Environmental Research Project

Course Coordinator: Dr. Emily Wong, BChinMed HKU, PhD HKU

Introduction
ENVR S888F Environmental Research Project is an important course for students taking the Master of Science in Global Environmental Management for Sustainable Development. Students are required to complete the research project as the final course of the programme. The University's academic staff in S&T will supervise students on the project, while industry professionals with relevant experience in the research topics may also serve as co-supervisors. Tutorial sessions will be held regularly for students to meet with their project supervisors. Students may also communicate with their supervisors at other times through email and by phone.

Aims
The aim of the project course is to enable students to integrate the knowledge and skills gained from other courses of the programme to perform an independent research on environmental management and sustainable development.

Contents
The course has no conventional course materials. However, the reading of referred scientific materials available in journals and reference books, as recommended by supervisors, may be required. This course will enable students to reveal problems yet to be tackled in environmental management and sustainable development, and understand the directions scholars are taking to find solutions. A typical research project requires students to collect, analyse and evaluate appropriate and relevant data, thus enhancing their understanding and awareness of the related issues and helping them generate new ideas to solve the problem concerned.

Learning outcomes
Upon completion of this course, students should be able to:

1. identify research issues, from a given area of study, that might be improved or resolved;
2. formulate research hypotheses based on sound scientific questions;
3. structure a set of aims and objectives for the research project, choose appropriate scientific methodologies and design a work plan;
4. select the relevant tools and information from knowledge and experience to tackle the research issues; and
5. present environmental management theories and research findings in an oral presentation and written reports.

Course contents

1. Initial report (research issue, aim, objectives, hypothesis and methodology, etc.)
2. Progress report and discussion
3. Interim report
4. Final project presentation
5. Final report

Assessment
Course assessment includes three written reports and an oral presentation, detailed as follows:

1. Initial report (20%) — giving the project background and a critical appraisal of relevant literature defining the project proposal, and setting out a detailed project plan (about 2,000 words)
2. Interim report (20%) — outlining the progress made, elaborating on the project plan, and including the methods of investigation used and a brief outline of the final report (3,000 to 4,000 words)
3. Final report (40%) — having full details of the project results, conclusions and the importance of the conclusions (10,000 to 15,000 words)
4. Oral presentation of the final report (20%)