Skip to main content Skip to navigation

Module Catalogue

GD307-30 Dissertation/Independent Study

Department
Global Sustainable Development
Level
Undergraduate Level 3
Module leader
Gioia Panzarella
Credit value
30
Module duration
26 weeks
Assessment
100% coursework
Study location
University of Warwick main campus, Coventry

Download as PDF

Introductory description

This is the final year core module for all joint and single honours Global Sustainable Development undergraduate programmes. It requires students to bring together theoretical concepts and practical approaches that they have encountered on the course in order to address a specific problem. Students should demonstrate their ability to think across disciplines and produce an original intervention in the field of sustainable development.

Module web page

Module aims

The module requires students to demonstrate their acquisition of a range of intellectual and practical skills for engaging with a topical issue related to any area of Global Sustainable Development. The module requires students to bring together theoretical concepts and practical approaches to address a specific problem; It expects students to demonstrate their ability to think across disciplines and produce an original intervention (a concept paper, a practical project, a film production, a long essay, an advocacy campaign etc...) in the field of sustainable development. Furthermore, the module encourages each student to design a strategy for disseminating their findings (present at a conference, publish online, publish in a journal, hold a public meeting) in the public space. Students are encouraged to work in teams, and group submissions may be allowed if the supervisors deem it appropriate.

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.

Year 2 Term 3

  1. Lecture : Generating original ideas and deciding on your project

  2. Lecture : Project Management (organising your work, managing the relationship with your
    supervisor, accessing support structures around the university)

  3. Supervision 1 (group)
    Year 3 Term 1 : Training and Mentoring

  4. Supervision 2 (group)

  5. Lecture : Deciding on the format of your project

  6. Lecture : Designing a dissemination platform

  7. Lecture : Writing the proposal

  8. Supervision 3 (group)

  9. Independent work & Submission of proposal

  10. Independent work

  11. Supervision 4 (Individual): feedback on proposal and action points for consideration

  12. Independent work

  13. Independent work
    Year 3 Term 2 : Coaching

  14. Lecture : Components of the dissertation

  15. Supervision 5 (format to be decided by supervisor)

  16. Lecture : Designing and developing your argument

  17. Independent work

  18. Independent work

  19. Supervision 6 (format to be decided by supervisor)

  20. Independent work

  21. Supervision 7 (format to be decided by supervisor)

  22. Lecture : Editing, Revising, Presenting your findings (academic and non-academic contexts)

  23. Supervision 8 (individual)
    Year 3 Term 3:

  24. Optional Supervision 9 (individual)

  25. Dissemination

  26. Submission of project

Learning outcomes

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

  • By the end of the module students will have learned to design a feasible research project.
  • By the end of the module students will have planned, implemented and managed a research project.
  • By the end of the module students will have produced a piece of original research that is based on a topical issue related to Global Sustainable Development.
  • By the end of the module students will have designed a public dissemination event to showcase their findings.
  • By the end of the module students will have presented the findings of their research project in a public forum.

Research element

This is the final year core module for the Global Sustainable Development programmes which requires students to plan, implement and manage a research project (with supervision).

Interdisciplinary

This is a core module on the Global Sustainable Development course which adopts an interdisciplinary approach spanning the arts, humanities, social and natural sciences fields in order to engage with the major global challenges facing contemporary society, explore these 'big problems,' from a variety of perspectives and consider a range of possible solutions.

International

This is a core module on the Global Sustainable Development course which offers a unique trans-disciplinary and international learning experience that allows students to achieve breadth and depth of knowledge.

Subject specific skills

critically assess and analyse sustainability issues that need to be addressed, including real-life examples
use and apply established frameworks and methodologies for analysing the impact(s) of a behaviour or process
generate and evaluate different models of sustainable development to assess their likely impact
actively implement or contribute to changes that promote sustainable development within the scope of own learning experience
engage with real-life problems relevant to sustainable development
use historical knowledge and an understanding of the consequences of past actions to envision how futures may be shaped
identify the importance of empowering individuals and organisations to work together to create new knowledge
employ leadership for sustainable development by challenging assumptions and negotiating alternatives to unsustainable current practices
identify the opportunities to support and develop a progressive and resilient culture that encourages citizens, professions and institutions to put learning into practice

Transferable skills

Oral communication skills
Working with others
Problem solving
Information technology
Numeracy
Research across various disciplines
Peer review

Study time

Type Required
Lectures 8 sessions of 1 hour (3%)
Project supervision 8 sessions of 30 minutes (1%)
Private study 1 hour (0%)
Assessment 287 hours (96%)
Total 300 hours

Private study description

In addition to the timetabled contact time (8 hours of lectures and 4 hours of supervision), students are expected to work independently and to manage their own time. We expect students to require up to 288 hours or research, planning and writing. Since they will start their project late in year 2 (at the start of the summer term) we expect them to dedicate c.11 hours per week to this module (288 hours / 26 weeks).
8 supervisions are compulsory. An additional supervision is offered in year 3, term 3 for students who require support prior to undertaking their dissemination event.

Costs

Category Description Funded by Cost to student
Field trips, placements and study abroad

A short (one day) field trip to conduct research in the area local to the University may be undertaken as part of this module. Students are required to fund their own travel and subsistence costs for the trip.

 Student £20.00

You do not need to pass all assessment components to pass the module.

Assessment group A1
Weighting Study time Eligible for self-certification
Project Proposal 10% 28 hours Yes (extension)

1000-1500 words.
Dissertation or Project 70% 201 hours Yes (extension)

Dissertation (8000-8500 words)
OR
Project (2000 words + project)
Public Dissemination 20% 58 hours Yes (extension)

Variable word count.
Feedback on assessment

Feedback on the proposal will be given during a supervision session: the student researcher will record the feedback on tabula for future reference; the supervisor then checks and approves (adding / correcting information as necessary)\r\nWritten feedback on the final dissertation / project will be provided on Tabula.\r\nFeedback on the dissemination will be provided by members of the public (where that is possible and relevant) or by the student researcher's peers.\r\n

Courses

This module is Core for:

  • Year 3 of UIPA-L1L8 Undergraduate Economic Studies and Global Sustainable Development
  • Year 4 of UIPA-L1L9 Undergraduate Economic Studies and Global Sustainable Development (with Intercalated Year)
  • Year 3 of UIPA-L8A1 Undergraduate Global Sustainable Development
  • Year 4 of UIPA-L8A2 Undergraduate Global Sustainable Development (with Intercalated Year)
  • Year 3 of UIPA-L8N1 Undergraduate Global Sustainable Development and Business
  • Year 4 of UIPA-L8N2 Undergraduate Global Sustainable Development and Business Studies (with Intercalated Year)
  • Year 3 of UIPA-V1L8 Undergraduate History and Global Sustainable Development
  • Year 3 of UIPA-C1L8 Undergraduate Life Sciences and Global Sustainable Development
  • Year 3 of UIPA-V5L8 Undergraduate Philosophy and Global Sustainable Development
  • Year 4 of UIPA-V5L9 Undergraduate Philosophy and Global Sustainable Development (with Intercalated Year)
  • Year 3 of UIPA-L2L8 Undergraduate Politics, International Studies and Global Sustainable Development
  • Year 4 of UIPA-L2L9 Undergraduate Politics, International Studies and Global Sustainable Development (with Intercalated Year)
  • Year 3 of UIPA-C8L8 Undergraduate Psychology and Global Sustainable Development
  • Year 4 of UIPA-C8L9 Undergraduate Psychology and Global Sustainable Development (with Intercalated Year)
  • Year 3 of UIPA-L3L8 Undergraduate Sociology and Global Sustainable Development
  • Year 4 of UIPA-L3L9 Undergraduate Sociology and Global Sustainable Development (with Intercalated Year)
  • Year 3 of UIPA-W4L8 Undergraduate Theatre and Performance Studies and Global Sustainable Development