Specialization Branch:
Land Planning and Management


Presentation:
The Master's in Geography (MG) aims to provide advanced training in the fields of Physical Geography and Human Geography, within the specialized domains of spatial planning and management, and of regional and local development. Its general objectives focus on the deepening of acquired knowledge in the Degree of the scientific area of Geography, or related areas, in order to provide students with the theoretical and methodological framework suitable to the development of scientific research, and to promote the autonomization of students and their closer contact with professional environments. Thus, the MG assumes, in its study plan, the possibility of students to engage in two alternative paths, a more academic path, with the development of a dissertation, and another more professional path, with the development of an internship, and the completion of the respective report, or of a project work.

Learning outcomes:
Learning outcomes focus on the deepening of theoretical, methodological, technical and empirical knowledge within the various fields of Physical Geography and Human Geography, emphasizing those research areas with an application to land planning and management, as well as to regional and local development. Therefore, it is intended to convey to students the latest perspectives and approaches on the factors, agents and processes (of natural, social, economic, cultural, political and administrative character) that shape and transform the spatial organization, at various scales. These outcomes and the measurement of their degree of fulfilment translate, on the one hand, into the strong practical component of the course, which allows to consolidate spatial analysis skills, to strengthen the methodological and technical capacities in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and in remote sensing, and to develop and apply knowledge on key methodological and instrumental tools of planning. On the other hand, a greater importance is given to students' autonomous work, in order to strengthen the scientific research skills initiated in the 1st Cycle, particularly with regard to critical thinking and innovation skills. In parallel, DGEO periodically organizes extracurricular training courses designed to expand students' skills, especially the ones related to spatial analysis and GIS ('GPS: principles of operation and use', in 2014; 'Spatial Analysis - GIS', 'Exploration of OpenStreetMap data', and 'ArcGIS Online', in 2012), and also those focusing on the development of soft skills ('Application of soft skills and tools', in 2013 and 2012).

Teaching methodologies:
As this is a graduate course, most of the CU adopts, on the one hand, active teaching methodologies, student centered, drawing on students’ participation in class by means of debates, and oral presentation and discussion; and favors, on the other hand, methodologies for independent work, by developing practical individual or group projects. All CU seek to encourage autonomous research and analysis, as well as the application of acquired theoretical, methodological and technical knowledge.
Throughout the course, and especially in both CU of 'Research Seminar' and 'Follow-up Seminar', the developed work is intended to familiarize students with scientific activity methods and, at the same time, to make known various themes of research that can be pursued. Research skills deepening (literature research and review; theme problematization and research question formulation; collection and treatment of primary and secondary data; (carto)graphic communication of results; and, scientific and academic writing) is cross-cutting, whether students choose to develop a Master’s dissertation or complete an Internship Report. Some dissertations are developed within the scope of the supervisors’ research projects. Students present their research in events organized for this purpose by DGEO and the students’association GeoPlanUM (namely, the Scientific Capacity Show, and the Master´s in Geography Meeting), as well as in the journal edited by this association.

Location:
Universidade do Minho
Campus de Azurém
Guimarães

Duration of the study programme:
2 years/4 semestres

Contacts:
Head of the Master Study Programme: Profª. Doutora Virgínia Teles
Telephone: 253 510 560
Email: sec@geografia.uminho.pt

Specific entry requirements:
Are eligible for entrance in the Master in Geography:
a) Holders of Geography degree or equivalent areas as well as Planning, Social Sciences, Earth Sciences; History, Architecture, and other related fields;

b) Holders of a foreign academic degree conferred after a 1st cycle of studies in Geography organized according to the principles of Bologna Process by a signatory country;

c) Holders of a foreign academic degree that is recognized as fulfilling the goals of a degree in Geography by the Scientific Institute of Social Sciences Council;

d) Holders of an academic, scientific or professional curriculum that is recognized as attesting the capacity to accomplish this cycle of studies by the Scientific Council of the Institute of Social Sciences.

Vacancies:
12 as the minimum number of students and 35 as the maximum.

Schedule:
Monday to Thursday from 6pm to 9pm in case of optional UC, or 6pm to 10 pm in case of compulsory UC. Fridays from 2pm to 9 pm.

Internship:
The study plan provides the opportunity for students to develop an Internship Report, equivalent to the Dissertation, if they wish to engage in an academic internship during the 4th semester of the course.

Application:
At the University of Minho website:
http://alunos.uminho.pt/candidaturasPG


Application dates:
a) 1st phase : May 17th to June 8th;
b) 2nd phase (leftover vacancies): July 10th to July 20th;
c) 3rd phase (leftover vacancies): August 28th to September 7th.

Updated information at the ‘Instituto de Ciências Sociais’ website:
https://www.ics.uminho.pt/pt/Estudar/Mestrados/Documents/Mestrado_Geog_Edital.pdf

Plano de Estudos:

1st Year/1st Semester
        Geographies of Development (7.5 ECTS)
        Spatial Analysis and Modelling in Geographic Information Systems (7.5 ECTS)
        Administrative Organisation Law (5 ECTS) - Optional
        Water Basins Management and Planning (5 ECTS) - Optional
        Tourism and Planning (5 ECTS) - Optional
        Telematics and Local Development (5 ECTS) - Optional
        Territorial Analysis (5 ECTS) – Optional

1st Year/2nd Semester
        Planning Assessment Methodologies (7.5 ECTS)
        Landscape Ecology (7.5 ECTS)
        Research Seminar (5 ECTS)
        Economics and Regional Policy (5 ECTS) - Optional
        Urban Environment (5 ECTS) - Optional
        Social Perspectives and Territory (5 ECTS) - Optional 
        Natural Hazards Assessment and Management (5 ECTS) – Optional

2nd Year/3rd Semester
        Follow­up Seminar (10 ECTS)

2nd Year/4th Semester
        Dissertation/Project Work/Internship Report (50 ECTS)

        Notes: 
        - Students enroll up to three optional Credit Units in the 1st curricular year – 1st semester, among the offer available.
        - Students enroll up to two optional Credits Units in the 1st curricular year – 2nd semester, among the offer available.