Aims and Fit of Module

The main aim of this module is to enable students to further develop their research skills in their chosen specialism.  This means that the module will :

A.	 enable students to carry out and write up a piece of independent research in their chosen specialism;

B.	Extend students’ knowledge, skills and critical understanding to evidence their capacity for independent thinking;

C.	Develop a range of transferrable research skills including the ability to organize time and resources effectively; as well as communicate with their colleagues and their supervisor.

Learning outcomes

A.	Demonstrate an ability to think independently in the context of a research question within their specialism that they set for themselves.

B.	Critically appraise and make use of relevant literature as they work through their research question, including appropriate academic referencing in order to produce a clear, coherent and sustained argument.

C.	Synthesize and apply relevant theoretical constructs and appropriate research methodology to an original piece of research.

D.	Clearly structure and produce a substantial piece of work as appropriate to an original piece of research.

Method of teaching and learning

Students will identify a research topic and meet regularly with their supervisor in order to create a research proposal.  They will then outline the proposal formally, conduct independent research, pitch their project orally and create a final dissertation.


The emphasis in the teaching will be on original, independent research.