Landscape, Environment & History – (M.Sc.)

This is an on-line distance learning programme. You can see examples of the on-line learning materials, and the style of interactive teaching employed, on the Landscape, Environment & History website. See the link on the right, under "Find out more".

The programme develops the historical curiosity that for many people arises from landscape. It explores the long run material and environmental changes of the landscape, and provides a critical understanding of the historical changes in the manner in which landscape is regarded.

It provides a knowledge of key sources and methodologies for the exploration of the material and cultural analysis of the history of landscape and will enable students to relate specific local and regional interests to a world-wide literature on the nature of landscape and the practice of landscape and environmental studies.

Students will acquire research skills appropriate to a wide range of local and regional conditions together with the ability to exploit high quality web-based resources in a critical and scholarly manner. They will acquire the skills necessary to devise, plan and produce scholarly work.

Learning Outcomes By the end of the programme, students will:

* gain a knowledge of the variety of historical relationships between environment and landscape;
* gain knowledge of the major changes in the nature of Scottish landscape;
* understand the changing attitudes towards and judgements relating to landscape over the long-term;
* understand the historical contexts of contemporary policy decisions;
* develop intellectual skills through the e-learning modules, web-based interaction and an intensive week-long course;
* develop skills in information retrieval, management and communication.

Local and regional topics will be related to wide-ranging international practice in landscape history, The critical evaluation of historical sources, both web-based and locally available, will be central to the programme.