REGULATIONS FOR THE MASTER OF EDUCATION DEGREE IN GEOGRAPHY AND ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION (EDU17)

Duration:                       11/2 years

Actual Credit Load       288 credits

Minimum Credit Load:    270 credits

Maximum Credit Load:    330 credits

Total MBKS Credit Load:  234 credits

ZNQF Level:                   9

1.0   PURPOSE OF THE PROGRAMME

To prepare highly specialised personnel for higher education, government departments and non-governmental organisations who have research and innovation skills.

2.0   ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

Normal Entry:

Normal Entry: BSc Education, Bachelor of Education Degree, or BSc with Post Graduate Diploma in Education, Graduate Diploma in Education, Grad CE, PGDTE or equivalent from accredited and recognized institutions. 

PROGRAMME CHARACTERISTICS

Areas of Study:

Geography and Environmental Education

Specialist Focus:

Science-based Geographical Enquiry

Orientation:

Pedagogical issues, research and innovation, problem solving

4.0   CAREER OPPORTUNITIES AND FURTHER EDUCATION

Employability:

Graduates can be employed as teachers, lecturers, education inspectors, training officers, consultants, researchers, and environmental officers.

Further Studies:

Doctoral studies in Geography Education and /or Environmental Education

5.0   PROGRAMME DELIVERY

Teaching and Learning Methods:

Lectures, tutorials, laboratory classes, seminars, group work, farm-based activities, industrial visits, micro-teaching, teaching practice, research projects, individual independent study, and virtual and online learning.

Level 1 Semester 1

Code	Module Description	Credits
MICT732	Advanced Information Communication Technology in Education	18
MED741	Advanced Research Methods and Statistics	18
MSEGE701	Trends in Geography and Environmental Education	18
MSEGE702	Climate Change and Sustainable Development	18

Level 1 Semester 2

Code	Module Description	Credits
MED743	Gender Discourse in Education	18
MSEGE703	Curriculum and Pedagogical Issues in Geography and Environmental Education	18
MSEGE704	Aspects of Population Geography	18
FMED132	Financial Management in Educational Institutions	18
MSEGE705	Environmental Systems and Hazards	18

Level 2 Semester 1

Code	Module Description	Credits
MSEGE706	Advanced Geographical Techniques	18
MSEGE707	Urban Environments and Sustainability	18
MSEGE708	Measurement and Evaluation in Geography and Environmental Education	18
MED744	Dissertation

 

MODULE SYNOPSES

MICT732: Advanced Information Communication Technology in Education

This module helps students acquire advanced specialist theoretical and practical knowledge of ICTs in educational environments. The topics covered include Models of ICT curriculum integration, educational ICT policy development, current and emerging issues in digital learning, contemporary learning design theories and frameworks, and framing assessment within 21st-century contexts, ICT in educational research, among others.

MED741: Advanced Research Methods and Statistics

The module develops postgraduate students’ knowledge in the following areas of educational research: the different philosophical orientations in research; research paradigms; theoretical and conceptual frameworks; research designs; data collection methodologies; advanced quantitative and qualitative data analysis techniques; as well as discussion of findings and making conclusions. The module also introduces students to significant educational research problems whose resolution have the potential to contribute to knowledge in educational areas such as pedagogy and assessment, as well as in sustainable development issues such as health, poverty eradication, environmental awareness, etc.

MSEGE701: Trends in Geography and Environmental Education

The module explores the dialectical development of geographical and environmental thought and the current trends that characterize the discipline and its content up to the 21st century such as Geography in space, place and time. The relevance of Geographical paradigms such as Environmentalism; Spatial Analysis/Positivism; Cultural Geography; and Radical Geography are critiqued.

MSEGE702: Climate Change and Sustainable Development

The module offers students investigative techniques on natural and man-made climate change over time including greenhouse effects, tectonic climate forcing, astronomic (Milankovich) cycles, deep ocean circulation, and biological feedback as central. The focus is on modelling and understanding the impact of our carbon footprints on sustainable living and socio-economic development. Thus, the module focuses on understanding the symbiotic between climate and development, i.e., how climate has an impact on development and how development also impacts climate change. Focus is also on the achievement of MDGs, SDGs, basic tenets of green economies and their implications to Zimbabwe, SADC and the wider world. Contextual problem-solving and multi-disciplinary thinking will be emphasised.

MED743: Gender Discourse in Education

The module explores fundamental perspectives in Gender Studies to address historical gender inequalities in society and Education in particular. It inculcates a critical analysis of the concept of gender, its historical development and ideologies that perpetuate gender differences. The module explores implications for sustainable development goals on gender, education and development. It also explores gender inequalities in STEM as one of the pillars of development.

MSEGE703: Curriculum and Pedagogical Issues in Geography and Environmental Education

The module covers such aspects as introduction to curriculum perspectives, quality of Geography education, ways of achieving quality education, evaluation, and citizenship education, notion of development over time, curriculum theory, development and implementation and analysis of the current Geography curriculum in Zimbabwe.

MSEGE704: Aspects of Population Geography

This module examines historical and contemporary issues in the population that are topical and the basis of most socio-economic problems in society. It focuses on how populations have been understood across time and space and the critical geographic approaches that examine trends in the population at different scales (local, state, and global) and other various issues (fertility, mortality, borders and migration, labour etc).

MSEGE705: Environmental Systems and Hazards

The module focuses on both natural and human-induced hazards and their impacts on people and property. Different types of hazards such as geological hazards, atmospherically induced hazards, hydrological hazards, biological hazards, epidemics, and technological hazards are analysed, the impact on society evaluated and solutions proffered.

MSEGE706: Advanced Geographical Techniques

The module offers an advanced study in computer-based techniques for storage, retrieval, analysis and representation of spatially referenced data. Emphasis is placed on the use of GIS technology to solve geographic problems associated with mapping natural and human-induced hazards, and environmental impact assessment, as well as remote sensing techniques.

MSEGE707 Urban Environments and Sustainability

The module provides an in-depth analysis of issues relating to urbanization, urban growth and urban planning, migration, and globalization. Furthermore, the module looks at the macro perspective of examining urban systems and related policy issues as well as the micro perspectives that focus on urban problems associated with the economy, shelter, service delivery, poverty, and local governance.

MSEGE708: Curriculum and Pedagogical Issues in Geography and Environmental Education                                                                                 

The module examines the current geography curriculum in Zimbabwe in terms of relevance and consistency with developments in the field of geography and the environment. Contemporary issues in geography and environmental education pedagogy, e.g., problem-solving; cognitively guided instruction; analysis of learners’ thinking; evidence-informed practice; etc. as platforms for instructional decisions and teachers’ development of pedagogical content knowledge are also explored.

FMED732: Financial Management in Educational Institutions

The module introduces financial management practices followed in schools and other educational institutions across Faculty disciplines. It considers basic accounting concepts and conventions, including the double entry system of recording business transactions, preparation of general-purpose financial statements, bank reconciliation statements, and skills of budgeting and budgetary control as well as accounting requirements of Treasury Instructions such as the School Services Fund, the General-Purpose Fund and School Development Association Funds.

MED744: Dissertation

A dissertation is a research study carried out over two semesters by each postgraduate student under the guidance of a supervisor. Students apply their knowledge and skills in conducting research on contemporary educational and social issues in their area of specialisation. Students are encouraged to conduct research which has the potential to contribute to knowledge and policies in education, and in social issues such as poverty, disaster and risk management, environmental conservation, etc. Students are expected to produce and submit a dissertation that meets the standards of research work at the Master’s Level.