This course allows students to work independently on an extended piece of work, giving them experience of carrying out individual research and using library resources and other research tools independently.

5x30min individual supervision sessions TBA. 3 x 1hr workshops as scheduled on MyCampus.

None

None

Dissertation (6,000 words) - 100%

Reassessments are normally available for all courses, except those which contribute to the Honours classification. For non Honours courses, students are offered reassessment in all or any of the components of assessment if the satisfactory (threshold) grade for the overall course is not achieved at the first attempt. This is normally grade D3 for undergraduate students and grade C3 for postgraduate students. Exceptionally it may not be possible to offer reassessment of some coursework items, in which case the mark achieved at the first attempt will be counted towards the final course grade. Any such exceptions for this course are described below. 

This course will provide the opportunity to:

■ develop competence in research methods and good academic practice;

■ carry out an independent academic study under the guidance of a supervisor in an area of expertise covered by a relevant member of staff;

■ undertake sustained independent analysis of a substantial body of primary materials in a comparative framework, informed by relevant scholarship;

■ develop investigative, creative and organisational skills valuable not only in research in a modern foreign language and culture but also in most branches of graduate employment;

■ reflect on and articulate the skills developed in the process of writing a dissertation.

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

■ identify and formulate research questions;

■ select from among a range of qualitative, quantitative, critical, historical, or theoretical methodologies, and apply these as appropriate in a comparative framework;

■ synthesise and evaluate scholarship relevant to the field(s) of research in question;

■ relate the topic to other work in the same area;

■ organise the materials clearly, in a well-structured and clearly presented form;

■ apply consistent rules of presentation of bibliographical materials, appendices and footnotes, using recognised academic standards;

■ through the Reflective Appendix, articulate their achievement in terms of skills relevant to potential future employment.

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