MFD30010 Dissertation

Academic Year 2021/2022

The dissertation and/or creative project forms the capstone of the degree in Music, Film and Drama. Building upon the skills, knowledge, and methods that have been developed over the course of the programme, students will work directly with an academic supervisor to create an original and independently-researched dissertation or creative project (subject to approval). For dissertations, students will propose a topic (following on from the research methods module in the Autumn), work with primary and secondary sources, and finally develop and articulate an argument in a substantial piece of polished writing (8000 words). For creative projects, students need to plan, execute, and carefully edit an artistic work (in drama, film, music, or a combination of these forms), and reflect upon and evaluate this work in an extended essay (4000 words). In both cases, students must submit a proposal at the beginning of the trimester that illustrates both the originality and the feasibility of the project.

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Curricular information is subject to change

Learning Outcomes:

At the end of this module, students will be able to:

Demonstrate their ability to create an original work (through research or artistic process)
Define clearly and articulate research questions and/or artistic goals
Construct an appropriate and coherent argument
Identify and evaluate relevant primary and secondary sources
Present the results of their research/creative work in a coherent, polished, and professional manner

Student Effort Hours: 
Student Effort Type Hours
Specified Learning Activities

160
Autonomous Student Learning

200
Tutorial

5
Online Learning

10
Total

375
Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
The dissertation or creative project naturally demands a substantial amount of independent work to conceive, research, execute, and edit the final product. That being said, students will work closely with an academic supervisor who will provide them with structured support through each stage of the process. In this sense, students will learn to strike a balance between task-based and reflective modes of learning. Students will meet with their supervisor early on in the trimester to establish expectations in terms of meetings and draft-reading. There will also be detailed content on Brightspace that will help students structure their time. 
Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Co-requisite:
ENG30970 - Dissertation Research Methods


 
Assessment Strategy  
Description Timing Open Book Exam Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade
Project: Final Project - Dissertation or Creative Project Coursework (End of Trimester) n/a Graded No

100

Carry forward of passed components
Yes
 
Resit In Terminal Exam
Summer No
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 
Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, on an activity or draft prior to summative assessment
• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment
• Self-assessment activities

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Students will be given opportunities to self-assess (through Brightspace activities) and to receive individual feedback on drafts from their supervisor prior to the final submission of the project. Please note that supervisors will outline procedures for the review of drafts.

Name Role
Dr Emma Bennett Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Professor John Brannigan Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Assoc Professor Lucy Collins Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Assoc Professor Luca Crispi Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Professor Margaret Kelleher Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Dr Martha Shearer Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Assoc Professor Nerys Williams Lecturer / Co-Lecturer