| Unit name | Dissertation: Collaborative |
|---|---|
| Unit code | HUMSM0012 |
| Credit points | 60 |
| Level of study | M/7 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Academic Year (weeks 1 - 52) |
| Unit director | Professor. Pite |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
Completion of relevant mandatory units in TB1 and TB2 and progress at June Exam Board |
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you may not take alongside this one |
None |
| School/department | School of Humanities |
| Faculty | Faculty of Arts |
Why is this unit important?
All MA students are expected to take one of three optional dissertation units. The collaborative option will provide a structured and supervised opportunity for teams of 3-5 MA students to pursue collaborative research on an agreed topic or set of topics with reference to and emerging from their previous studies and to produce an advanced piece of research. The unit involves working together to devise a realisable project that can benefit from a collaborative approach, which has the potential to contribute to knowledge of the subject. For the collaborative project, students will co-author a 5,000 introduction with the others on their team, write an individual 8,000 word chapter, and write a 2,000 word reflection on the collaborative process. It would normally be expected that the project as a whole and the topics of the individual chapters would arise from work already undertaken on the programme, creating both an opportunity to explore a specialist area in more detail and put into practice collaborative scholarship.
How does this unit fit into your programme of study?
The collaborative dissertation is the culmination of the MA programme of study. Building on the importance of collaboration and interdisciplinarity within the field of environmental humanities, the collaborative dissertation unit offers an opportunity to conduct in-depth study in an area of interest within the environmental humanities with elements that are both collaborative and individual. In writing up the research students will put into practice skills of co-authorship (5,000 words) and well as single-authorship (8,000 words) to present the research in an extended piece of academic writing. The unit also offers an opportunity to reflect critically on the process of collaboration
An overview of content
The collaborative dissertation offers an opportunity to take part in a collaborative research project. Within the
context of an extended research project, it has assessed components of both group research and co-authorship and
individual research and single authorship, all in conjunction with regular supervisions. Students will also have an
opportunity to reflect critically on their experience of being a member of a collaborative team.
How will students, personally, be different as a result of the unit
The collaborative dissertation is an excellent opportunity to develop your academic research and writing skills in the context of a collaborative project. Working closely with 2-4 other students, the unit will give you the skills and confidence to purse a major piece of collaborative research which will make a contribution to knowledge of the field of environmental humanities. You will learn to work both collaboratively and independently and to find and use a variety of different primary sources (e.g. literary texts, historical documents, audiovisual media) and secondary critical material. sources.
Learning Outcomes
1. Work collaboratively to design a project that is realistic in scope
2. Gain substantial knowledge of a specific subject area and consider how this fits within wider scholarship and different approaches.
3. Make a sustained argument or intervention in relation to the particular research problem.
4. Communicate that knowledge with clarity appropriate to the determined mode of assessment
Individual and group tutorials - supervision sessions. Although the majority of supervisions will take place together
with your project group, there will also be opportunities to meet your supervisor individually to discuss your
individual research and writing. The project will be supervised by a single supervisor, with workload credit being
given for this supervision based on the total number of students in the group.
Tasks which help you learn and prepare you for summative tasks (formative)
Towards the beginning of your dissertation research you will produce a reading and resource list for your
dissertation topic in consultation with your supervisor and the rest of your project group. Although the length of this
list may vary from topic to topic, it is expected that you will include at least 20 items for your individual list and 10
items for the co-written introduction.
Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative)
The unit will be assessed by three pieces of written work, with the cumulative mark taking into consideration all
three elements of the assessment.
1. A single-authored 8,000 word dissertation chapter (50% of final mark)
2. A 5,000 word introduction to the collaborative project, written with the other students in the group. (25% of
final mark)
3. A single-authored 2,000 word critical reflection on the process of working collaboratively (25% of final mark).
When assessment does not go to plan
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit. The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. If you have self-certificated your absence from an assessment, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (this is usually in the next assessment period). The Board of Examiners will take into account any exceptional circumstances and operates within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. HUMSM0012).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the University Workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. For appropriate assessments, if you have self-certificated your absence, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (for assessments at the end of TB1 and TB2 this is usually in the next re-assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any exceptional circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
