PTC6034 - Professional Research Project

Objectives:

On successful completion of the module, students will be able to:
Put into practice research skills acquired at previous levels (i.e. presenting a hypothesis or identifying a set of research questions; collecting and analysing empirical evidence; evaluating evidence; drawing conclusions and presenting them effectively).
Assess critically academic sources relevant to a self-prescribed research topic to help inform and frame a hypothesis or research questions.
Demonstrate the ability to work professionally (both independently and drawing on appropriate support) as a researcher, and to reflect effectively and critically on their personal development of such research skills.
Complete a sustained piece of research which is then written up in a coherent, logical, well-argued manner and is presented with appropriate well-designed empirical data, ancillary material and supported by full scholarly academic apparatus.

Content:

This module is part of the research methods strand. The proposal for the research project carried out in PTC 6034 will have been developed and assessed within PTC 5032 Political Science. The professional research project can take the form of a traditional academic dissertation or of a practical research project.

The findings of the research project may constitute a professional portfolio for prospective employers to demonstrate practical and professional experience within a relevant professional sector.

Learning and Teaching Information:

During Semester 1, students will have general workshops, which will focus on: briefing students on reviewing and finalising the research plan; ethics considerations, and the conduct of the research and its presentation. These will be supported by individual tutorial meetings to finalise their project proposals and discuss the delivery of the research project. During Semester 2, students will work on analysing the data gathered and presenting/writing up the results.

Students will keep a notebook throughout the module and will use this, as they complete the project, to write a reflective report on the process of undertaking and completing the work, again supported by workshops with other students and individual meetings with the assigned staff member supervising the project.

Workshops
Hours: 14
Intended Group Size: 30

Individual tutorials
Hours: 3

Guided independent study
Hours: 383

Further details relating to assessment
The length of the portfolio submission will be determined by the sector norms for a complete piece of work in the chosen format (survey report, article, &c). Full details are contained within the Module Handbook.

The University's rules and requirements on the ethical conduct of research will apply to this module.

Other relevant matters
This module draws directly upon preparatory work done in PTC 5032 Political Science, where the final assignment is to develop and design an original research project that will be completed within PTC 6034 Professional Research Project.

Assessment:

Fact File

Module Coordinator - Nathan Uglow
Level - 6
Credit Value - 40
Pre-Requisites - NONE
Semester(s) Offered -

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