BA Politics and Modern History

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This unit enables students to construct a research project on a unique and original topic that seeks to contribute to the field of knowledge in the discipline of History, supervised by an assigned member of academic staff. The dissertation is akin to a mini-book, and will develop students’ capacities to define a research project’s contours and articulate its intellectual merit, conduct original research and work towards completing it independently. Students will write a dissertation of 10,000 word dissertation (40 credits). The dissertation may include areas of controversy, debate, methodology, or approach and is also primarily a work of original analysis based on primary source materials. Supervision is allocated across the department and students cannot be guaranteed a particular topic or a particular supervisor and should not plan for this.  Once supervisors are assigned in September, students will agree on the specific topic with their assigned supervisor. Students should not commence research until confirming the topic with their supervisor and completing any required Ethics applications. 

This module is only available to students on History-owned programmes and History joint honours programmes owned by other subject areas. May not be taken in conjunction with any other dissertation module.

- To train students extensively in working with primary sources.  

- To provide students with an opportunity to write in depth and at length on an aspect of history based in their own interests, and those of their supervisor.

- To build on, and develop, students’ abilities to undertake independent study, research and critical thinking, including:

• personal skills involved in defining, undertaking and completing a project
• the assessment, evaluation and deployment of critical material on their chosen topic
• writing skills appropriate to the demands of an extended piece of written work in the final year which will equip students for post-graduation research and work. 

• Independent study  
• Training sessions across the academic year
• 5 (maximum) x  supervision sessions
• Training and guidance materials relevant to the dissertation will be posted on the course Canvas site and the dissertation will be submitted and returned via Turnitin 

This will vary according to the topic chosen. By the end of this course unit the successful student will have demonstrated:

independence in the ability to formulate a suitable research topic based on the student’s own interests and those of the supervisor

Resourcefulness – including an ability to use electronic resources as appropriate – in the ability to research that topic

The ability to locate, with guidance, a suitable body of primary material for the production of an extended piece of research

The ability to assimilate and deploy appropriately critical material on that topic

The formal and intellectual skills requisite to the production of an extended piece of written work

Familiarity and comfort in producing original ideas based on primary research.

An ability to undertake and complete an extended research project. 

• Defining a problem
• Devising a solution to it
• Organising complex arguments
• The production of autonomous interpretations

• Researching a problem
• Working with an experienced member of staff on devising a solution to it
• Writing at length
• Organising complex arguments
• Finding and using primary research materials, and arguing from them, in direct engagement with pertinent historiography

Autonomous working

Working one-to-one with experts (dissertation supervisor)

Managing long projects

Putting together extensive pieces of prose. 

Feedback on 1 draft material (e.g. draft chapter) (Formative)

1 x Dissertation (40 credits) (Summative)

Extensive oral feedback will be offered during the five meetings with the supervisor.  (Formative)

Written feedback on draft material (e.g. draft chapter) not to exceed 1,500 words. This work must be submitted in a timely manner in order to allow purposeful feedback. (Formative)

Feedback via Turnitin with extended written feedback, if required, via email at student’s request (Summative) 
 

This will vary according to the dissertation topic chosen.