Unit information: Dissertation in 2022/23

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. Lomi
Open unit status	Not open
Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units)	Successful completion of level 3, Study Year Abroad Unit
Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units)	None
Units you may not take alongside this one
School/department	Department of Religion and Theology
Faculty	Faculty of Arts

Unit Information

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.

Students will have the opportunity to present their work to non-specialist audiences and to organize elements of an academic event.

Your learning on this unit

On successful completion of this unit students will be able to:

1. demonstrate a deep and sophisticated understanding of a chosen subject
2. enhance their research skills by way of a production of an extended piece of independent research in accordance with high scholarly standards
3. gain proficiency in forming their own research questions and compile their own extensive bibliography
4. advance their skills of argumentation and communication, appropriate to level M
5. the ability to work with both secondary and primary resources and to draw reasoned and considered conclusions from them
6. present their work to non-specialist audiences and to organize elements of an academic event.

How you will learn

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 UG and MArts conference. Attendance at fortnightly research seminar with PGT and PGR students. Dissertation training sessions and library training sessions.

How you will be assessed

Summative: 1 x 10,000-word dissertation project (excluding footnotes) [ILOs 1-5]

Formative: Participation in the organization and running of the annual UG/MArts dissertation conference and presentation of the research at the conference. [ILO 6]

Resources

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. THRSM0120).

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 Faculty 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. 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 extenuating circumstances and operates within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.