Independent study resulting in dissertation of up to 15,000 words in length, on a research topic of the student's own devising, in consultation with a supervisor.

3-4 supervisorial meetings of 30 minutes to an hour each as arranged between student and supervisor.

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1 dissertation of up to 15000 words

This course aims to:

develop and sustain an argument in an area of the student's personal research interest in the period 1880s-present day.

promote an engagement with other scholarly, critical, or theoretical arguments relevant to that area.

encourage the application of acquired research skills to a supervised project.

By the end of the course, students will be able to:

■ Identify an appropriate research topic, in consultation with their supervisor

■ Formulate an appropriate research question for their topic

■ Evaluate primary and secondary material for inclusion in an extended piece of writing at this level

■ Show their ability to summarise, comment on and analyse this material appropriately

■ Organise their work into a coherent, sustained argument of up to 15,000 words, with the potential for further development to MLitt or PhD standard.

■ Apply the research methods and skills learnt during the rest of the taught course to a programme of supervised independent study

Students must submit at least 75% by weight of the components (including examinations) of the course's summative assessment.