New e-learning MSc in Landscape, Environment and History

The e-learning MSc program in Landscape, Environment and History has been developed by Bob Morris and Richard Rodger, who writes:

This has a conspicuous historical and ecological dimension, and relies heavily on Scottish examples to illustrate themes and concepts drawn from a wider scholarly literature. The first unit, for example, includes a video lecture from Chris Smout, another contribution is by Jan Oosthoek, who has been a research assistant for the project, and another deals with forestry, fishing and farming by my colleague Martin Chick, who has written extensively on energy policy. Perhaps predictably, Morris and Rodger get together again to look at issues of changing resources and space utilisation in an urban setting. These are just some of the topics and contributors.

The course is built around partnerships with the National Library of Scotland's map collection, and with specialist curatorial contributions from other national organisations and collections. It draws on the significant volume of historical resources that are now available digitally and presents the material in an entirely new learning environment. The course proceeds by providing an instructional element in combination with practical tasks, and uses new and accessible tools to enable students to build maps, analyse data, compile research materials and references, and to submit electronically the varied exercises and assignments which are part of the evaluation. In essence, a cast of scholars and curatorial experts provides an intellectual framework and students work with electronic resources – e-books, e- journals, and materials scanned by the authoring team or provided by the national museums and galleries of Scotland - to develop their skills.

The programme will appeal to students all over the world who wish to study for a Master's degree where history meets politics and ecology, where heritage and history intersect, and where historical landscapes and the built environment are of interest. We would be grateful if you could bring this to the attention of your academic networks, and since it is an entirely e-learning course, we would be grateful if you could also inform students who might be interested in this form of learning since the course is ideally suited both to those who wish to study from home, and those who need to fit an MSc around their work and domestic commitments.

For a taster of the teaching materials and further details about the course go to www.shc.ed.ac.uk/postgraduate/taught/landscape/.

For further information contact
Professor Richard Rodger
Richard Kane