IP302-30 Final year Dissertation/Project

Department: Liberal Arts
Level: Undergraduate Level 3
Module leader: Gavin Schwartz-Leeper
Credit value: 30
Module duration: 22 weeks
Assessment: 100% coursework
Study location: University of Warwick main campus, Coventry

Introductory description

This is the final year core module on the BA in Liberal Arts course. It requires students to formulate a thesis, research it and write up their findings under the close supervision of an expert. In so doing, they will acquire specialised and in-depth understanding of the particular problem or issue on which they choose to focus their research.

Module web page

Module aims

This module requires students to demonstrate their acquisition of a range of intellectual and practical skills for engaging with a topical issue that they have identified in the course of their studies. The module requires students to bring together the approaches to critical thinking and research that they learned on their Liberal Arts modules and to apply them to a problem they have identified from their chosen Disciplinary Interest or Specialist Interest. The main aim of the module is to allow students to demonstrate their ability to think across disciplines and produce an original piece of research. Furthermore, the module requires students to present their project in a public forum and to adapt their presentation to suit the particular audience.

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.

Weeks 1-4: Project Design, Project Management and Implementation
Week 5: Managing the relationship with the supervisor(s)

Supervision schedule: fortnightly, for 22 weeks, half an hour per session

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 within their chosen Disciplinary or Specialist Interest
By the end of the module students will have presented an argument that engages with the topical issue from a variety of perspectives
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 comprising a research project.

Interdisciplinary

This is a core module on the Liberal Arts course which adopts an interdisciplinary approach spanning the arts, humanities, social and natural sciences fields in order to engage with debates on topical, local national and international issues.

International

Subject specific skills

The modules fosters the development of enhanced research skills including skills in the collation, analysis, interpretation and presentation of information and data from a variety of sources using a range of methods of enquiry.

Transferable skills

Oral and written communication
Digital literacy
Professional communication
Working with others
Problem solving
Information technology
Numeracy
Research across various disciplines and using a variety of methods
Peer review

Study time

Type	Required
Lectures	5 sessions of 1 hour (2%)
Project supervision	12 sessions of 30 minutes (2%)
Private study	289 hours (96%)
Total	300 hours

Private study description

Research

Costs

Category	Description	Funded by	Cost to student
Equipment and project costs	There may be costs associated with conducting research (e..g trips to libraries).	Student

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

Assessment group A1

	Weighting	Eligible for self-certification
Oral Presentation	20%	Yes (extension)
Oral presentation in a public forum
Dissertation	80%	Yes (extension)
Dissertation - either written or other creative format

Feedback on assessment

Written Feedback will be offered via tabula for the project; individual feedback and a score sheet will be given for the oral presentation

Courses

This module is Core for:

Year 3 of UVCA-LA99 Undergraduate Liberal Arts
Year 4 of UVCA-LA98 Undergraduate Liberal Arts with Intercalated Year