| Unit name | Supervised Independent Study |
|---|---|
| Unit code | SPOLM4300 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | M/7 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Academic Year (weeks 1 - 52) |
| Unit director | Dr. Demi Patsios |
| 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 | School for Policy Studies |
| Faculty | Faculty of Social Sciences and Law |
Why is this Unit Important?
This unit will enable you, with the support of individual supervision, to explore the content of a programme unit that is not currently available.
How does this unit fit into your programme of study?
This unit is only available to students registered for MSc/Diploma degrees in Policy Research and Social Work Research in the School for Policy Studies. Agreement will be on the proviso that the work done is not covered by content already available to you in the taught component of the programme you are attending. You will undertake independent study in accordance with the published guidelines for the chosen unit and produce both a formative and summative assessment.
An overview of content
The content of the Supervised Independent Study (SIS) will be based on the unit outline and summary of the unit it is replacing. This includes the aims and intended learning outcomes of the unit being replaced. You would have access to a relevant blackboard site of the unit being replaced. The SIS will normally be conducted independently with regular, negotiated, supervisory contact and should usually be started and completed within the six-week assessment period usually allocated for M-level units.
How will students, personally, be different as a result of the unit
On successful completion of this unit you will have been supported to explore the content of the unit chosen as the focus for this supervised independent study.
Learning outcomes
On successful completion of the unit, the you will be able to:
Supervised Independent Study will normally be conducted independently with regular, negotiated, supervisory contact, including tutorials (of up to five hours in total). This independent learning will include viewing previously recorded lectures, reading the key essential and recommended texts as well as independently located material and discussions with their assigned supervisor.
Tasks which help you learn and prepare you for summative tasks (formative):
400-word (max) assignment outline.
Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative):
Essay (3500 words maximum, 100%)
This assessment covers all of the unit learning outcomes.
When assessment does not go to plan:
Subject to the university regulations for taught programmes, you may be offered an opportunity for reassessment. If you are eligible to resubmit and where appropriate, you may submit a revised version of your previous assignment, or complete an alternative assessment in the same format as the original assessment.
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. SPOLM4300).
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.
