| Unit name | Dissertation: Practical and Written Element |
|---|---|
| Unit code | HUMSM0011 |
| 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 Practical and Written element option will provide a structured and supervised opportunity for MA students to independently pursue an agreed form of creative enquiry. This will involve researching and producing an advanced piece of practice work, to be accompanied by a critical and/or theoretical written element. The unit involves devising a realisable topic, which has the potential to contribute to knowledge of the subject. It would normally be expected that this topic would arise from work already undertaken on the programme, as the dissertation is an opportunity to explore a specialist area in more detail. Creative practice within the environmental humanities may take a variety of forms, including, but not limited to, design of a museum exhibit, an anthology of poetry, a play or film script, a short work of fiction or creative non-fiction. The title, scale and form of each piece of work will be negotiated through supervision, and it will generally be expected that a co-supervision arrangement will be put in place with one staff member able to supervise the practical elements of the dissertation work and another focused on the connections to environmental humanities (with supervision workload being split evently. In every case the work will be expected to meet the requirements of summative Masters level work, and marking criteria specific to the practical element will be used to mark that part of the dissertation. The practice and written element together provide the means for advanced creative enquiry through realisation and reflection.
How does this unit fit into your programme of study?
The practical and written dissertation is the culmination of the MA programme of study. It offers an opportunity to make a practical contribution to the field of environmental humanities through a creative piece of work agreed with your supervisor and then to reflect academically on this contrition in an extended piece of writing (4,500 words).
An overview of content
The practical and written dissertation is a substantial independent research project with a creative focus. It will consist of conducting a practical exercise agreed in advance in consultation with you supervisor and the reflecting on the contribution being made to the environmental humanities in a 4,500 word academic essay.
How will students, personally, be different as a result of the unit
The practical and written dissertation offers an excellent opportunity to make a practical and creative contribution to the field of environmental humanities through a form of your choosing in consultation with your supervisor, and then to reflect critically on this practice. As a consequence, it will develop both your practical and creative skills in relation to themes emerging from the environmental humanities and you your academic research and writing skills. The unit will give you the skills and confidence to purse a major piece of practical creative work which will make a contribution to knowledge of the field of environmental humanities.
Learning Outcomes
1. Design a project that is realistic in scope
2. Gain substantial knowledge of a specific subject area and a creative and practical approach to addressing this topic.
3. Creatively make a sustained argument or intervention in relation to the particular research problem.
4. Articulate the academic contribution that your practical and creative work is making to the field of environmental humanities.
Tutorials - supervision sessions (with co-supervisors).
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 practical
written dissertation topic in consultation with your supervisor. Although the length of this list may vary from topic to
topic, it is expected that you will include at least 30 items. Depending on your topic, your resource list may include
visits to galleries or museums or conversations with artists, writers and creatives.
Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative)
The written element (part two above, 4,500 words) (30%). This essay will reflect on how the practical element of the dissertation fits within the academic field of the environmental humanities, and how it makes a contribution to the field. The practical element (70%) (e.g. a museum exhibit, an anthology of poetry, a play or film script, a short work of fiction or creative non-fiction, to be agreed with a supervisor).
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. HUMSM0011).
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.
