Human Geography and Sustainability Research - MA
To develop sustainable lifestyles, communities, environments and resources, we must first understand how we, as humans, interact with, modify and depend on our surroundings; and how these interrelationships vary spatially and temporally across and between locations. Accredited by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), and compliant with the research training requirements for ESRC PhD scholarships, our MA equips you with skills, knowledge and 'hands-on' experience of human geography and sustainability-related research to generate the new insight needed to make a positive difference to our world, now and for the future.
Month of entry
- September
Mode of study
- Full time, Part time
Fees for 2023/24 academic year
- UK - Full time £10,000 per year. Part time £5,500 per year.
International - £18,800 per year.
Duration of study
- 1 year full time, 2 years part time
Please note: this course is no longer accepting applications from international students for September 2023 entry
Why study Human Geography and Sustainability Research at Keele University?
Course summary
The complex challenges facing the world today - including social and spatial inequalities, new migration flows, climate change and pollution - have led society to question the interactions between humans and the environment, demanding answers and new ways of working that human geography can provide.
Studying the ways in which people interact in economic, political, social, and spatial contexts can help us identify issues and challenges, and understand what causes them. Only then, can we develop solutions to improve long-term human wellbeing and protect the planet as a whole, distributing and managing our natural resources more equitably and sustainably.
Adopting an interdisciplinary approach, the MA in Human Geography and Sustainability Research not only draws on social sciences more generally, but also brings together Keele’s internationally recognised expertise across the two distinct disciplines of human geography and sustainability.
Generic and subject-specific research training prepares you to consider why and how humans behave, interact with, shape and affect their surroundings; studying our many diverse environments, habitats and resources (both natural and man-made).
Hands-on practical research equips you with valuable experience and skills to identify innovative solutions to broader societal problems. Such measures could include the development of new approaches for securing migrant settlement and integration, tackling rural deprivation, addressing health inequalities and / or generating new forms of sustainable energy.
As part of our exciting new advanced traineeships, you'll work with a research mentor on one of our 'live' research projects. For example, we are currently studying the effects of poverty on rural communities in Wales, as well as access to services and transport. Typical activities might include support to collect and analyse data, conduct literature reviews, assist the preparation of future funding bids, or to prepare 'key findings' reports.
The Dissertation provides a further opportunity to undertake an extended independent research project with freedom to come up with your own idea for subject matter or choose from a list of selected research projects. These include: animal geographies; rural or urban geographies (including rural and urban planning); post-colonial geographies; health geographies; temporal geographies of 'busyness'; children’s geographies; plastics and recycling geographies; geographies of international migration; geographies of responsibility and care; and geographies of mobility (and e-mobility).
You'll graduate with cutting-edge insight into the latest academic, policy and practice-related discussions, debates and developments in the fields of human geography and sustainability, together with the advanced research skills required for a career in the public, private or third sector. This includes positions with national and local government, other public bodies, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), private sector consultancies, research and policy institutes, charitable and community organisations.
Accredited by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), the course is also an ideal choice for those wishing to pursue a PhD in human geography or sustainability and environmental studies. The programme complies with the ESRC's research training requirements for PhD scholarships (commonly termed +3), and is also suitable as the master's year as part of an ESRC scholarship award that covers both the master's and PhD (commonly termed a 1+3 award).
Other courses you may find interesting:
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Course structure
By preparing you for future scientific enquiry, the MA in Human Geography and Sustainability Research responds to the need - identified previously by UK research funding bodies - for improved training in research skills at postgraduate level.
The course can be studied full-time over one year or part-time over two years, with a start date in September.
You will study seven 15-credit compulsory core modules and choose one 15-credit optional module, split between subject-specific research training modules in human geography and sustainability (60 credits) and broader social science modules (60 credits). The latter enables you to study alongside other social science postgraduates, developing advanced qualitative and quantitative research and data analysis skills, and explore different approaches to research design and the philosophy of the social sciences.
The remaining element of the course involves an extended independent research project of your choice (60 credits), which allows you to put into practice the knowledge and skills generated during the taught component of the programme and focus on a topic of interest.
Each module involves around 24-hours of scheduled contact time taught in five or 10-week blocks over Semester 1 (October-December) and Semester 2 (January-May). The third semester (June-September) is then dedicated to completing your independent research project in which you will work closely with your assigned supervisor.
To achieve the MSc, you must complete 180 credits. There are two interim awards available, depending on how many modules have been successfully completed: a Postgraduate Certificate (60 credits); and a Postgraduate Diploma (120 credits).
Core Taught Modules
Indicative Modules
The schedule below is indicative of one year of full-time study. If you study over two years part-time, course content will be the same and your Dissertation is studied in the second year of the course. However, you can choose when to study the taught elements of the course, either studying all of the modules within first two semesters of your first year, or splitting these up over both years.
Semester one
Key themes in Human Geography and Sustainability (15 credits)
Through exposure to current research, you'll be introduced to the diverse range of subject matter across the field, and the questions, issues and real-world problems the discipline seeks to solve. In particular, you'll develop an appreciation of how these relate to the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including the creation of sustainable cities and communities, good health and well being, reduced inequalities and clean energy. You will develop research and communication skills useful in academic and commercial environments, undertake a critical systematic literature review and learn how to critically appraise and synthesise research findings.
Approaches to Research Design and Process (15 credits)
Further preparing you to conduct a major piece of research, you'll be introduced to the main issues surrounding research questions, research design and evidence gathering across a range of social science disciplines. You will explore the differences between various types of research design - for example, experimental, cross-sectional and longitudinal research - and the consequences of these designs for the development of different methodologies, including interviews and focus groups, questionnaires and ethnography.
Philosophy of the Social Sciences (15 credits)
You will study the philosophy of the social sciences, together with philosophical debates around different methodological approaches to social science research. This module features the work of a range of key thinkers, including Durkheim, Popper, Kuhn, Weber, Adorno, and Foucault, who have informed the ways in which researchers consider knowledge in the social sciences. We start with the enlightenment idea of the search for science and the nineteenth century beginnings of social science. Topics covered include: naturalism, the relationship between the individual and society, falsificationism, paradigm shifts, the interpretive tradition, critical theory, structuralism and post-structuralism. The overall intention is for students to be able to apply different philosophical positions to their own research interests.
Modules running across Semester one and two
Advanced traineeships in Human Geography and Sustainability (15 credits)
Introduced in 2022, our advanced traineeships provide an exciting opportunity to contribute to one of our live research projects, working with a research mentor in an area of human geography, environmental studies, or sustainability. During your research traineeship, you'll gain key insights into different aspects of the research process, ranging from research design, to the delivery of impact-related activities, and what it's like to work with partners. You'll develop subject-specific and generic research knowledge and skills, for example, producing clear and effective written work in the form of full or partial research reports, systematic literature reviews, grant proposals or ethics applications. This not only improves your understanding of contemporary societal challenges, but also builds your CV, enhancing future employability.
Semester Two
Advanced methods in Human Geography and Sustainability (15 credits)
Engaging with quantitative and qualitative sources of data, you'll deepen your understanding of the principles of research design, different methodological strategies and approaches within human geography and sustainability-related research, and in relation to the UN SDGs. This includes geographical information systems (GIS), spatial analysis and modelling, participatory research, digital research methods, and ethnography, as well as ethics, health and safety in the context of your proposed research.
Quantitative research and data (15 credits)
The module provides a comprehensive introduction to the principles and practices of quantitative social science research. You’ll become familiar with the different ways in which statistical, mathematical, or numerical data is collected and evaluated, through polls, questionnaires, and surveys, or by manipulating pre-existing statistical data using computational techniques. You’ll also learn to evaluate and appraise these methods to assess their suitability in relation to the question of causality, for example, or in addressing problems of operationalisation and theories of sampling. Practical work will include qu estionnaire design, data analysis and the writing of a quantitative research design. You’ll also gain hands-on experience of cutting edge software used in the analysis of quantitative data sets.
Qualitative research and data (15 credits)
Through discussion of the principles and practices of qualitative social research, this module provides a solid overview of the wide range of qualitative methods used in social science research. You will learn to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of different forms of investigation, such as in-depth interviews, focus groups, participant observation, or visual (artistic) research. You’ll be introduced to associated methods of data capture, including field notes, audio and/or video recordings, and transcripts, gaining practical experience of software used by qualitative researchers in the management and analysis of qualitative data.
Modules running across Semester two and three
Dissertation Module (60 credits)
Demonstrating your knowledge and interest in the discipline, you'll identify a research question, design your method of inquiry, collect suitable primary and/or in-depth secondary data, undertake appropriate analysis and present your findings in a 20,000-word written report. While we can provide a list of potential projects, one of the many advantages of our course is your option to choose your own dissertation subject and which may include research on place and space; mobility; sustainability; time; environment; diversity; inclusion; responsibility; nature; culture; policy and practice. To illustrate the potential scope, research projects being led by staff in the school currently involve exploring the health implications of vaping in 'super-diverse' communities, securing a 'just transition' to the use of electric vehicles in rural areas and new forms of sustainable energy more widely, examining the geographies of pet theft, identifying the impact of 'fast fashion' pollution on river environments, developing new methods of knowledge 'co-creation' with local communities and creating new strategies for migration integration and settlement.
Optional modules
Students on the MA programme have a choice of one optional module, including either a subject-specific Level 7 module from within the School of Geography, Geology and Environment or an advanced level methods module from within the School of Social, Global and Political Studies. Those with an interest with developing their repertoire of research skills will be encouraged to take a further advanced level methods module from the latter school; in contrast, those wanting exposure to subject-specific content will be directed towards a Level 7 modules in Human Geography or Environment / Sustainability and which are delivered from the School of Geography, Geology and Environment.
The optional module is worth 15 credits in total. Those following the PG Diploma or PG Certificate are not able to choose any optional modules. In 2021/22, this included the following modules, by way of example.
Rural Geographies (Masters)
The division of 'rural' and 'urban' is one of the oldest ideas in Geography, but is it still relevant today? How might it be changing and what are the consequences for those living or working in rural areas? Drawing on a range of concepts and theories relevant to rural geography and the broader discipline, this module helps you respond to such questions. Firstly, you will critically analyse how rural society and economy has changed over the last 50 years - both temporally and spatially - and the impact of these changes on rural localities and the everyday lives of those in rural areas. Then, you'll consider the ways in which national and local governments alike, as well as rural communities themselves have attempted to respond to such changes and the effectiveness of those responses.
Economic Development and Environmental Transformation (Masters)
This module introduces the sectoral, area-based, and conceptual approaches that characterise much development geography research through case-studies of global economic and environmental concerns and local resistance to transnational environmental actions. You will explore key ideas from this subdiscipline including political ecology - the study of environments as products of social action - and performative economy - the idea of economy as an abstract realm we bring into being by describing it. In doing so, you will become familiar with geographical understandings of economic and environmental history, including local resistance to 'green grabbing' and conservation.
Postcolonialism in South Asia (Masters)
Using South Asia as a case study to introduce some of the key issues within postcolonial studies, this module develops your understanding of the present-day relevance of postcolonial concepts, impacts and workings in a geographical context. It will enable you to generate a geographical framework through which to deconstruct the power structures of the past and present, both institutional and mental structures, to understand their spatial implications and expressions for landscapes and societies.
Animals and Society (Masters)
Non-human animals interact with humans on a daily basis as wildlife, livestock, food, clothing, companions, load-bearing animals, entertainment and therapy. Geography has had a pivotal role in shaping these everyday lives and deaths, and influencing these human-animal interactions and identities. Animals and Society draws from research in animal geographies to explore and understand these complex relationships across space and time.
Case Studies in Sustainability (Masters)
The ability to assimilate data, work as a team and solve problems is fundamental to any career development. In this module, you will work as a member of a team to analyse and consider scientific, political, management and ethical issues relating to problems in the environmental sustainability and green technology sectors. Reviewing several case studies and scenarios, you will increase your awareness of issues relevant to the sustainability agenda, such as waste products from standard procedures. You will also build your confidence in assessing and evaluating complex and often conflicting information.
Ethics in Research
You'll develop a critical understanding of key ethical issues in research, across academic and professional disciplines in social science, humanities and health. The focus of the module is on ethical analysis of such issues from a multidisciplinary perspective, rather than on specific regulatory and governance processes.
Advanced Qualitative Research Methods
Building on your existing knowledge, this module delivers comprehensive advanced level training in the principles and practices of qualitative social science research, investigation and data analysis. You will learn how to develop a qualitative research design, plan your methods of investigation, and analyse the data with the aid of qualitative data analysis software, receiving advanced IT training in NVivo, a leading tool for qualitative and mixed-methods data analysis.
Ethnographic Research
Ethnography is an approach to researching social life and culture that is traditionally found in the fields of anthropology and symbolic interactionism. Today, ethnographic methods are used in a broader spectrum of social science fields in order to unpack the nuance of everyday interactions. A combination of participation and observation in particular cultural settings makes ethnographic research distinct from other qualitative methods of inquiry, when seeking to understand cultural processes and individuals' roles as participants. This module has been designed to offer greater understanding of the theoretical and philosophical underpinnings of ethnographic research, as well as providing the opportunity to gain practical experience in conducting observational work.
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Sector-leading in environmental education
At Keele we're leading the sector in sustainability, not just in our ambitions to become carbon neutral by 2030 but also through our teaching and our ground-breaking research into climate change and renewable technologies.
We are proud to be named Global Sustainability Institution of the Year (International Green Gown Awards, 2021), which demonstrates our commitment to embedding sustainability into all that we do.
Entry requirements
ACADEMIC ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
Applicants should be graduates with an Honours degree (2.1 or above) in a relevant social science subject. However, applicants from different backgrounds who believe they have the capacity to undertake postgraduate work in the social sciences should contact us to discuss their situation.
Prospective applicants are strongly encouraged to view our available projects on our website, then contact and discuss research options with the Keele University staff member listed for the research area/topic of interest before making an official application. In your application documents, state clearly your preferred subject area or specific project, including potential supervisor, and your motivation and background for carrying out a project in a particular area. Please contact us if you would like to discuss options. Acceptance on the course is subject to having an agreed research project and project supervisor.
ENGLISH LANGUAGE ENTRY REQUIREMENT FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS
IELTS 6.5 with a minimum of 5.5 in each component. The University also accepts a range of internationally recognised English tests. If you do not meet the English language requirements, the University offers a range of English language preparation programmes. During your degree programme you can study additional English language courses. This means you can continue to improve your English language skills and gain a higher level of English.
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Funding
Some costs may be incurred dependent on the project: any such costs will be discussed with the student before the project is confirmed. It will be possible for the student to select an internal project and that would not incur any additional travel costs. There may be additional costs for textbooks and inter-library loans.
LIVING COSTS
Keele University is located on a beautiful campus and has all the facilities of a small town. Student accommodation, shops, restaurants and cafes are all within walking distance of the teaching buildings. This is a very cost effective way to live and to reduce your living costs.
Please note, if your course offers a January start date, the January 2023 start date falls in the 2022/23 academic year. Please see the 2022/23 academic year fees for the relevant fees for starting this course in January 2023.
Planning your funding
It's important to plan carefully for your funding before you start your course. Please be aware that not all postgraduate courses and not all students are eligible for the UK government postgraduate loans and, in some cases, you would be expected to source alternative funding yourself. If you need support researching your funding options, please contact our Financial Support Team.
Scholarships
We are committed to rewarding excellence and potential. Please visit our scholarships and bursaries webpage for more information
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Keele Sustainability Hub
Containing space for academic work and technological companies, the Sustainability Hub acts as a focus for the research into, teaching of, and management of sustainability and green technology. Renewable energy sources are integrated into these buildings, incorporating: solar thermal; solar PV; climate control and underfloor heating; smart lighting systems; rainwater harvesting; ground source heat; bio-fuel woodchip burner; and wind turbine.
Your career
In our rapidly changing world, there is significant demand for individuals with specialist knowledge and understanding of how human environments function globally and locally, able to analyse and interpret data to predict and find solutions to a range of social, political, economic and sustainable issues.
Graduating from the MA in Human Geography and Sustainability Research places you in an ideal position to work in a wide range of public, private and third sector settings, for charities, voluntary organisations, NGOs, local or national government, government agencies, multinational companies and other commercial enterprises.
You'll be able to contribute the insight required to shape environmental policy, town planning, transport, housing, environmental services and recycling, regeneration and economic development.
The transferrable skills you gain in critical thinking, problem-solving, project management, communication, leadership and creativity will equip to find work across a wide range of professions, from business and management, to systems analysis, academia, journalism or marketing.
Accredited by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), and compliant with the research training requirements for Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) PhD scholarships, the MA is an excellent route for those who wish to progress onto further study at PhD level, which a number of the School's graduates choose to do.
Roles you may find interesting:
- Academic
- Business Analyst
- Corporate responsibility and sustainability practitioner
- Civil servant (e.g. Communities, Treasury, Ministry of Defence)
- Distribution manager
- Energy assessor
- Environmental consultant
- Environmental sustainability specialist
- Flood and risk management
- International mapping officer
- Local government manager
- Project manager
- Research associate
- Senior technical manager
- Surveyor
- Sustainability consultant
- Teacher
- Technician
- Tourism manager / specialist
- Transport Planner
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Teaching, learning and assessment
How you'll be taught
The programme is delivered through a variety of learning and teaching activities designed to develop research and professional skills. This includes lectures, tutorials, workshops, seminars, practical/laboratory classes, problem-based learning, directed reading and independent study and project work, individual presentations and linked discussion.
The main focus of the programme is the research you'll participate in via the advanced traineeship and your dissertation. You'll receive regular support and feedback from your research mentors and supervisors, which may take place online or face-to-face.
You will be taught by experienced, well-qualified staff who are research-active within the discipline, accomplished at working on research-funded projects nationally and internationally, and eager to share their teaching, research and professional experience to help you achieve success in your studies.
Though there are taught components to the course, we place a strong emphasis on student-led learning and research to help develop your independent research skills. Recognising the importance of engaging first-hand with practitioners, where possible, we also invite guest speakers from industry and business to give you a real-life perspective on the topics you’re studying.
How you'll be assessed
To enable us to appraise your ability to conduct analysis and evaluate particular debates, material, and evidence, you will complete formal assessment on all modules.
Assessments for core modules are coursework-based and include, for example, essays, project reports, presentations, and extended literature reviews. The assessment on optional modules varies depending on the module, but will feature similar types of assessment. Where possible, we also try to mirror workplace activities, so you may be tasked with preparing a research proposal, mock funding or ethics applications.
The dissertation forms your main assessment. You will be paired with an academic supervisor who is an expert in your field, from within the staff here at Keele, one of our international partner institutions or an external collaborator. Together, you will work to advance your research interests, develop your individual research, writing and communications skills, conduct and then write up your research in the form of a 20,000-word dissertation.
Next Steps
Keele Postgraduate Association
Keele University is one of a handful of universities in the UK to have a dedicated students' union for postgraduate students. A fully registered charity, Keele Postgraduate Association serves as a focal point for the social life and welfare needs of all postgraduate students during their time at Keele.
Hugely popular, the KPA Clubhouse (near Horwood Hall) provides a dedicated postgraduate social space and bar on campus, where you can grab a bite to eat and drink, sit quietly and read a book, or switch off from academic life at one of the many regular events organised throughout the year. The KPA also helps to host a variety of conferences, as well as other academic and career sessions, to give you and your fellow postgraduates the opportunities to come together to discuss your research, and develop your skills and networks.
Our expertise
Teaching staff
The expertise of academic and research staff who teach on this course spans human geography, sustainability and the environment, drawing on staff not only from from the School of Geography, Geology and the Environment, but also the School of Social, Political and Global Studies. All are active within their discipline, carrying out cutting-edge research nationally and internationally on sustainable places and societies; sustainable environments (natural and built) and sustainable energy and geo-resources.
Increasingly, our research is influenced by the emerging field of sustainability and in support of the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). We receive research funding from the ESRC, The Leverhulme Trust, the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) and Cancer Research UK, amongst others. All of the staff involved with teaching on the MA are members of Keele's Institute for Sustainable Futures.
The School of Geography, Geology and the Environment prides itself on the approachability and quality of its staff and has a strong commitment to providing high-quality educational programmes.
At a subject, we are ranked among the top 20 universities in the UK for the teaching of Geography and Environmental Studies (Guardian University League Table 2022). Our undergraduate Geography courses have been placed among the top 10 UK universities for overall student satisfaction (National Student Survey 2021).
Our teaching team includes:
Professor Simon Pemberton (Programme Director), Professor of Human Geography – Simon's academic work has a strong policy application and bridges the geography-planning-public policy interface. His research interests include rural regeneration, rural and community planning, and the rescaling of the state, and has published widely in all of these areas. His main areas of specialism include the policies, politics and impacts of new immigration; the scaling of governance and policy responses for superdiverse communities; and new forms of neighbourhood planning for superdiverse communities.
Professor Clare Holdsworth, Professor of Social Geography – Head of the School, Clare is a social geographer whose work explores the temporalities and mobilities of everyday life, her latest book is titled The Social Life of Busyness (Emerald, 2021). Her research uses different methodological approaches, including secondary analysis of longitudinal data sets, biographical narrative interpretative method interviewing and creative participatory methods. She is also a textile artist and has recently started to integrate this creative practice into her research.
Professor Deirdre McKay, Professor of Social Geography and Environmental Politics – Deidre conducts research on development and migration, drawing on both social/cultural geography and social anthropology to explore people's place-based experiences of globalisation and development. She is particularly interested in stories of development, migration strategies, and people’s sense of self, examining how these phenomena are being reshaped through social media. She is the author of Global Filipinos (Indiana, 2012) and An Archipelago of Care (Indiana, 2017).
Dr Mark Lucherini, Lecturer in Human Geography – After completing his PhD, Mark worked as research fellow at the University of Edinburgh, studying young people’s use of electronic cigarettes and their impact on socio-economic health inequalities caused by smoking. He joined Keele in 2018 and continues to explore the social, cultural, embodied and spatial norms associated with e-cigarette use.
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Facilities
Based in the William Smith Building, the School of Geography, Geology and the Environment aims to provide an excellent environment for multidisciplinary teaching and research, with access to a range of essential resources, including modern computer suites, digital imaging services and library.
Promoting equality, diversity and inclusion within both the School and our programmes, we are proud holders of the Athena SWAN Bronze Award and contribute to both the University Race Equality Charter and Stonewall Workplace Equality Index.
Keele's unique self-contained campus, with over 600 acres of grounds including forests and lakes, has provided an ideal setting to establish itself as a testbed for real-world teaching, learning and research opportunities as a ‘true Living Lab’. Featured as a national best practice case study in the promotion of sustainability exchange, initiatives such as the Smart Energy Network Demonstrator and SIMULATE (Smart, Infrastructure and Mobility Urban Laboratory and Test Environment) project, contributed to Keele being named Global Sustainability Institution of the Year (International Green Gown Awards, 2020).
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