Postgraduate Course: Dissertation MSc by Research Sociology (100 credit) (SCIL11005)
Course Outline
| School | School of Social and Political Science |
College | College of Humanities and Social Science |
| Course type | Dissertation |
Availability | Available to all students |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) |
Credits | 100 |
| Home subject area | Sociology |
Other subject area | None |
| Course website |
None |
Taught in Gaelic? | No |
| Course description | The dissertation is an extended piece of independent scholarship in the field. It is the main work in which students demonstrate achievement of crucial learning outcomes for the MSc by Research, drawing on relevant material covered in the taught element of the degree and through supervision. The dissertation can be up to 23,000 words in length.
The nature of a dissertation for the MSc by Research may vary. For students proceeding to a PhD or MPhil, it will normally take the form of a full research proposal. In this case, it will contain an extended review of the literature, establishing the research questions, plus an extended discussion of the likely research design and any methodological issues. Alternatively, the dissertation may comprise a discrete piece of (usually empirical) research, possibly a pilot study for the eventual doctoral research. This will usually incorporate literature review, research questions, research design and methodology, data collection and analysis elements, and conclusions.
In this 100 credit dissertation, the dissertation will normally include a more comprehensive review of relevant literature and/or some pilot research as well as the full proposal. In addition, some of the elements required for 60 credits will normally be more developed: eg, additional specific canonical bibliographic data relevant to the research topic; more advanced engagement in salient debates, concepts or theory; more detailed treatment of ethical and methodological issues.
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
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Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
| Additional Costs | None |
Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | None |
| Displayed in Visiting Students Prospectus? | Yes |
Course Delivery Information
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| Delivery period: 2011/12 Full Year, Available to all students (SV1)
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WebCT enabled: No |
Quota: None |
| Location |
Activity |
Description |
Weeks |
Monday |
Tuesday |
Wednesday |
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| No Classes have been defined for this Course |
| First Class |
First class information not currently available |
| No Exam Information |
Summary of Intended Learning Outcomes
Students should:
- demonstrate the ability to carry out a sustained piece of independent scholarship, involving project and time management
- demonstrate the ability to frame a coherent and answerable set of research questions, to justify these in relation to existing knowledge and theories, and to demonstrate that answering them would constitute an advance on existing knowledge
- achieve a command of existing knowledge in their field of research, through a critical and (where relevant) comprehensive review of relevant literature engaging in salient debates
- demonstrate the ability to produce a research design capable of answering the chosen research questions
- demonstrate an understanding of research methods, appropriate to the research topic and questions, taking due account of any practical, political and ethical issues affecting the conduct of their research
- where relevant, demonstrate the ability to implement the chosen research design and methods of data collection and analysis
- where relevant, come up with credible conclusions (eg, on the implications of a pilot study for a fuller study)
- where relevant, demonstrate the ability to integrate theoretical and empirical elements
- produce written scholarship in line with research and bibliographic conventions
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Assessment Information
| up to 23,000 words |
Special Arrangements
| None |
Additional Information
| Academic description |
Not entered |
| Syllabus |
Not entered |
| Transferable skills |
Not entered |
| Reading list |
Not entered |
| Study Abroad |
Not entered |
| Study Pattern |
Not entered |
| Keywords | Not entered |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Hugo Gorringe
Tel: (0131 6)50 3940
Email: H.Gorringe@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Miss Cristyn King
Tel: (0131 6)51 3865
Email: cristyn.king@ed.ac.uk |
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© Copyright 2011 The University of Edinburgh - 16 January 2012 6:47 am
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