PY985-7-FY-CO:
Dissertation: Philosophy and Art History

The details
2023/24
Philosophical, Historical and Interdisciplinary Studies (School of)
Colchester Campus
Full Year
Postgraduate: Level 7
Current
Thursday 05 October 2023
Friday 28 June 2024
80
07 November 2023

 

Requisites for this module
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)

 

(none)

Key module for

(none)

Module description

This module consists in producing an MA Dissertation in Philosophy and Art History. It provides the opportunity for students to undertake a longer independent research project that caps off their MA studies, and, often, is a stepping stone for PhD studies.


Students will be supported in identifying a suitable topic (and title) by the PGT Director (Philosophy) and the academic staff member who has agreed to act as their supervisor.

Module aims

The aims of this module are:



  • To develop their skills as independent researcher in Philosophy and Art History.

  • To complete their first longer independent research project.

Module learning outcomes

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



  1. Define a topic for independent research.

  2. Carry out this research to produce a Dissertation at the level required for MA studies.

  3. Acquire further subject knowledge in Philosophy and Art History.


Skills for your Professional Life (Transferable Skills)


By the end of this module, students will be expected to be able to have learned and further honed transferable skills like the abilities to:



  1. Define the task in which they are engaged and exclude what is irrelevant.

  2. Seek and organise the most relevant discussions and sources of information.

  3. Process a large volume of diverse and sometimes conflicting arguments.

  4. Compare and evaluate different arguments and assess the limitations of their own position or procedure.

  5. Write and present verbally a succinct and precise account of positions, arguments, and their presuppositions and implications.

  6. Be sensitive to the positions of others and communicate their own views in ways that are accessible to them.

  7. Think 'laterally' and creatively - see interesting connections and possibilities and present these clearly rather than as vague hunches.

  8. Maintain intellectual flexibility and revise their own position if shown wrong.

  9. Think critically and constructively.

Module information

Each student is required to submit, in writing, a provisional dissertation title, an outline of their proposed research and the name of their supervisor by the end of Week 24.


In preparation for this, the PGT Director will hold an initial dissertation planning meeting in the autumn term (usually during Week 8), during which the process of formulating a dissertation topic will be explained.


Students will communicate with their prospective supervisors between Week 20-3, to discuss their choice of title and research topic, and then to finalise the outline of their proposed research and ensure that their supervisor signs the relevant form for submission of the title and outline to the Graduate Administrator by the end of Week 24.

Learning and teaching methods

This module will be delivered via:

  • One 2-hour seminar in Week 8.
  • Individual supervisions in spring and summer term.

Bibliography

This module does not appear to have a published bibliography for this year.

Assessment items, weightings and deadlines

Coursework / exam Description Deadline Coursework weighting
Coursework   Dissertation title, proposed research and Supervisor name    0% 
Coursework   Dissertation: Philosophy & Art History (10,000 Words)    100% 

Exam format definitions

  • Remote, open book: Your exam will take place remotely via an online learning platform. You may refer to any physical or electronic materials during the exam.
  • In-person, open book: Your exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer to any physical materials such as paper study notes or a textbook during the exam. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
  • In-person, open book (restricted): The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer only to specific physical materials such as a named textbook during the exam. Permitted materials will be specified by your department. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
  • In-person, closed book: The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may not refer to any physical materials or electronic devices during the exam. There may be times when a paper dictionary, for example, may be permitted in an otherwise closed book exam. Any exceptions will be specified by your department.

Your department will provide further guidance before your exams.

Overall assessment

100 per cent Coursework Mark

Reassessment

100 per cent Coursework Mark

Module supervisor and teaching staff
Prof Fabian Freyenhagen, email: ffrey@essex.ac.uk.
Various
PHAIS Postgraduate Queries: phaispg@essex.ac.uk

 

Availability
No
No
No

External examiner

Dr Alexander Golob
King's College London
Senior Lecturer
Resources
Available via Moodle
Of 2 hours, 2 (100%) hours available to students:
0 hours not recorded due to service coverage or fault;
0 hours not recorded due to opt-out by lecturer(s).

 


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