Undergraduate Course: Dissertation (MA Social Anthropology) (SCAN10036)
Course Outline
| School | School of Social and Political Science |
College | College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 10 (Year 4 Undergraduate) |
| Course type | Dissertation |
Availability | Not available to visiting students |
| SCQF Credits | 40 |
ECTS Credits | 20 |
| Summary | This course provides students with the opportunity to undertake a project of their own design and to submit a written dissertation based on their research. This work will initially be supported by the course convenor and subsequently a member of the teaching staff in Social Anthropology, who will be assigned to supervise the student's research and writing and guide them towards the submission of their dissertation. |
| Course description |
In addition to one-to-one supervision, writing up of the dissertation will be supported by a series of workshops on the writing process in the first half of Semester 1. These will be on themes such as: working with your data and finding your argument, situating your argument within a wider literature, drafting an outline and composing your narrative, and the art of layout and proofreading. Peer support will also be actively facilitated, with students being made aware of each other's projects so that they can work together in groups based on common research interests.
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Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2026/27, Not available to visiting students (SS1)
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Quota: None |
| Course Start |
Full Year |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
400
(
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 8,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
392 )
|
| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
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| Additional Information (Assessment) |
Dissertation mark (100%)
In addition to one-to-one supervision, writing up of the dissertation will be supported by a series of workshops on the writing process in the first half of Semester 1. In addition to one-to-one supervision, writing up of the dissertation will be supported by a series of workshops on the writing process in the first half of Semester 1. These will be on themes such as: working with your data and finding your argument, situating your argument within a wider literature, drafting an outline and composing your narrative, and the art of layout and proofreading. Peer support will also be actively facilitated, with students being made aware of each others projects so that they can work together in groups based on common research interests.
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| Feedback |
Students will receive written feedback on their research proposal, which is submitted second semester of the Junior Honours year, and written feedback on the dissertation. |
| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Formulate an original anthropological research idea and design an appropriate methodology and research plan.
- Critically review existing literature to situate their research idea and formulate an anthropological argument that represents a substantial contribution to the field.
- Apply reflective critical analysis of research design, theoretical issues, and ethical questions to the practical complexities of conducting original social research.
- Present research findings and analysis in an extended piece of writing that makes an original anthropological argument
- Manage the development of a project from initial idea to final report, building a variety of research skills such as interviewing, participant observation, archival work, and multi-media research
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Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Not entered |
| Additional Class Delivery Information |
tba |
| Keywords | Not entered |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Richard Baxstrom
Tel:
Email: Richard.Baxstrom@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Mr Brodie Hamilton
Tel: (0131 6)51 3139
Email: Brodie.Hamilton@ed.ac.uk |
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