MUS31450 Dissertation

Academic Year 2022/2023

This module runs over the course of two trimesters. It is intended for students who have a strong interest in critical thinking about music and who also have very good writing skills. The module will be of particular use to students who may be considering graduate studies in any branch of ethnomusicology or musicology. It will also be of use to students who may be considering a career involving writing and research. Students who take this module should be comfortable working on their own for considerable periods of time. While your dissertation supervisor will be available to offer guidance, your research habits will be self-guided.
During the Autumn trimester, students will attend several seminars focused on the development of writing and research skills. You will also attend the Thursday seminars in MUS 31460 - New Ideas in Music Studies. Students are also encouraged to attend the Research Seminars in Musicology which are held on Thursday afternoons at 17.00. Participation in MUS 31460 and the Research Seminars is intended to immerse you in current musicological scholarship and to help you to focus on a research topic for your own dissertation.
Towards the end of the Autumn trimester you will begin to focus on a dissertation topic and you will choose a supervisor from the permanent faculty of the School of Music. In the Spring trimester you will concentrate on researching and writing your dissertation under the direction of your supervisor. Students should have regular supervisory meetings approximately once a month.
At the end of the Spring trimester you will submit a dissertation of 8,000 words.

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Curricular information is subject to change

Learning Outcomes:

On completion of this module students should be able
- to conduct autonomous research
- engage in debate on current music scholarship
- to write fluently and critically

Indicative Module Content:

Students will attend the lectures offered in MUS 31460 - New Ideas in Music Studies on Thursdays at 13.00 in the Autumn trimester.
Students are encouraged to attend the School of Music Research Seminars held on Thursdays at 17.00 in the Autumn and Spring trimesters.

MUS 31460 and the Research Seminars will inform and stimulate students, while immersing them in current scholarship in Music, in order to offer a context and inspiration for dissertation writing.

Students will attend a series of tutorials focusing on Research and Writing Skills.

In both trimesters, students will be expected to engage in a large amount of autonomous reading and research in preparation for the writing of the dissertation.

Student Effort Hours: 
Student Effort Type Hours
Lectures

5
Tutorial

6
Seminar (or Webinar)

10
Project Supervision

7
Specified Learning Activities

30
Autonomous Student Learning

160
Total

218
Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
Reflective research
Debates
Peer and Group Work
Critical writing
 
Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Not applicable to this module.
 
Assessment Strategy  
Description Timing Open Book Exam Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade
Journal: Evidence of preparatory work for dissertation: draft abstract, draft bibliography, extended outline of reflection and reading guiding you to a dissertation topic. All in Journal format. Week 12 n/a Graded No

10
Attendance: Attendance and preparation for the research/writing skills tutorials, as well as the lectures of the module MUS 31460 [New Ideas in Music Studies] in the Autumn trimester Throughout the Trimester n/a Graded No

10
Assignment: Research and Writing Skills assignment based on the work of the tutorials. Week 12 n/a Graded No

10
Essay: Dissertation of c.8,000 words written under the supervision of a permanent member of the Faculty in the Spring trimester. Week 12 n/a Graded No

70

Carry forward of passed components
No
 
Remediation Type Remediation Timing
In-Module Resit Prior to relevant Programme Exam Board
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 
Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment
• Group/class feedback, post-assessment

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Feedback will be provided in the Research and Writing Skills tutorials and individually after the Autumn assignment. Individual feedback will also be provided by your dissertation supervisor during your regular supervision meetings in the Spring trimester.