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Dissertation - Politics and International Relations

Overview

  • Credit value: 30 credits at Level 6
  • Convenor and tutor: Dr Ruxandra Serban 
  • Assessment: a 10,000-word dissertation (100%)

Module description

In your final year you may choose to submit a dissertation instead of a Level 6 taught option module. This gives you not only the opportunity to consider a subject in real depth, but also the chance to undertake a significant piece of independent research that will equip you with the skills needed to carry out research at postgraduate level as well as in settings outside academia.

If you choose this option, you must write a dissertation proposal and submit it for approval ahead of the start of your final year. You will then be allocated a supervisor and there will be three workshops across terms 1 and 2 before submission of a 10,000-word dissertation at the end of June of your final year. If you are taking Doing Social and Political Research in terms 1 and 2, this will also help you develop skills you need for undertaking an independent research project. If you are thinking of doing a dissertation you are strongly advised to speak to your course director at the end of your second year (full-time) or third year (part-time).

Learning objectives

By the end of this module, you will be able to:

  • write a significant piece of independent research on politics and international relations
  • demonstrate research skills in areas such as critical textual interpretation, data analysis and the application of research methods such as surveys
  • transfer developed research skills to research at postgraduate level or research in non-academic contexts.