by the School of Geography designed with research students in mind. Your attendance at these seminars is compulsory.
Textbooks

No textbook is required.

Graduate Attributes Emphasised
Global perspective, Interdisciplinary perspective, Lifelong learning, Scholarship, Communication, Critical thinking, Cultural understanding, Ethics, Environmental literacy, Information literacy, Research, Self-motivation.
View more information about Otago's graduate attributes.
Learning Outcomes

On completion of this paper students will be able to:

  • Identify and contextualise a research problem and use the research literature to develop theoretical and methodological frameworks to investigate specific research questions.
  • Devise and implement a programme of practical work to investigate the research questions.
  • Analyse information and draw conclusions relevant to their research questions.
  • Write a report to communicate the outcomes of their research effectively.
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