| Unit name | Independent Study: Practice-as-Research Project |
|---|---|
| Unit code | THTR30024 |
| Credit points | 40 |
| Level of study | H/6 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 4 (weeks 1-24) |
| Unit director | Dr. Wozniak |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you may not take alongside this one |
None |
| School/department | Department of Theatre |
| Faculty | Faculty of Arts, Law and Social Sciences |
Why is this unit important?
The unit will provide a structured and supervised opportunity for final-year students to research, develop and present a student-directed practice-as-research project, either independently or collaboratively. Students will pitch their plans at the end of TB1 and refine this pitch in dialogue with a named supervisor, negotiating the modes of enquiry and the most appropriate form of showcasing results, A creative presentation of the project’s findings will be shown as part of Gradfest, the student-produced showcase of graduating students’ work. A viva will provide an opportunity for individual students to reflect critically on the process and to contextualise their work. The unit prepares students for postgraduate study or professional practice in the creative, heritage, or related industries.
How does this unit fit into your programme of study:
This unit is a captstone project giving you the opportunity to draw from the broad range of skills, knowledge and methodologies encountered throughout the degree. It allows you to identify, select, and apply the skills acquired over the course of the degree to a practice-as-research project of your own making and prepares you for postgraduate and/or professional work.
Overview
Students will work with Independent Study students on all pathways throughout TB1 to develop professionalisation, research, and project management skills. Students will plan, pitch, develop and share their own (individual or collaborative) Practice-as-Research Project connected to a live research problem. The pitch at the end of TB1 will lay out the research question and proposed rationale for the research methods (modes of practice) and mode of final presentation: for instance, students may wish to share extracts or video highlights of a durational or offsite performance; the practice may culminate in an installation or curated exhibit; students may present on discoveries made in rehearsal or through post-performance interviews or surveys. An appropriate supervisor will be assigned based on the pitch. In TB2, you refine your pitch, develop and carry out a schedule of research and delivery under the supervision of a named member of staff. At the end of the project, you will share your findings with a public audience as part of Gradfest.
How will students, personally, be different as a result of the unit
Students will develop project management skills: you be able to devise research questions, identify and implement appropriate modes of enquiry, develop and manage a project schedule and deliver results to deadline. You will also develop specific practical and research skills appropriate to your enquiry.
Students will develop the skills and confidence needed to embark on postgraduate and/pr professional practical research.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit, students will be able to:
Teaching will be delivered using a blend of synchronous and asynchronous sessions, including lectures, group tutorials, production meetings and rehearsal observation. In TB1, lecture, seminar and on-line discussion sessions will largely be focussed on professionalisation and research methodologies and on formulating initial research proposals and groups, culminating in the Project Pitch. In TB2, initial meetings between project teams and supervisors will establish the parameters of the project’s scope, mode of enquiry and method for sharing research findings. Once these parameters have been established, supervisor will meet regularly with the project team to observe and support progress.
Tasks which do not count towards your unit mark but are required for credit (zero-weighted):
Project Pitch identifying research question, mode of enquiry and form of presentation, 1,250 words [ILO 1]
Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative):
Creative Presentation of research findings (70%) [ILOs 1, 3]
Individual reflection (30%) [ILOs 2, 4]
The form of the presentation and critical reflection will depend on the nature of the research question and the most appropriate way of showcasing research findings.
Re-assessment:
When required by the Board of Examiners, you will normally complete reassessments in the same formats as those outlined above. However, the Board reserves the right to modify the form or number of reassessments required. Details of reassessments are normally confirmed by the School shortly after the notification of your results at the end of the academic year.
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. THTR30024).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the University Workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The assessment methods listed in this unit specification are designed to enable students to demonstrate the named learning outcomes (LOs). Where a disability prevents a student from undertaking a specific method of assessment, schools will make reasonable adjustments to support a student to demonstrate the LO by an alternative method or with additional resources.
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. For appropriate assessments, if you have self-certificated your absence, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (for assessments at the end of TB1 and TB2 this is usually in the next re-assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any exceptional circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
