User:Clown prince of serendip/MASDA Summer 2012 scrapbook

Program's objectives

The main objective of the Master in Geography and Spatial Planning is to acquire a high level in specific fields such as spatial analysis, spatial development, geographic information system, statistics, spatial governance and sustainable planning strategies in Europe.

The interdisciplinary, intercultural and multilingual learning environment is one of the key assets of this program. The theoretical and practical courses are combined to the most up-to-date approaches regarding spatial analysis and planning. This should give the students an excellent knowledge for future jobs opportunities on the regional, national or European level regarding spatial analysis and planning such as project management in international and interdisciplinary teams.

Furthermore the students will be prepared for the growing demand for comprehensive spatial analysis and development at all levels and provides them key strategies to deal with the challenge of socioeconomic coherence and sustainability in the European Union but also to be in line with the European Union vision of its territorial cohesion and polycentric development issues.

Teachers' background

In addition to university's professors: Geoffrey Caruso, Christian Schulz, Markus Hesse whose CV’s can be found on the uni.lu website, this Master's program welcomes lots of lectures from “experts”.

Visiting experts

Dr Kai Böhme gives lectures on ESPON maps and tries to show how maps can be partial, politically oriented, politically correct…, how they can influence our vision of reality, depending on choices made beforehand.

Philipp Schmidt-Thome is a geographer and a specialist of hydrogeology, engineering geology and geology. He gives a one day lecture on natural hazards and how spatial planning can mitigate them.

Romain Diederich who is the current Luxembourgish Government first Advisor has worked on setting up our Master's Program and gives an introduction on Luxembourg spatial planning systems.

Thiemo W. Eser is responsible for European Affairs at the Ministry for Sustainable Development and Infrastructure and teaches multi-level governance.

Dominique Peeters is probably the teacher who goes the deepest into spatial analysis theories. His strong background in applied sciences is challenging for those without any background in geography.

Leveling-up

Since students of this master programm have different backgrounds, learned different sides of geography but also because the master provides the chance to work in small groups, a leveling-up session is set up at the very beginning of the first semester. This module constitutes a module apart from others. It primarily concerns quantitative geography with statistics and using the R software ( statistical software) in order to better perform spatial analysis. There is also a leveling-up session concerning the geographic information system software with the arcGIS package. There are also, during the first semester, a leveling up in qualitative research methods with a focus on copyright protection rules, in interview management and in tools for better team work.

Courses

Courses: The main input from the courses is a very theoretical overview of the material. Depending on the subject, you may get some applied examples on how the theory matches real examples. The courses include a lot of training in statistics as well as approaches to spatial planning with computer support (GIS). All courses are presented with Powerpoint support and in the English language. Many courses treat various policy issues on spatial planning of the European Union as well as political issues within the different EU Member States. In addition to that, there are some courses about sustainability in terms of spatial planning. Most of the courses are related to the European Union and do not necessarily treat spatial planning of non-EU member States.

MASDA Evaluation Structure

Course # 11 Introduction to European Territorial Issues

Evaluation: 100 % Written exam

Course # 12 Introduction to Doing Research

Evaluation: 50 % in-course assessment (discussion + library sessions), 50 % assignment report

Course # 21 Field trip to Brussels and Louvain-la-Neuve

Evaluation: 70 % in-course assessment, 30 % oral presentation (field work)

Course # 31 Introductory Statistics

Evaluation: 100 % in-course assessment

Course # 32 Qualitative Research Methods

Evaluation: 100 % in-course assessment

Course # 33 Introduction Cartography

Evaluation: 30 % in-course assesment and 70 % assignements reports to Cartography

Course # 34 Geographic Information Systems

Evaluation: 30 % in-course assesment and 70 % assignements reportsc Information Systems (GIS) Project

Course # 41 Spatial Analysis

Evaluation: 70 % Oral exam, 30 % Report on empirical articles and Statistics

Course # 42 Operational Location and Spatial Interaction Modelling

Evaluation:70 % Written exam, 30 % reports

Course # 43 Spatial Analysis Applications with R

Evaluation: 100 % Report of group assignment

Course # 51 European Spatial Development Policies

Evaluation: 66 % based on 2 papers (case study/memo/briefing), 34% in-course assessment including the presentation of Papers

Course # 52 Concepts and Methods in Governance Research

Evaluation: 20 % guided reading, 20 % concept of research design, 60 % paper/report concepts and Methods in Governance Research

Course # 61 Integrative Approaches to Sustainable Spatial Development

Evaluation: 80 % paper reports 20% guided reading

Course # 62 Spatial Development in Europe

Evaluation: 50 % paper report, 50 % in-course assessment

Course # 71 Implementation and Monitoring of Spatial Policies

Evaluation: 70 % paper reports 30% in-course assessment

Course # 72 Preparation and Submission of EU Dossiers

Evaluation: 100 % in-course assessment

Course # 73 Process Management Skills

Evaluation: 20 % paper reports 80% in-course assessment

Course # 8 : TRACK A - SPATIAL ANALYSIS AND MODELLING

Evaluation: 33 % in-course assessment and small practical reports (8.1), 33 % Assignment report (8.2) ,33 % Poster and seminar presentation (8.3)

Course # 9 : TRACK B - ANALYSIS OF SPATIAL GOVERNANCE

Evaluation: 60 % Paper/report, 40 % Oral presentation

Course # 10: TRACK C - SPATIAL POLICIES AND THE GREATER REGION

Evaluation: 60 % Paper/report, 40 % Oral presentation

Course # 111 Research Seminar

Evaluation: 100 % in-course assessment

Course # 113 Master’s thesis

Evaluation: See Master’s dissertation guidelines