Study information

Summer Vacation Project - 2021 entry

MODULE TITLESummer Vacation Project CREDIT VALUE30
MODULE CODECSM3379 MODULE CONVENERDr Sam Hughes (Coordinator)
DURATION: TERM 1 2 3
DURATION: WEEKS 11 11 0
Number of Students Taking Module (anticipated) 30
DESCRIPTION - summary of the module content

The Summer Vacation Project (SVP) represents your opportunity to show off all the skills you learned during the first two years of your Geology degree programme. As an SVP student you will spend part the summer between the second and third year of your degree doing: (1) an independent geological mapping exercise, (2) a placement with a company, (3) a  research project or (4) a desk-based project. You must submit up to four elements for assessment, including a report in Term 2. The SVP is an experience of a lifetime and is a fitting conclusion to those following a BSc route in Geology at the University of Exeter.

AIMS - intentions of the module
The Summer Vacation Project allows the student to demonstrate their ability to undertake independent project work involving the collection, analysis and presentation of geological data (or equivalent data from a discipline that overlaps with geology). Students generally undertake data collection for a minimum of 24 days during the summer vacation between their second and third year, as part of a geological mapping exercise, but it can instead involve a field-based research project, a placement  with an appropriate geoscience, environmental, engineering or minerals industry company or a desk-based project. The project should normally allow students to develop the knowledge and skills introduced during one or more of the modules taken during years 1 and 2.
 
INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES (ILOs) (see assessment section below for how ILOs will be assessed)

On successful completion of this module, you should be able to:

Module Specific Skills and Knowledge:

1 Collect and interpret data (precise nature dependent upon the project undertaken);

Discipline Specific Skills and Knowledge:

2 Synthesise data from different sources, scales and disciplines into coherent, models of geological evolution;

3 Apply geological and related knowledge/skills to provide solutions to issues in resource, engineering and environmental geoscience (dependent on nature of project);

Personal and Key Transferable/ Employment Skills and Knowledge:

4 Plan projects and effectively manage your time;

5 Demonstrate research skills such as efficient utilisation of information retrieval services;

6 Produce technical reports.

SYLLABUS PLAN - summary of the structure and academic content of the module

The nature of the module dictates that a formal syllabus plan is not appropriate.

LEARNING AND TEACHING
LEARNING ACTIVITIES AND TEACHING METHODS (given in hours of study time)
Scheduled Learning & Teaching Activities 18 Guided Independent Study 282 Placement / Study Abroad 0
DETAILS OF LEARNING ACTIVITIES AND TEACHING METHODS
Category Hours of study time Description
Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities 12 Contact time with Supervisors
Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities 6 Group Tutorials: mapping skills, poster/figure making/report writing and presentation
Guided Independent Study 282 Private Study

 

ASSESSMENT
FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT - for feedback and development purposes; does not count towards module grade
Formative feedback will be provided regularly by SVP supervisor.
 
A formative feedback submission point will exist for a draft version of the report for the Mapping Project, Industrial Placement and Research project (late in Term 1).
 
SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT (% of credit)
Coursework 100 Written Exams 0 Practical Exams 0
DETAILS OF SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT
Form of Assessment % of Credit Size of Assessment (e.g. duration/length) ILOs Assessed Feedback Method
Assessment Strategy, determined by nature of project:
Mapping Project
Notebooks/Fieldslips 20 Appropriate to area mapped 1, 4
Marking proforma
Interpretive Geological map 20 10-12 km2 1-6
Marking proforma
Mapping Report 60 Max. 65 pages 1-6
Marking proforma
 
Industrial Placement/Research Project
Field notebook/lab book/work diary 20   1, 3, 4 Marking proforma
Poster 20 A1 poster 1-6 Marking proforma
Technical Report 60 Max. 85 pages 1-6 Marking proforma
         
Desk-top study        
Poster 20 A1 poster 1-6 Marking proforma
Draft report 20 Min. 20 pages 1-6 Marking proforma
Technical report 60 Max. 85 pages 1-6 Marking proforma

 

 

DETAILS OF RE-ASSESSMENT (where required by referral or deferral)
Original Form of Assessment Form of Re-assessment ILOs Re-assessed Time Scale for Re-reassessment
Summative Assessment Additional Assessment As Above August Ref/Def Period

 

RE-ASSESSMENT NOTES

As above, one piece of Coursework (100%).

RESOURCES
INDICATIVE LEARNING RESOURCES - The following list is offered as an indication of the type & level of
information that you are expected to consult. Further guidance will be provided by the Module Convener

Basic Reading:

ELE: http://vle.exeter.ac.uk/

Reading list for this module:

Type Author Title Edition Publisher Year ISBN
Set Coe, A. Geological Field Techniques Wiley-Blackwell
Set Lisle, R.J., Brabham, P. and Barnes, J.W. Basic Geological Mapping 5th Geological Society of London Handbook Series, Wiley-Blackwell 2011
Set McClay, K. The Mapping of Geological Structures Geological Society of London Handbook Series, Wiley-Blackwell 1987
Set Jerram, D. and Petford, N. The Field Description of Igneous Rocks Geological Society of London Handbook Series, Wiley-Blackwell 2011
Set Tucker, M.E. Sedimentary Rocks in the Field Wiley-Blackwell 2011
Set Passchier, C.W., Myers, J.S. and Kroner, A. Field Geology of High-Grade Gneiss Terrains Springer-Verlag, Berlin 1990
Set Fry, N. The Field Description of Metamorphic Rocks Open University Press 1995
Set Marjoribanks, R. Geological Methods in Mineral Exploration and Mining 2nd Chapman & Hall 2010
CREDIT VALUE 30 ECTS VALUE 15
PRE-REQUISITE MODULES CSM1035, CSM1036, CSM2182, CSM2183, CSM2184, CSM2312
CO-REQUISITE MODULES
NQF LEVEL (FHEQ) 6 AVAILABLE AS DISTANCE LEARNING No
ORIGIN DATE Thursday 6th July 2017 LAST REVISION DATE Friday 10th September 2021
KEY WORDS SEARCH Geological Mapping; Industrial Placement; Research Project

Please note that all modules are subject to change, please get in touch if you have any questions about this module.