Dissertation B

POLI30380 Dissertation B 20 Full year Undergraduate Level 3 Louise Thompson Unit coordinator 1 FHEQ level (Framework for Higher Education Qualifications) ' Last part of a Bachelors ' European Credit Transfer & Accumulation System Rating : 10.0 A topic of a student's own choosing that is related to her/his final year politics course units or, when there is no relevant final year course unit, to one of her/his second or first year politics course units. An extended piece of research, analysis and writing, on a topic of a student's own choosing.  Topics must be within politics and international relations.  The terms politics and international relations refers to a broad set of related disciplines and sub-disciplines.  These include, but are not limited to: political theory; political philosophy; British politics; American politics; other area-specific studies of other countries; public policy; comparative politics; global political studies; critical global politics;  interpretive political studies; empirical political science; experimental political science; political economy; international studies; post-colonialist political studies; feminist political theory.  There are also permitted topics which cross disciplines or use theories from politics combined with other disciplines, such as cultural studies, economics, psychology, anthropology, political sociology etc. The experience of undertaking a dissertation forms a core element of politics provision. In undertaking a dissertation, a student has the opportunity to develop their own intellectual interests.  Students can think and write about a topic in real depth, and pose their own questions.  For many students, doing the dissertation is one of the most rewarding, and challenging modules they take on their degree. Dissertations teach students how to define a researchable problem, to decide upon appropriate sources, and to develop a sustained argument. In addition, dissertations reinforce and extend analytical skills, while also enabling students to learn how to use the scholarly techniques of constructing a bibliography and a framework of footnotes. Objectives: A student will:- (1) study a chosen topic in depth; (2) learn to define a researchable problem; (3) learn to decide upon appropriate sources; (4) learn to use a scholarly apparatus of footnotes and bibliography; (5) learn to develop a sustained argument; (6) enhance analytic skills; and (7) develop intellectual independence. Doing a Politics dissertation can help in future career choices in many ways.  For example, for those wishing to go onto to post-graduate study (Masters and PhDs), the dissertation (both 20 and 40 credits) shows your commitment to a field of study, and your own intellectual passions and knowledge.  It also gives a chance to show off your research skills, and own arguments. Many graduate positions are essentially about identifying an issue, and looking at ways to resolve that issue, as well as handling reports and documents.  Whether you chose to go into a corporate managerial role, the financial sector, consultancy, an NGO, the civil service, or whatever, a great deal of graduate-level jobs are about handling information e.g. reviewing, compiling and writing reports.  The dissertation is a great way to showcase your ability to attack a problem and handle large volume of information in doing so.  A series of lectures in first semester, and a number of individual one-to-one meetings with an appointed supervisor in first and second semesters. POLI30380 Dissertation B (20 credits): 4 x 30 minute meetings (or equivalent)Please note, supervisors are allocated to students by the course convenor no later than week 7 of first semester.  Students are required to do some preparatory work on their topic before supervisor allocations, in the form of an annotated bibliography and topic information form.  We start work on the dissertation from week 1, as a group, and individually, before students work more closely with supervisors one-to-one. Unlike some other subjects, Politics dissertation allows students to select any politics topic, within the broad definition of politics and international relations (see course unit overview for a longer definition).  Students are not tied to topics directly related to their module choices, for example.  This means that we allocate supervisors as soon as possible after the module has started, once we know who is taking the module, and what their broad interests are.  0 Other 100% POLI30380 Dissertation B (20 credits):4,000 and 4,500 words of text [including footnotes and references]. Available to students on the following degree programmes: BA Econ single or combined politics specialists, Phil/Pol, PPE, ESML Y Dissertation handbook Lectures 7 Project supervision 2 0 191 Information A student may NOT register for both POLI30380 and POLI30300.