Introductory description

EN9C5-60 Professional Practice Dissertation

Module aims

Outline syllabus

This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.

All students must take the non-credit-bearing module Introduction to Research Methods in Term 1. This module introduces students to the basic issues and procedures of literary research, including the writing process, how to construct a bibliography, finding both print and electronic resources, and writing research proposals. MA in Literary Translation Studies must also take part in an additional, subject-specific dissertation proposal writing workshop. There will be an optional additional session for all students interested in professional placements. A list of professional organisations who have indicated a willingness to be approached for potential placements will be issued by the module convenor in October, though students will not be confined to organisations from this list. Where students propose their own placements, they should contact the relevant organisation before proposing the placement.

Proposals – of 500-words in length – must be submitted to the module convenor by the end of Week 9 of Term 1. The convenor will ensure that each proposed project is intellectually and practically viable, and appropriate to the learning outcomes of the module. The convenor may need to negotiate with students over placements that are oversubscribed, and suggest alternatives. The convenor may also suggest that students move to a written dissertation, or (where the course structure allows it) alternative modules.

The convenor will be responsible for assigning each approved project to an academic supervisor by the end of Week 1 of Term 2. The student should discuss the research objectives of their placement with their academic supervisor. In Term 2 each student should have two meetings with their supervisor: the first will be an introductory meeting and the second should take place before the Progress Report is due.

Once their proposal has been approved, students will be responsible for contacting the relevant professional organisation to agree a Memorandum of Understanding detailing when and where their placement will take place. They will also need to complete a risk assessment. The Memorandum of Understanding, risk assessment and any necessary ethical clearances will need to be complete by the end of Week 9 of Term 2, when the Progress Report is due.

The Progress Report includes the following:
 Progress Report form
 Memorandum of Understanding, risk assessment and any necessary ethical clearances
 an abstract of 1000 words
 a bibliography
This Progress Report must be submitted to the Postgraduate Programmes Officer by the end of Week 9 of Term 2. The progress reports will be reviewed by the module convenor and the relevant MA Convenor, who will contact the students in the event of any problems.

The timing of each placement will vary, but it should take place between May and August, typically for six weeks (in the case of full-time placements). Variations on this will be considered by the convenor depending on the nature of the project.

Students should consider this a research placement rather than “work experience”; each placement should be driven by clearly-articulated research objectives, and the student must reflect on these questions in their reflective essay. The academic supervisor should be on hand, either in person during Term 3 or by email over the summer, to support this reflective process.

The reflective essay is due in September.

Dissertation calendar

TERM 1
 Week 6: professional placement workshop
 End of Week 9: proposal due

TERM 2
 2 meetings with supervisor
 End of Week 9: Progress Report due

TERM 3 / SUMMER
 Six-week placement

Advice on professional placements, including issues relating to insurance, is given here: https://warwick.ac.uk/services/academicoffice/studentrecords/students/placements/

Learning outcomes

By the end of the module, students should be able to:

• Plan and undertake a six-week placement that develops their knowledge of professional practice in the fields of literature, literary translation, theatre or performance.
• Use their placement to explore clearly-articulated research questions, and reflect critically upon these questions in their written submission.
• Demonstrate a specialised insight into their chosen field.
• Engage analytically with key debates and major theoretical concepts in their chosen field.
• Locate, assess and critically analyse relevant sources of information.
• Organise, edit and present materials relating to a selected range of primary and secondary texts.
• Demonstrate writing and referencing skills appropriate to postgraduate level.

Subject specific skills

No subject specific skills defined for this module.

Transferable skills

No transferable skills defined for this module.