Postgraduate Programme and Module Handbook 2013-2014 (archived)

Module ANTH44960: Dissertation in Energy and Society

Department: Anthropology

ANTH44960: Dissertation in Energy and Society

Type	Open	Level	4	Credits	60	Availability	Available in 2013/14

Prerequisites

None

Corequisites

ANTH 44630, ANTH 44730 and ANTH 44815

Excluded Combination of Modules

None

Aims

To offer students the opportunity to conduct a substantial research project in Energy and Society
OR
To offer students the opportunity to conduct an industrial placement, to be theorised and contextualised in a final report

Content

A 10,000 word dissertation or report on an agreed topic in Energy and Society

Learning Outcomes

Subject-specific Knowledge:

Students will have, by the end of the module:
an in-depth knowledge and deep understanding of the theory and current debates in the area of socio-cultural analysis of energy that they have chosen to researcH
an advanced understanding of methodological issues in the broad area of energy and society in which they have conducted their research

Subject-specific Skills:

Students will be able, by the end of the module:
to articulate key research issues in energy and society
to identify relevant methods and methodological issues for research in a specified field of energy and society
to search for, identify and evaluate relevant sources of research data and literature
to identify key areas for further research in energy and society
to evaluate and articulate relevant ethical issues applicable to their research project

Key Skills:

Students will be able, by the end of the module:
to conduct advanced qualitative and/or quantitative analysis
to write clearly and concisely at a high level of intellectual debate
to explain theoretical and methodological approaches and their relevance and application to issues in energy and society
to manage library resources and advanced databases to identify relevant sources for their research
to manage a research project from start to finish, developing a research idea into a research question, implementing it with an appropriate methodology, analysing empirical data and drawing conclusions supported by theoretical argument

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

Module delivery will be through lectures in research methods, dissertation design and research-focused tutorials. Each student will be allocated a supervisor who will guide them through the research process and support their learning. The dissertation module leader will ensure that supervisors follow a suitable programme of meetings and coordinate the collective research training activities. Assessment will be in the form of a 15,000 word dissertation or project report. The dissertation module will be introduced in term 1, with research training in term 2, and tutorials in terms 2 and 3. Students will deliver dissertations for assessment after the summer vacation.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Activity	Number	Frequency	Duration	Total/Hours
Preparation and reading		Term 1		288
Dissertation guidance and methods	3	Term 2	2 hours	6
Tutorial supervision	6		1 hour	6
Student-led research activity		Term 3 + summer vacation		300
Total				600

Summative Assessment

Component: Assessment		Component Weighting: 100%
Element	Length / duration	Element Weighting	Resit Opportunity
Dissertation	10,000 words	100%

Formative Assessment:

Research proposal - 500 words

■ Attendance at all activities marked with this symbol will be monitored. Students who fail to attend these activities, or to complete the summative or formative assessment specified above, will be subject to the procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University