Unit information: Special Topic Project in 2011/12

Unit name	Special Topic Project
Unit code	HIST13003
Credit points	20
Level of study	C/4
Teaching block(s)	Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24)
Unit director	Emeritus Professor. Pemberton
Open unit status	Not open
Pre-requisites	None
Co-requisites	HIST13002
School/department	Department of History (Historical Studies)
Faculty	Faculty of Arts

Description including Unit Aims

Linked to the Special Topic, students undertake a primary source based project. This will be supervised by the Special Topic Tutor and will be assessed thorough a 4000-word project produced at the end. While projects are connected to Special Topics, it is important to understand that it a standalone 20 credit point unit, the assessment of which will be based entirely on the final paper. Students will receive guidance from their supervisors in one-to-one meetings, which should not normally exceed one-and-half hours per student. This includes initial discussions about their prospective topics, guidance meetings, email advice and feedback tutorials following the handing back of the project.

Aims:

The unit enables students to research a particular aspect of their choice relating to their Special Topic at greater depth and to develop their independent learning and research skills. It will also enable them to practice and develop the range of subject specific and key skills acquired through their engagement in their Special Topic.

Intended Learning Outcomes

By the end of the unit students should have:

• deepened their understanding of a particular aspect of their Special Topic

• achieved a greater integration between the various components of that Special Topic

• produced an extended piece of historical analysis in accordance with high scholarly standards

• developed their ability to formulate their own questions

• have demonstrated that they can compile their own bibliography

• the ability to work with primary sources demonstrating an awareness of the provenance and nature of those sources and how to draw reasoned and considered conclusions from them

• have a greater understanding of the process of independent learning and research and have a clearer understanding of their own developing capabilities in those areas.

Teaching Information

• 8 x 1-hour workshops

• 2 one-to-one supervision tutorials with Special Topic tutor  the first being to help define the Project, the second to provide feedback on it. Each tutorial would normally be expected to take about 20 minutes.

• Access to additional tutorial consultation with unit tutor in office hours.

Assessment Information

4000-word project

Reading and References

The reading will depend on the precise topic chosen, but the bibliography will be constructed by the student in part from the Special Topic handbook but students will be expected to show initiative in identifying and locating a wider range of sources, both primary and secondary.