BZ5524:24
Independent Project and Thesis
| Townsville, Cairns | HECS Band 2 |
This subject requires a full year of directed study on a research topic during which period regular contact will be maintained with the project supervisor. Full year.
Available to postgraduate students enrolled in the School of Tropical Biology.
Staff: Assoc. Professor D Blair, Assoc. Professor R Coventry (Townsville campus); Assoc. Professor P Gadek (Cairns campus).
This subject constitutes a research project representing full-time study for a full year or part-time pro rata equivalent. The student’s candidature in the MSc program will follow the successful submission of a substantive piece of writing and presentation of a Confirmation of Candidature seminar in the first 3-6 months of the study.
In consultation with the supervisor of the research project for the MSc degree, candidates will design a project and prepare a research proposal. The candidate will then undertake appropriate field or laboratory work, analyse the results and report the scientific findings in a thesis. Towards the end of MSc studies, the candidate will present the research results to other students and staff in an Exit Seminar of about 20-30 minutes duration.
Some candidates may be based at an off-campus research institution, in which case arrangements will be made for joint supervision involving a staff member from the School and another from the collaborating institution.
Learning Objectives:
- gain experience of working with an established research team, which may be based inside or outside the University;
- evaluate and utilise scientific literature in a research project;
- formulate and execute a research plan;
- draw appropriate conclusions from research findings;
- present the completed work in the form of a thesis.
Assessment by a scientific thesis (100%) by two independent examiners, at least one of whom is external to the University.