Unit information: Dissertation in 2019/20

Unit name	Dissertation
Unit code	THRSM0120
Credit points	40
Level of study	M/7
Teaching block(s)	Teaching Block 4 (weeks 1-24)
Unit director	Dr. Langer
Open unit status	Not open
Pre-requisites	Successful completion of level 3, Study Year Abroad Unit
Co-requisites	None
School/department	Department of Religion and Theology
Faculty	Faculty of Arts

Description including Unit Aims

The Dissertation is an exercise in extended independent research with close supervision at key stages. Students are required to identify their own research topic, formulate the particular research questions to be addressed, identify the main primary sources to be used, set the research questions in the context of the issues arising from the secondary literature, and execute a scholarly and analytical text to high scholarly standards consistent with M level of study.

Intended Learning Outcomes

By the end of the unit successful students will be able to demonstrate:

1. a deep and sophisticated understanding of a chosen subject
2. enhanced research skills through the production of an extended piece of independent research in accordance with high scholarly standards
3. proficiency in forming their own research questions
4. advanced skills of argumentation and communication, appropriate to level M
5. that they can compile their own extensive bibliography to pursue a research question
6. the ability to work with both secondary and primary resources and to draw reasoned and considered conclusions from them

Teaching Information

3 hours of one-to-one supervisory sessions with Dissertation tutor at key stages; access to tutorial consultation with unit tutors in office hours. Opportunity for presentation of research materials in yearly department postgraduate conference. Attendance at fortnightly research seminar with PGT and PGR students. Dissertation training sessions and library training sessions.

Assessment Information

1 x 10,000-word dissertation project (including footnotes) [ILOs 1-6]

Formative: student to present material from their dissertation in a group seminar, with feedback from other students (co-operative work), followed by feedback from academic supervisor. This seminar group for all dissertation students takes place soon after teaching block two has commence

Reading and References

Bibliographical references will depend on the topic chosen and the student will be responsible (in consultation with an appointed supervisor) for assembling a bibliography which will include relevant primary and secondary sources.