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PGT Dissertation - SOC00009M

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  • Department: Sociology
  • Module co-ordinator: LH829
  • Credit value: 60 credits
  • Credit level: M
  • Academic year of delivery: 2021-22
  • Notes: This is an independent study module

Module summary

This module enables students to design, conduct and manage an independent research project. 

Module will run

Occurrence Teaching period
A Summer Term 2021-22 to Summer Vacation 2021-22
B Summer Vacation 2020-21 to Autumn Term 2021-22

Module aims

  • Enable students to apply the methodological, conceptual and analytical skills acquired during the taught component of their degree to a piece of independent research.
  • Enable students to design, implement and manage an extended independent research project.  
  • Enable students to produce a well-structured, clearly written, and analytically robust research report, which has relevance for conceptual, theoretical and/or epistemological debates within sociology or, if relevant, to the wider social sciences.

Module learning outcomes

  • Demonstrate an understanding of the broader intellectual and disciplinary context of their research
  • Illustrate the relation between their research and existing research literature
  • Demonstrate an ability to formulate an appropriate research question and design a project that answers it.   
  • Demonstrate the relevance of their research to conceptual, theoretical and/or epistemological debates within sociology or, if relevant, to the wider social sciences.
  • (Where appropriate) demonstrate an ability to collect and evaluate qualitative or quantitative data.
  • Where empirical research is conducted, demonstrate a critical understanding of research ethics. 
  • Demonstrate an ability to independently manage a project over an extended period of time
  • Demonstrate how to structure and organise an extended written research report in order to clearly communicate research findings.

Assessment

Task Length % of module mark
Essay/coursework
Dissertation		 N/A 100

Special assessment rules

Non-compensatable

Reassessment

Task Length % of module mark
Essay/coursework
Dissertation		 N/A 100

Module feedback

Prior to submission students will receive: 

  • written feedback on a 3,000 word draft
  • ongoing verbal advice and feedback on their progress from supervisors

After submission, students will receive:

  • Detailed written feedback on the dissertation -  the design and execution of the research, analysis of findings (if empirical research has been done) and overall expression and presentation. 

Indicative reading

Students are referred to the reading lists of the core modules of their respective degree programmes. 


The information on this page is indicative of the module that is currently on offer. The University is constantly exploring ways to enhance and improve its degree programmes and therefore reserves the right to make variations to the content and method of delivery of modules, and to discontinue modules, if such action is reasonably considered to be necessary by the University. Where appropriate, the University will notify and consult with affected students in advance about any changes that are required in line with the University's policy on the Approval of Modifications to Existing Taught Programmes of Study.