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ARCH50190: DISSERTATION (MA Archaeology)

It is possible that changes to modules or programmes might need to be made during the academic year, in response to the impact of Covid-19 and/or any further changes in public health advice.

Type Open
Level 4
Credits 90
Availability Available in 2024/2025
Module Cap
Location Durham
Department Archaeology

Prerequisites

Corequisites

  • None.

Excluded Combinations of Modules

  • None.

Aims

  • To engage students with practising, developing and demonstrating their research skills, based on an investigation of the published literature and the gathering of new data where appropriate, on a specific research topic in depth.

Content

  • The student will, under the guidance of the assigned supervisor, develop a detailed research design, collect relevant data or information, evaluate it and draw appropriate conclusions. The work will be written and presented in a manner and format appropriate for a critical examination of the specified subject area, to publication quality.

Learning Outcomes

Subject-specific Knowledge:

  • The student will show a deep understanding of archaeological theory and methodology applied to the specialised dissertation topic, demonstrating a critical knowledge and understanding of the relationship of the research to the wider discipline of archaeology.

Subject-specific Skills:

  • The student will demonstrate the ability to collect and analyse relevant archaeological materials and/or data, including monuments where relevant, and to present these in a coherent form in the dissertation.

Key Skills:

  • Successful completion of the dissertation will demonstrate the ability to conduct independent study, research and problem solving, employ appropriate IT methods in its production and the appropriate use of library, museum, archive and www resources in the investigation of the research topic.

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

  • The planning of research and the design of projects is discussed in a lecture and subsequently tutorials are held at key points in the development of the dissertation.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

ActivityNumberFrequencyDurationTotalMonitored
Lecture11 hour1 
Tutorials8monthly, Jan-Aug1 hour8Yes
Preparation & Reading896 
Total905 

Summative Assessment

Component: DissertationComponent Weighting: 100%
ElementLength / DurationElement WeightingResit Opportunity
Dissertation20,000 words100Yes

Formative Assessment

Dissertation Proposal - 250 words - Epiphany Term - Teaching Week 17Dissertation Plan and Progress Report - 1500 words - Epiphany Term - Teaching Week 20

More information

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