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2020/2021

Degree Project

Code: 101620 ECTS Credits: 6
Degree Type Year Semester
2501002 Geography and Spatial Planning OB 4 0
The proposed teaching and assessment methodology that appear in the guide may be subject to changes as a result of the restrictions to face-to-face class attendance imposed by the health authorities.

Contact

Name:
Montserrat Solsona Pairó
Email:
Montse.Solsona@uab.cat

Use of Languages

Principal working language:
catalan (cat)
Some groups entirely in English:
No
Some groups entirely in Catalan:
Yes
Some groups entirely in Spanish:
No

Prerequisites

1) The student can enroll in the TFG once they have passed a minimum of 160 credits from the first three years of the Degree, which correspond to 2/3 of the total of credits of the syllabus (240) established by the academic regulations.

2) It is recommended that the student enroll in the TFG once he has begun to think and reflect on thematic or geographic issues that he would like to work and that, in addition, considers feasible to study during the months of elaboration of the TFG. (The Methodology explains how assigning subjects and tutors will be done)

3) Students are encouraged to enroll in the TFG when they have enough time to be able to read and write reflectively, autonomously and synthetically on questions of their geographic interest. It is recommended to know the following languages: Catalan, English and Spanish.

Objectives and Contextualisation

The university regulations regarding the organization of official university education (RD 1393/2007) stipulate that undergraduate studies will have to be concluded in the last year with the elaboration of a Final Degree Project (TFG).

The objective of the TFG is the realization by the students of an individual work - theoretical or applied - that demonstrates the ability to integrate various knowledge acquired throughout their training in the Degree. These training aspects must be completed with the oral presentation  the results obtained.

The TFG must have an academic document format written with, among others, the following characteristics:

1-. In its final version, an extension of 8,000 to 10,000 words (maximum 30 pages). Previously, a document with an Introduction to the TFG (2,000 words, 5 pages) will be delivered.
2-. A bibliography, hemerography and webography.
3-. Cartographic, statistical, photographic, audiovisual, etc. annexes.

For more details on the formal aspects of the TFG, see the bibliography.

Competences

  • Analysing and interpreting demographic problems.
  • Analysing and interpreting environmental problems.
  • Analysing and interpreting landscapes.
  • Analysing and interpreting urban problems.
  • Applying fieldwork methods and techniques in order to acquire a direct knowledge of the territory.
  • Developing analysis, summary and communication strategies in order to communicate Geography in educational settings.
  • Mastering the different forms of management and acquisition of geographic information as interpretation tools of territory, and maps and Earth observation imagery in particular.
  • Mastering the necessary theoretical knowledge in order to pose geographical problems in an integrated way and combining a generalist approach with a specialised analysis.
  • Producing innovative and competitive proposals in research and professional activity.
  • Students must be capable of applying their knowledge to their work or vocation in a professional way and they should have building arguments and problem resolution skills within their area of study.
  • Students must be capable of collecting and interpreting relevant data (usually within their area of study) in order to make statements that reflect social, scientific or ethical relevant issues.
  • Students must be capable of communicating information, ideas, problems and solutions to both specialised and non-specialised audiences.
  • Students must develop the necessary learning skills in order to undertake further training with a high degree of autonomy.

Learning Outcomes

  1. Analysing and interpreting environmental problems using geographical information systems.
  2. Analysing and interpreting landscapes using quantitative and qualitative methodology.
  3. Analysing the main dynamics of today's world from a geographical point of view.
  4. Applying fieldwork methods and techniques in order to acquire a direct knowledge of the physical and human interrelationships taking place in the territory.
  5. Carrying out oral presentations using an appropriate academic vocabulary and style.
  6. Classifying problems related to the various demographic phenomena.
  7. Classifying the different acquisition methods of geographical information as tools for landscape interpretation.
  8. Combining fieldwork methods and techniques in order to acquire a direct knowledge of the physical and human interrelationships taking place in the territory.
  9. Combining fieldwork methods and techniques in order to acquire a direct knowledge of the physical environment.
  10. Communicating the main theoretical concepts of geographical knowledge in educational settings.
  11. Contrasting and comparing relevant geographical data.
  12. Contrasting and comparing the different interpretations of the demographic and migratory phenomena in educational settings.
  13. Defining the environmental problems in order to understand global change.
  14. Describing and interpreting changes to the landscape. 
  15. Describing the main characteristics in general of the contemporary city, and specially in metropolitan regions. 
  16. Describing the migration processes on different regional scales.
  17. Describing the various methods of geographical information retrieval as production and interpretation tools of maps.
  18. Distinguishing the different acquisition methods of geographical information as interpretation tools for the economic, social and cultural variables.
  19. Effectively communicating and applying the argumentative and textual processes to formal and scientific texts.
  20. Engaging in geographical debates respecting the other participants' opinions.
  21. Explaining the environmental problems in order to deepen in the territorial diagnosis and changes in the landscape.
  22. Identifying urban problems when taking decisions about spatial planning. 
  23. Interpreting the environmental problems of spatial planning.
  24. Mastering the various forms of acquisition of geographical information as tools for territorial planing.
  25. Posing problems about physical, economic, social and cultural diversity of territories applying knowledge of regional geography.
  26. Posing problems related to the management of resources and territory.
  27. Producing an individual work that specifies the work plan and timing of activities.
  28. Solving problems autonomously.
  29. Summarising acquired knowledge about the origin and transformations experienced in its several fields of study.
  30. Understanding the physical and human relationships from the direct knowledge of the territory.

Content

The Initial Proposal (brief Introduction) to be delivered by the student at the end of February to the tutor will have the following characteristics:

Extension: 2,000 words, 5 pages

-Contents: provisional title / objectives / research questions / methodology / basic reference bibliography / provisional index of its sections.

 

The final written TFG must have an original title and subtitle (maximum 20 words in total) and should be structured around the following contents *:

a) Introduction with working hypotheses and approach of the objectives of the TFG.

b) Development of the topic of study, with the theoretical and epistemological approach and / or state of the question, the methods and techniques used, and a critical discussion of the results obtained.

c) Conclusions: with personal reflections and possible future work paths in the field studied.

d) List with detailed references to materials, documents, bibliography, hemerography, statistical sources, cartographic resources, images, etc., used in the preparation of the TFG.

e) Abstracts: Catalan, Spanish and English, maximum 250 words per summary, with the description of the type of work carried out and a brief review of its main results.

* It is essential to cite the sources of data and information in all sections of the TFG.

 

The public oral presentation will consist of the defense of the TFG before a tribunal formed by 3 people, of which the tutor / a of the work will be part.

The presentation will last a maximum of 20 minutes.

We recommend a number of slides of no more than 15 and comply with the relevant sections of the TFG:

- Objectives / hypotheses

- Theoretical and conceptual framework

- Methods and techniques

- Main results

- Conclusions or Final reflections

Methodology

 The TFG hasdifferent types of training activities:

* Directed activities: by the coordinator of the subject. Includes the presentation of the planning of the TFG throughout the course and the stage of selection of the subject of the work by the students.

* Supervised activities: follow-up by tutor of the preparation of the TFG, in accordance with the initial approach of the work and of the programmed tasks.

* Autonomous activities: personal work of the students oriented to follow the work plan agreed with the tutor in the framework of the teaching guide of the subject and the current regulations. Search for data, documents, materials, information, etc. Analysis of data, documents, materials, information, etc. Drafts drafting as well as the final version of the TFG.

The calendar for the 2019-20 academic year is:

Enrolment, July / September 2020

Exhibition of subjects and period of election

     Publication of the list of topics and tutors, October 15, 2020
     Preferences, subjects and tutor, from October 16 to 31
     Assignment tutor and subject, November 19
     Period review, November 19 to 22

First student interview & tutor, November 26 to December 13, 2020


Development of TFG and supervision:
        Student: Delivery Introduction, February 28, 2021
        Tutor: Assessment by rubrics, March 14, 2021
        Tutor: Follow-up report, April 30, 2021

 Delivery of the final written work, June 5, 2021

 Oral presentation of the work, June 14 to 18, 2021

 Publication final notes, July 1, 2021

 Review of qualifications, 1-3July 2021

 Closing of Evaluation minutes, July 8, 2021

 

 

Characteristics of the various stages:

a) Election of the TFG theme:

Once the list of topics and teaching staff is published, each student may request a maximum of three subjects, in order of preference.

Exceptionally, the student can propose a subject. He should present it to the coordinator, with a title and a justification document (maximum 250 words). The coordinator will evaluate the proposal with consultations to the department's teaching staff.

b) Assignment of tutors and first interview:

The general criteria for assigning students to topics and tutors are:

    Respect the student's preferences manifested in their request.
    Balance the distribution of the number of students by tutor.
    Average record of the file

c) Supervision and development

Monitoring and monitoring is mandatory. Each student will have to agree with their tutor the exact calendar of the joint work sessions in view of the academic obligations of the tutor and their own. Any problem present at this stage will be communicated to the Coordinator of the TFG, who will do the necessary steps to solve it.

d) Deliveries

The student who for some reason does not see possible to present the TFG will have to communicate to the Coordinator his decision before May 15.

 

Stages and calendar of the extraordinary call for the month of January (only for repeating students)

Students enrolled for the second time or more in the TFG will have the option of presenting themselves to an assessment on January, 2021. In this case, preferably with the subject and tutor chosen in the previous academic year (2020-21). They must communicate their decision to the Coordinator of the TFG no later than October 31, 2020.Deadline for delivery January 10, 2021. Closure of acts February 21, 2021. Students enrolled in the TFG for the second time that they do not present it in the January call would adjust to the calendar and procedures indicated for all students.

 

If the oral presentation cannot be taken onsite, they will be adapted to an online format made available through the UAB’s virtual tools (original weighting will be maintained). Tutorial sessions will be carried out through Teams, etc. Lecturers will ensure that students are able to access these virtual tools, or will offer them feasible alternatives.

 

 

 

 

Activities

Title Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Type: Directed      
Introduction of the TFG 10 0.4 3, 13, 29
Type: Supervised      
Tutorial 5 0.2 3, 11, 27, 28
Type: Autonomous      
Documentary research, field work, data collection 80 3.2 2, 1, 3, 4, 6, 10, 12, 30, 13, 16, 14, 15, 21, 5, 22, 23, 29
Analysis, interpretation and writing 55 2.2 2, 7, 6, 8, 9, 11, 30, 18, 24, 26, 25

Assessment

It is essential to pass the TFG to submit the aforementioned documents (introduction and final written work) and make the oral presentation within the established deadlines, because the opposite implies a "non-evaluable". The enrolled student who does not present the TFG in the month of June, will be able to present it in a call in January of the following academic year. In this case, you will have to re-enroll in the subject.

The public presentation and exhibition is compulsory and will consist of the oral defense of the TFG before a court, which will be part of who will tutor the work that he must first give his approval.

TFG can not be done in a group since the academic norms of the UAB establish in its article 119.4. that "the evaluation of the work will always be individual, although the activity has been elaborated collectively". Therefore, the presentation and defense of the will always be individual.

The TFG does not have a re-evaluation, in accordance with current regulations. There is only one call.

The TFG is excluded from the compensation compensation mechanism as specified in article 122 of the Academic Regulations of the UAB. The evaluation by compensation is a mechanism that allows the compensation of qualifications between subjects of a degree and that is regulated in the Normativa acadèmica de la UAB.


In accordance with article 116 of the "Academic Regulations" approved and modified by the Governing Council of the UAB on March 19, 2015, the teaching guide must establish the criteria for assigning a non-evaluable one. In the case of the TFG, the enrolled students who have not given the teaching staff any kind of learning evidence during the course are considered "non-evaluable". Therefore, if, for example, a student enrolls and gives teachers related to this subject any learning evidence related to the TFG (eg in February the TFG Introduction) but does not deliver the global text of the TFG, yes which will be considered evaluable and will receive a rating.

Qualification

The grades used in the TFG will be those of scale 0-10, with a single decimal.

General criteria to consider in the evaluation and qualification of the TFG:

    Participation and contribution to tutorials
    Coherence in the initial approach of the TFG (Writing of Introduction)
    Relationship between the writing of Introduction to the TFG and the document with the final text of the TFG
    Originality of ideas in the context of geography
    Good structuring of the parts.
    Contribution to the creation of geographic knowledge and personal contributions of the student
    Methodological correction
    Integration of theoretical and applied knowledge
    Adaptation of the interpretation of results and conclusions
    Linguistic correction and clarity of written and oral expression
    Adaptation of the oral presentation to the document delivered as written work
    Proper use of the bibliography as well as other sources of information and geographic data

 

For the assignment of the mark of each of the three components of the continuous assessment, the Evaluation by rubrics will be followed, which will be published in Moodle at the beginning of the course.

The TFG will be evaluated according to the following criteria: Assessment of the Introduction: 10%, Assessment of written work: 60%. i Evaluation of the public oral presentation: 30%

Given the peculiarity of the TFG, for the award of the "Honor Matrícula" the degree will designate a commission (that can agree with the teaching staff of the Teaching Committee) that takes into account in a 75% the note of the TFG and in 25% of the student's record of the last two courses (3rd and 4th).

The student may request an ordinary review of the note with the coordinator. The review of the coordinator must be personal and individualized and before the closing date of the TFG minutes. The student can ask the coordinator for a copy of the evaluations that the tutor has done on the work and the other two members of the court (These copies of the reports are the documentary evidence required to request the extraordinary review). Once the review has been made and the student's allegations heard, the coordinator, in agreement with the tutor, can maintain or modify the note.

The copy or plagiarism of material, documents, publications, etc. In the TFG it will assume a zero rating. Remember that a work that reproduces all or part of the work of a partner is considered a "copy". "Plagiarism" is the fact of presenting all or part of an author's text as its own, without citing the sources, whether in paper or in digital format. See UAB documentation on "plagiarism" at: http://wuster.uab.es/web_argumenta_obert/unit_20/sot_2_01.html

The TFG protocol of the Faculty of Arts of 15.02.2017 recommends the publication in the UAB Digital Repository of all TFGs with a final mark equal to or greater than 9. In order to be able to publish it, The student must sign and submit to the TFG coordinator the consent document prepared by the Humanities Library.

In the event of a student committing any irregularity that may lead to a significant variation in the grade awarded to an assessment activity, the student will be given a zero for this activity, regardless of any disciplinary process that may take place. In the event of several irregularities in assessment activities of the same subject, the student will be given a zero as the final grade for this subject.

Assessment Activities

Title Weighting Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Oral presentation 30% 0 0 2, 1, 3, 4, 7, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 30, 13, 17, 16, 14, 15, 18, 24, 27, 21, 19, 5, 22, 23, 20, 26, 25, 28, 29
Proposal (bref Introduction) 10% 0 0 8, 18, 25
Writing 60% 0 0 2, 1, 3, 6, 10, 11, 13, 17, 16, 14, 15, 21, 19, 22, 23, 20, 29

Bibliography

BLUNT, Alison & SOUCH, Catherine (2008) Publishing in Geography. A Guide for New Researchers, Londres: RGS & IBG, 1ª edició (disponible de franc a www.rgs.org).

BLUNT, Alison; NASH, Fiona; HATFIELD, Madelaine & SOUCH, Catherine (2015) Publishing and Getting Read. A Guide for Researchers in Geography, Londres: RGS & IBG, 3ª edició (disponible de franc a www.rgs.org).

Consells pràctics per redactar el treball de final de grau: http://www.upc.edu/slt/comcomunicar/files/consells_escrita_ca.pdf

GONZÁLEZ, Juana Mª; LEÓN, Ana; PEÑALBA, Mercedes (2014) Cómo escribir un Trabajo de Fin de Grado. Algunas experiencias y consejos prácticos, Madrid: Editorial Síntesis.

MENDIZABAL, Enric "Escriure Geografia a la Universitat" , guia de llenguatge científic http://pagines.uab.cat/cal/content/llengua-especialitzada