CH993-60 Interdisciplinary Research Project
Introductory description
Twenty-week individual project including approximately 4 weeks write up, carrying out research on a specialised topic under the direction of an academic or industrial supervisor and their team.
Module aims
The module is designed to develop student research skills, through an extended project in an area of chosen discipline. Students will become aware of the elements of research, including appraising the literature, designing novel experiments/methods, assessing results and drawing conclusions that they will be able to set against the current field.
This module will allow students to be original in their application of knowledge to the solution of new, research-led problems. The philosophy of the MSc degree is to provide a student experience and training which brings them to the state of the art in their field of. The Research Project module is thus a key component of the course, since it provides students with the opportunity to carry out a research project under the supervision of an academic or a researcher from industry. Students are given guidance from the supervisor, and have the opportunity to design, plan and execute their own research work. Students will be expected to present a 8,000-word report which should be at the standard of a research paper. They also present their work in the form of a seminar and poster to the rest of the cohort and other academics. This forms part of the assessment of the project. During this session, students face questions from their peers and academics. These activities allow students to develop presentation and communication skills.
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.
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.
Research project (20-weeks)
Twenty-week project including approximately 4 weeks write up, carrying out research on a specialised topic under the direction of an academic or industrial supervisor and their team.
Presentations and assessment
Presentation of the research project as a 8,000-word report which should be at the standard of a research paper, seminar talk and a presentation of the interim results during a student conference in a form of a poster.
Learning outcomes
By the end of the module, students should be able to:
- Understand and be aware of current research and problems relating to the area of the research project.
- Critically evaluate the literature and identify the most important body of work.
- Plan and manage the research work and carry out appropriate analyses.
- Present a critical evaluation of their own research work and answer questions about their research in front of an audience of peers
- Write a high quality report at research level including an appraisal of the literature, experimental methods, results and discussion, conclusions
Research element
Research project in a chosen discipline.
Interdisciplinary
Interdisciplinary research project.
Subject specific skills
Understanding and awareness of current research and problems relating to the area of the research project.
Ability to critically evaluate the literature and identify the most important body of work.
Ability to plan research work and carry out appropriate analyses.
Autonomous application of knowledge, together with a practical understanding of how established techniques of research and enquiry are used to create and interpret knowledge in the discipline.
Ability to extrapolate existing knowledge and experience and apply them in an integrated systems approach to solve a complex and unfamiliar problem
Ability to undertake multi-disciplinary research.
Extrapolate existing knowledge and experience and apply them in an integrated systems approach to solve a complex and unfamiliar problem
Transferable skills
Numeracy: apply mathematical and computational methods to communicate parameters, model and optimize solutions
Apply problem solving skills, digital literacy, information retrieval, and the effective use of general IT facilities
Communicate (written and oral; to technical and non-technical audiences) and work effectively with others
Plan self-learning and improve performance, as the foundation for lifelong learning/CPD
Exercise initiative and personal responsibility, including time management, which may be as a team member or leader
Critical thinking, overcome difficulties by employing skills, knowledge and understanding in a flexible manner
Ability to formulate and operate within appropriate codes of conduct, when faced with an ethical issue
Be professional in their outlook, be capable of team working, be effective communicators, and be able to exercise responsibility and sound management approaches.
Study time
| Type | Required |
|---|---|
| Project supervision | 20 sessions of 1 hour (5%) |
| Other activity | 360 hours (81%) |
| Private study | 64 hours (14%) |
| Total | 444 hours |
Private study description
Additional research and skills development
Other activity description
Research work
Costs
No further costs have been identified for this module.
You do not need to pass all assessment components to pass the module.
Assessment group A
| Weighting | Study time | Eligible for self-certification | |
|---|---|---|---|
Assessment component |
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| MSc research poster | 5% | 15 hours | No |
|
MSc projects are presented to the other MSc students and academics during a MSc poster session mid-way thought the project. |
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Reassessment component is the same |
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Assessment component |
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| Final presentation | 15% | 20 hours | No |
|
MSc projects are presented to the other MSc students and academics during a MSc presentation session at the end of the project duration. |
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Reassessment component is the same |
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Assessment component |
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| Assessment of execution | 10% | 1 hour | No |
|
Supervisor's assessment of student execution |
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Reassessment component is the same |
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Assessment component |
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| Project dissertation | 70% | 120 hours | No |
Reassessment component is the same |
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Feedback on assessment
Written feedback will be provided on the dissertation, execution and the final presentation.
Verbal and written feedback will be provided on the poster presentation.
Courses
This module is Core for:
-
TCHA-F764 Postgraduate Taught Global Decarbonisation and Climate Change
- Year 1 of F764 Global Decarbonisation and Climate Change
- Year 1 of F76B Global Decarbonisation and Climate Change (Policy)
- Year 1 of F76A Global Decarbonisation and Climate Change (Science)
- Year 2 of F764 Global Decarbonisation and Climate Change