Research Dissertation
Your dissertation contributes one third of your marks for the programme, and is your springboard into a career in Ecosystem Services. As such, we put great emphasis on developing the skills you will need to complete an interesting and cutting-edge piece of research. We do this through skills training as part of the core courses, the field trip and a set of workshops on research skills which run throughout the year.
An academic closely involved with the programme will supervise your dissertation, but we also encourage you to develop links outside the University. Our network of partner organisations provide a broad set of contacts for developing such opportunities, but students are also encouraged and supported to develop new links. By working with organisations in the private and public sector, or involved in advocacy or policy formation, the dissertation can become the starting point for a career in Ecosystem Services.
We normally have extra funding available to support dissertations in various fields.
Ecosystem Services Dissertation Fund
To help make the most of your dissertation, we are pleased to offer additional funding to support associated fieldwork expenses. This funding is awarded competitively each year, based on the strength of your research proposal, and the maximum award is £1,500 per student. The fund is known as "The Derek & Maureen Moss Ecosystem Services Dissertation Fund" which has been created thanks to their donation.
In addition, there is extra funding available to Ecosystem Services students working on dissertations that link poverty alleviation and ecosystem services, in particular to promote the dissemination of such research outside of academia.
Collaborations with organisations
In the past, students have worked on projects in collaboration with the following organisations:
- Ecometrica
- LTS International
- International Institute for Environment and Development
- UK BioChar Research Centre
- Plan Vivo
- BioClimate Research & Development
- The New Economics Foundation
- Envirotrade
- West Lothian Council
- Ythan Project Volunteers
- The Tweed Forum
- Kaya Consulting
- The Coal Authority
- Sustainable Sewage Systems Scotland
- Loch Leven Trustees
This article was published on Jan 8, 2013