Undergraduate Module Descriptor

POC3040: Dissertation

This module descriptor refers to the 2018/9 academic year.

Please note that this module is only delivered on the Penryn Campus.

Overview

NQF Level 6
Credits 30 ECTS Value 15
Term(s) and duration

This module ran during term 1 (11 weeks) and term 2 (11 weeks)

Academic staff

Professor Clare Saunders (Lecturer)

Pre-requisites

None

Co-requisites

None

Available via distance learning

No

A dissertation provides you with an opportunity to undertake independent research on a topic of your own choice. A dissertation is not just a long essay. It requires you to engage reflectively in designing and undertaking a discrete piece of independent research with guidance from your supervisor. That usually involves examining primary sources, whether these be archives, philosophical texts, statistics, government reports, interviews, media sources, campaign materials, etc. In contrast to a typical undergraduate essay, a good dissertation will demonstrate an awareness of how you have approached a particular issue, provide a rationale for why you have approached it in this way (your ‘methodology’) and demonstrate some reflection on the research process itself, e.g. how did the theoretical approach you adopt help to generate the particular line of inquiry you followed? 

Module created

01/10/2009

Last revised

10/05/2017