This is an archived handbook for a previous year. The current undergraduate and postgraduate handbooks can be viewed using the links above.

Postgraduate Handbook 2015-2016 (archived)

Module THEO50190: Practical Theology: Advanced Research Methods

Department: Theology and Religion

THEO50190: Practical Theology: Advanced Research Methods

Type	Level	Credits	Availability	Module Cap	Location
Tied	5	90	Available in 2015/2016		Durham

Tied To

DThM: (programme not found)

Pre-requisites

None

Corequisites

None

Excluded Combinations

None.

Aims

To equip students to conduct doctoral-level research in practical theology in the context of ministry.
To impart knowledge of the human sciences in their relation to research in practical theology.
To identify relevant resources in the human sciences for research in practical theology and to gain competence in their application.

Content

This will embrace three main areas:
the theological context of practical theology.
method in practical theology.
subject-specific research methods, e.g. qualitative and quantitative research in the human sciences; theories of human development and learning; etc.

Learning Outcomes

Subject-specific Knowledge

Advanced understanding of a range of research methods and the ability to identify suitable techniques of data collection and analysis relevant to the proposed investigation.
An understanding of research ethics
Demonstrable in-depth understanding of the literature associated with the selected investigation

Subject-specific Skills

The ability to construct a viable research proposal in practical theology in the context of ministry.
Advanced research skills including the ability to identify main questions and key sources.
Ability to present data and analysis to professional standard.

Key Skills

The ability to present sophisicated and complex information clearly in the written form.

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

Lectures: to impart advanced knowledge and requisite skills for research in practical theology.
Seminars/workshops: to learn and practise a range of research skills and techniques both qualitative and quantitative.
Tutorials: to allow small-group and one-to-one discussion of research being undertaken by the students.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Activity	Number	Frequency	Duration	Total Hours
Lectures	8	4 per summer school	90 minutes	12
Tutorials	6	1 per summer school otherwise normally termly	90 or 120 minutes	10
Seminars	19	For part-time 8 year 1; 11 year 2	120 or 90 minutes	30
Student preparation and reading time associated with formative and summative assessed essays or other assignments				368
Student preparation and reading time associated with contact hours listed above; general background reading;revision for written examinations etc.:				180
Total				600

Summative Assessment

Component	Component Weighting	Element	Length/Duration	Element Weighting
Research Proposal	30%	Research Proposal	3,000 words	100%
Literature Review	50%	Literature review	10,000 words	100%
Research Profile	20%	Research profile	2,000 words	100%

Formative Assessment

Students who do not attend monitored activities shown under Teaching Methods and Learning Hours, or who fail to complete the summative or formative assessment(s) specified above, may be subject to the Academic Progress procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University.