Theology and Religion Dissertation
| Module title | Theology and Religion Dissertation |
|---|---|
| Module code | THE3030 |
| Academic year | 2025/6 |
| Credits | 30 |
| Module staff | Professor Louise Lawrence (Convenor) |
| Duration: Term | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration: Weeks | 11 | 11 |
| Number students taking module (anticipated) | 20 |
|---|
Module description
This core module provides you with an opportunity to carry out independent research in a sustained way on a topic chosen by you (with advice), and to present the findings of research in an extended piece of academic written prose. It also gives you an opportunity to develop your presentation skills, presenting on your project to a small group of students and academic staff and answering questions.
Module aims - intentions of the module
This core module (run across terms 1 and 2) enables you to plan and implement an independent research project, and write up the results in a sustained piece of prose, as well as presenting your research to peers and staff. It will hone methodological skills, enhance your profile as an independent researcher, give you experience of working with a supervisor in the design and writing of your project, and give you the opportunity to write at length about an issue or question in the field of Religion, Society, and Culture which you are passionate about.
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
ILO: Module-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 1. Research and write at length, in an independent and self-critical way, about a self-selected topic in Theology & Religion
- 2. Synthesise and make critical use of a range of disciplinary approaches to the study of Theology & Religion
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 3. Demonstrate comprehension of and intelligent engagement with the study of Theology & Religion in some of its varied forms and methodologies.
- 4. Demonstrate critical assessment of religious contributions to debate in the public arena.
- 5. Evaluate and critically analyse a diversity of primary and secondary sources.
ILO: Personal and key skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 6. Use your study skills, with guidance, to produce independent written work.
- 7. Formulate clearly researched and coherently expressed positions in the assessment of arguments.
Syllabus plan
Proposal A provisional broad topic for your dissertation must be decided in the Summer Term of the second year (or at the end of Stage 2) in consultation with appropriate members of staff. You will be expected to have at least a rough idea of the area within which you wish to work; staff will help define the topic in detail and give assistance with bibliography.
The proposal must include the following:
- a brief account of the dissertation topic, indicating questions which you intend to address
- a chapter plan, with brief statements of the projected content of each chapter
- a bibliography of the works which you have consulted or will need to consult, set out in the format you will use for the dissertation itself
- a description of the range of source material available on your topic, with a brief statement of how you intend to handle it and any problems of method which it may pose.
You will need to submit your research proposal by the end of June in your penultimate year of study (exact date to be advised). This is a critical part of the module and failure to submit a proposal may mean that students cannot progress or gain credit for this module. The broad subject of your dissertation must be agreed by the Module Convenor before the end of the second year (or Stage 2); they will also appoint a supervisor to work with you.
Supervision
You will receive feedback on your proposal from your assigned supervisor. Throughout the year you should keep in regular contact with your supervisor who will ensure that a realistic work schedule is maintained, but you should remember that a dissertation largely involves independent work on your part.
The maximum time allowed for consulting your supervisor is three hours.
Since the dissertation must be substantially your own work, the appropriate assistance provided by the supervisor is defined as:
- initial discussion of an appropriate topic, title, contents and research material;
- comment on one draft of each chapter in turn or of one draft of the whole dissertation. Such comment will be focussed on identifying any obvious weaknesses in the argument and suggesting directions for further research. Supervisors should not be expected to give a mark/grade to drafts.
You should revise the dissertation before final submission in the light of the supervisor’s comments.
Draft chapter You will be expected to submit a draft chapter (minimum 2000 words) at the beginning of Term 2 (exact date t be advised). If you do not, the Department may not release the mark for the presentation (see below).
Presentation In January you will be expected to deliver a presentation on the topic of your dissertation to a small group of staff and students, which will constitute 10% of your mark for this module.
The presentation should explain as clearly as possible the central question or theme of your dissertation, outline the ways in which you are hoping to answer that question, and indicate the sources on which you are drawing, together with a provisional indication of your conclusion. This process is designed to ensure that you do have a clear central argument or thesis to your dissertation, and that you have been exposed to a wide range of possible questions or challenges to that argument or thesis.
You will present your work for seven minutes and then respond to questions for a further seven minutes.
Writing and presenting your dissertation
Further details are available in the Theology and Religion handbook.
Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 7 | 293 | 0 |
Details of learning activities and teaching methods
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled learning and teaching | 3 | Dissertation Supervisions |
| Scheduled learning and teaching | 1 | Presentation |
| Scheduled learning and teaching | 3 | Dissertation Information Sessions |
| Guided independent study | 293 | Private Study |
Formative assessment
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meetings with supervisor to discuss draft chapters and plans. | 1-7 | In meeting with supervisor. |
Summative assessment (% of credit)
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 90 | 0 | 10 |
Details of summative assessment
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Presentation | 10 | 15 minutes including questions | 2-5, 7 | To be arranged individually with module co-ordinator. |
| Dissertation | 90 | 12000 words | 1-7 | Ref-def period |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Presentation | Presentation | 2-5, 7 | To be arranged individually with module co-ordinator. |
| Dissertation | Dissertation | 1-7 | Ref-def 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 40%) you will be required to submit a further assessment as necessary. If you are successful on referral, your overall module mark will be capped at 40%.
Indicative learning resources - Basic reading
- Greetham, Bryan (2019), How to Write Your Undergraduate Dissertation (3rd edition), London: Macmillan Study Skills
- Leicester, Mal and Denise Taylor (2017), Get a Better Grade: Seven Steps to Excellent Essays and Assignments, London: Sage
- Shon, Phillip C. (2018), The Quick Fix Guide to Academic Writing: How to Avoid Big Mistakes and Small Errors, London: Sage
| Credit value | 30 |
|---|---|
| Module ECTS | 15 |
| Module pre-requisites | None |
| Module co-requisites | None |
| NQF level (module) | 4 |
| Available as distance learning? | No |
| Origin date | 19/08/2020 |
| Last revision date | 25/06/2025 |
