MPhil in Textual and Visual Studies: 20th & 21st Centuries
The Dissertation - 2009/2010 - Revised outline
Module Title : Dissertation
ECTS allocation : 30 credits (12 contact hours; student workload of 730 hours)
Module Coordinator : David Scott / Johnnie Gratton
Teaching Staff: Supervisors assigned
Aims:
The aim of the dissertation is to enable students to devise, develop and complete an original research project, in a defined time-frame and drawing on the insights, skills and knowledge acquired during their study on the M.Phil. programme. The dissertation process serves both developmental and scholarly purposes, and the completed work will be assessed in terms of both its intellectual content and its presentational accuracy and clarity.
Working methods:
Students will be invited to develop and refine proposals by the beginning of Hilary Term (Semester 2). They should consult with members of staff for assistance. They will be assigned supervisors from within the TVS teaching team, or, if circumstances warrant, from the School of Languages, Literatures and Cultural Studies, according to available expertise. Supervisors will provide guidance both on subject matter and on the process of completing a research project in a timely and scholarly manner appropriate to the discipline.
Learning outcomes:
On successful completion of this module, students will be able to:
· devise, develop and complete a substantial, intellectually challenging research project related to their field of study, within a set timeframe, and with limited guidance from a supervisor
· assimilate and selectively apply concepts, theories, methods and subject-specific terminology used in their field of study
· sustain a coherent argument that draws on an engagement with and critical appraisal of existing knowledge relevant to their research project
· relate their specific research topic to wider issues, debates and concerns in the general field of Textual and Visual Studies
· reflect on and self-critically manage their own learning in the context of limited access to constructive feedback
Assessment:
The length of the dissertation should be 15,000-20,000 words. It should be submitted by the last day of August in the year the course is completed. It will be marked both internally and by an external examiner. A passing grade will be 40%.
Programme description: click here
Options: click here