Undergraduate Module Descriptor

POC3040: Dissertation

This module descriptor refers to the 2016/7 academic year.

Please note that this module is only delivered on the Penryn Campus.

Module Aims

This module provides you with the opportunity to engage independently with a particular issue in depth. The aim of the module is to enable you to plan, undertake and write up a piece of research with minimal guidance from academic staff. This process aims to inspire a genuine engagement with research methods in Politics and to enable students to develop important skills needed to work independently organization, motivation, initiative, communication etc ) Another important aim of this module is to develop your interpersonal skills so that you can develop a professional working relationship with your supervisor which will support your research. Your dissertation supervisor will support and guide your research process and will offer feedback throughout the year. S/he will help you narrow down your topic area, devise a suitable research question and help you plan your research activities.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

This module's assessment will evaluate your achievement of the ILOs listed here – you will see reference to these ILO numbers in the details of the assessment for this module.
On successfully completing the programme you will be able to:
Module-Specific Skills1. define a suitable research topic and pursue it to completion
2. evaluate the main themes in work of political science
3. assess the professionalism and scholarly value of published works in political science
4. present work in a scholarly fashion
Discipline-Specific Skills5. assess the work of scholars
6. collate and critique data from a range of sources
7. understand and deploy the terminology of political science in a comprehensible manner
8. analyse and differentiate between complex sources;
Personal and Key Skills9. work independently under guidance and to organise your own time over the two semesters;