Keele Badge

ESC-30032 - Module Specification
School of Life Sciences
Faculty of Natural Sciences

For academic year: 2025/26 Last Updated: 04 December 2025

ESC-30032 - Geoscience: Independent Field Project - ISP
Coordinator: Stuart Clarke Room: WSF16 Tel: +44 1782 7 33171
Lecture Time: See Timetable...
Level: Level 6
Credits: 30
Study Hours: 300
School Office: 01782 734414

Programme/Approved Electives for 2025/26

None

Available as a Free Standing Elective

No

Co-requisites

None

Prerequisites

None

Barred Combinations

None

Description for 2025/26

This 30 credit module builds upon subject-specific and practical skills that have been developed in previous years of the course to carry out an independent field-based mapping project within an area of Geology. The module will include project formulation, data collection, data analysis, data interpretation and report production, and will normally be underpinned by approximately 21 days of geological fieldwork carried out in the summer vacation before the start of the final year. The completion of this module provides students with experience of a number of subject-specific and general skills that are essential for geoscience employment or academic research.

Aims
- To provide a detailed understanding of field aspects of geology.
- To understand geological features and processes in a field context.
- To demonstrate ability to take effective notes in the field and compile geological maps and standard diagrams to convey geological data.
- To develop skills in presentations in the form of a dissertation.
- To demonstrate the use of geographical information system and remote sensing techniques in visualising and analysing geoscience data.
- To develop student's communication, time-management and self-management skills.

Talis Aspire Reading List
Any reading lists will be provided by the start of the course.
http://lists.lib.keele.ac.uk/modules/esc-30032/lists

Intended Learning Outcomes

select and apply appropriate advanced geological mapping techniques that are at the forefront of the discipline: 1,2,3
2
use transferable skills by communicating effectively in writing, cartography and diagram preparation, use computing and information technology (e.g. GIS), manage resources and time, work to a deadline, and work independently showing critical enquiry: 1,3
1,2,3

Study hours

- tutorials 50 hours
- Supervision meetings 10 hours
- Fieldwork/data acquisition, poster and report preparation 240 hours

School Rules

None

Description of Module Assessment

1: Report weighted 50%
Sheet report & Faircopy map
A geological sheet report (report) on the mapped area along with faircopy poster containing geological faircopy map and associated diagrams, in line with professional practice.

2: Portfolio weighted 40%
Fieldslips & notebooks
A portfolio of materials derived directly from geological mapping analyses in line with professional practice: Geological fieldslips, notebooks (or equivalent); risk assessment.

3: Portfolio weighted 10%
Cross sections and Formation Description
A summary cross section along with written description of a mapped formation.

The University undertakes a continuous review of its teaching and research provision to ensure programmes are of a high quality and changes may be made to modules where it is necessary and reasonable to do so. Please be aware that minor changes to modules, such as a change to an individual assessment, can occur up until enrolment, although we endeavour to give you as much notice as possible of any changes. Details about the circumstance in which changes are made to programmes can be found in the Student Agreement, available at: https://www.keele.ac.uk/legalgovernancecompliance/governance/actcharterstatutesordinancesandregulations/studenttermsconditions/

Last Updated: 04 December 2025