Postgraduate Module Descriptor

ARAM027: MA Dissertation

This module descriptor refers to the 2021/2 academic year.

Module Aims

This module allows you to pursue an individual research project within your chosen field, building on the methodological and field-specific foundations covered in your 1st semester intensive methodology and core courses and continuing in your 2nd semester MA coursework. MA students will be expected to develop and demonstrate in their dissertation a mastery of relevant secondary sources in their field; to relate the appropriate standard methodological approaches and theoretical issues to their specific area of research; to demonstrate the originality and relevance of their research to wider issues related to their specific field; and to demonstrate their familiarity with the accepted requirements and standards for presentation of research in their chosen field. In addition, the dissertation will allow them to develop the broader learning outcomes specified below.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
This module's assessment will evaluate your achievement of the ILOs listed here - you will see reference to these ILO numbers in the details of the assessment for this module.
On successfully completing the programme you will be able to:
Module-Specific Skills	1. Demonstrate familiarity with the specific academic fields relevant to the chosen dissertation topic, with regard to your field's particular methods; relevant bibliographies and secondary literature (in the student's available languages); and the current state of issues and problems in the relevant fields
Discipline-Specific Skills	2. Present your research results in an appropriate form, respecting the appropriate norms and procedures of your respective field(s) 3. Analyse, synthesize and present thoughtful and persuasive arguments relating to your particular research project
Personal and Key Skills	4. Identify, analyse and creatively approach issues relevant to your chosen fields 5. Structure and present effective, extended arguments and interpretations in ways consistent with the norms and procedures of your respective field(s) (including all the field-specific forms of methodology, reference, citation, etc.). 6. Relate your independent research to the wider methodological issues and approaches of the relevant fields.

How this Module is Assessed

In the tables below, you will see reference to 'ILO's. An ILO is an Intended Learning Outcome - see Aims and Learning Outcomes for details of the ILOs for this module.

Formative Assessment

A formative assessment is designed to give you feedback on your understanding of the module content but it will not count towards your mark for the module.

Form of assessment	Size of the assessment (eg length / duration)	ILOs assessed	Feedback method
Draft chapters, or outlines presented to the MA thesis supervisor	3,000 words	1-6	Oral and/or feedback

Summative Assessment

A summative assessment counts towards your mark for the module. The table below tells you what percentage of your mark will come from which type of assessment.

Coursework	Written exams	Practical exams
100	0	0

...and this table provides further details on the summative assessments for this module.

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
	0
	0
	0
	0
	0

Re-assessment

Re-assessment takes place when the summative assessment has not been completed by the original deadline, and the student has been allowed to refer or defer it to a later date (this only happens following certain criteria and is always subject to exam board approval). For obvious reasons, re-assessments cannot be the same as the original assessment and so these alternatives are set. In cases where the form of assessment is the same, the content will nevertheless be different.

Original form of assessment	Form of re-assessment	ILOs re-assessed	Timescale for re-assessment
Dissertation	Dissertation (15,000 words)	1-6	August/September reassessment period