This is an archived handbook for a previous year. The current undergraduate and postgraduate handbooks can be viewed using the links above.
Postgraduate Handbook 2019-2020 (archived)
Module MATH51460: Dissertation
Department: Mathematical Sciences
MATH51460: Dissertation
| Type | Level | Credits | Availability | Module Cap | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tied | 5 | 60 | Available in 2019/2020 | Durham |
Tied To
Pre-requisites
- Math Sciences I (MATH51860) and Math Sciences II (MATH51760)
Corequisites
- None
Excluded Combinations
- None
Aims
- To assist students to develop creative and critical thinking, the ability to assemble material from several sources and to write an extended report.
- To produce a dissertation that gives a coherent account of the topic, presented in an original, well organised and appropriate manner.
Content
- Students decide which unit, taken from MATH51760 or 51860, they would like to follow up with a dissertation. They then consult, initially with the lecturer of that unit, to agree a suitable topic for the dissertation. Students wishing to investigate a topic following on from a unit they have taken from outside the list given in MATH 51760 and Math51860 may be allowed to do so provided a member of staff is willing to supervise them.
Learning Outcomes
Subject-specific Knowledge
- specialist knowledge of the chosen dissertation topic, including an appreciation of the development of that topic, its situation with respect to related topics and the directions in which that topic could lead.
Subject-specific Skills
- presentation of a body of mathematical knowledge in an interesting, innovative and comprehensible manner.
- construction of illustrative examples and, possibly, production of original investigations.
Key Skills
- the ability to read and digest several sources
- the ability to tackle material critically and communicate thoughts on it effectively.
- the ability to make a report with appropriate chapters, sections, numbering, and references with reference lists, contents pages and acknowledgements of others' work in an appropriate format.
Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module
- The student will research and write a dissertation on an advanced topic, under the guidance of his/her supervisor and the guidance notes provided.
Teaching Methods and Learning Hours
| Activity | Number | Frequency | Duration | Total Hours | Attendance Monitored |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Supervisions | 10-15 | 1-2 fortnightly | 1 hour | 15 | Yes |
| Preparation and Reading | 585 | ||||
| Total | 600 |
Summative Assessment
| Component | Component Weighting | Element | Length/Duration | Element Weighting | Resit Opportunity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dissertation | 100% | Dissertation | 40-60 A4 pages | 100% | Resubmission the following year |
Formative Assessment
The student will produce work (for example, plans, lists of sources, drafts, reference lists, sample calculations, etc.) for the comments of the supervisor.
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.