Dissertation - Written
| Module title | Dissertation - Written |
|---|---|
| Module code | CDFM001 |
| Academic year | 2025/6 |
| Credits | 60 |
| Module staff | Dr Matt Rule-Jones (Convenor) |
| Duration: Term | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration: Weeks | 11 | 7 |
| Number students taking module (anticipated) | 50 |
|---|
Module description
The dissertation project is the culmination of your postgraduate course and represents an opportunity to explore a research question in detail over an extended period of time. Across the module you will conceive, plan, research and write a study of 15,000 words. Initially you will be supported by a supervisor, but during the writing period you will be expected to work independently.
Module aims - intentions of the module
The dissertation will enable you to consolidate and develop your subject knowledge and methodological skills in your discipline by exploring in detail a topic of your own devising.
You will be supported through the early stages of planning your dissertation in the second term of your studies through a series of workshops. This will enable you to develop and submit a dissertation proposal by the end of term 2 (for part time students the proposal will be submitted by the second term of the second year of study).
You will then be assigned a supervisor who will support you during term 3 as you conduct initial research, prepare draft work and establish your project sufficiently to enable you to work independently after the end of term 3. Your supervisor will support you as your research, planning and writing progress through one-to-one supervision sessions. These combined activities will offer you the necessary guidance and support to refine your initial plans and bring your research project to completion.
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
ILO: Module-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 1. Critically evaluate at an advanced level current research in the discipline and in your chosen area of enquiry
- 2. Deploy at an advanced level a range of research techniques and methodologies appropriate to the discipline and to your chosen area of enquiry
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 3. understand and analyse relevant theoretical ideas and concepts, and, where appropriate, interdisciplinary intersections, tracing the development of debates across disciplinary boundaries
- 4. work in a detailed and rigorous manner with sources and methods appropriate to your discipline area
ILO: Personal and key skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 5. Through research for both the dissertation proposal and the dissertation, demonstrate an advanced proficiency in information retrieval and analysis
- 6. Through the dissertation proposal and the dissertation, demonstrate an advanced and intellectually mature capacity to question assumptions, to distinguish between fact and opinion, and to critically reflect on your own learning process
Syllabus plan
Indicative activities:
Term 2 – Project preparation:
• Workshop 1: Finding and developing your research idea
• Workshop 2: Writing and refining a dissertation proposal
• Workshop 3: Working with your supervisor
• Towards the end of term 2 you will be required submit a dissertation proposal form
Term 3 - Supervision:
You will normally be allocated to a supervisor by the start of term 3. You are entitled to three one-hour meetings with your dissertation supervisor, which should usually take place in weeks 1, 4 and 7 and term 3. Supervision can take place either face-to-face or online, but supervision by email is not possible. It is the responsibility of the student to arrange these meetings with their supervisor. During term 3, supervisors can offer formative feedback on up to a writing extract totalling up to 5,000 words. In the interests of fairness, supervisors cannot look at more than this and will not read your final draft prior to submission. A deadline for the submission of this extract should be negotiated during the first supervision meeting to ensure that your supervisor has sufficient time to prepare your feedback. The formal supervision process will be concluded by the end of term 3 and you will then work independently to complete and deliver your dissertation.
Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | 594 |
Details of learning activities and teaching methods
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled learning and teaching activities | 3 | Training workshops |
| Scheduled learning and teaching activities | 3 | Supervision meetings arranged by the student |
| Guided independent study | 594 | Research, reading and preparation of the dissertation |
Formative assessment
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dissertation proposal | 500 words | 1-6 | Verbal feedback during first supervision meeting |
| Dissertation extract | 5,000 words | 1-6 | Written feedback on the extract and verbal feedback during supervision meeting |
Summative assessment (% of credit)
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | 0 | 0 |
Details of summative assessment
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dissertation | 100 | 15,000 words | 1-6 | Written feedback |
Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)
| Original form of assessment | Form of re-assessment | ILOs re-assessed | Timescale for re-assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dissertation | Dissertation | 1-6 | Referral/deferral period |
Re-assessment notes
Deferral – if you miss an assessment for certificated reasons judged acceptable by the Mitigation Committee, you will normally be either deferred in the assessment or an extension may be granted. The mark given for a re-assessment taken as a result of deferral will not be capped and will be treated as it would be if it were your first attempt at the assessment.
Referral – if you have failed the module overall (i.e. a final overall module mark of less than 50%) you will be required to submit a further assessment as necessary. The mark given for a re-assessment taken as a result of referral will be capped at 50%.
Indicative learning resources - Basic reading
Basic reading:
- Delia Da Sousa Correa, et al, eds. The Handbook to Literary Research, 2nd ed., Routledge, 2010.
- Aceme Nyika. Postgraduate Handbook : A Comprehensive Guide for PhD and Master's Students and Their Supervisors, Caister Academic Press, 2018.
- Stephen Potter, Doing Postgraduate Research, The Open University in association with SAGE Publications, 2006.
Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources
• ELE –
| Credit value | 60 |
|---|---|
| Module ECTS | 30 |
| Module pre-requisites | None |
| Module co-requisites | None |
| NQF level (module) | 7 |
| Available as distance learning? | Yes |
| Origin date | 17/10/2024 |
