| Unit name | Extended Essay |
|---|---|
| Unit code | PHIL30148 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | H/6 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12) Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24) |
| Unit director | Dr. Seiriol Morgan |
| 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 Philosophy |
| Faculty | Faculty of Arts |
Why is this unit important
Philosophy Extended Essay units allow students to undertake a project of independent study, in the course of which they will engage in extensive personal research into a philosophical question or topic of their choosing, subject to departmental approval. Students will discuss initial reading with a member of staff who is supervising the project, and then are expected to research the subject matter independently, periodically discussing progress with the supervisor, who will help the student to shape their developing ideas. The student will be working towards the production of an extensive essay, of which the supervisor will read and comment with feedback upon a single draft.
How does this unit fit into your programme of study
The aim is to allow students to independently explore philosophical questions of personal interest, and to develop understanding of the issues involved to significant depth, as well as the writing skills associated with producing an independent piece of work of extended length.
An overview of content
The unit consists of an individual research project with the content and focus of the research project decided by the student in collaboration with a supervisor who specialises in their chosen area of philosophy.
How will students, personally, be different as a result of the unit
Students will develop unique individual expertise in an area of philosophy that they are particularly interested in. They will be able to carry out independent research and develop their own positions. They will gain experience in managing their own time and self-motivated work. They will gain the satisfaction of being able to explore the ideas that matter to them most.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the unit students will be able to:
1. Explain, clearly and precisely, relevant positions on a chosen philosophical topic or issue.
2. Produce an extended piece of original work on this topic or issue of a standard appropriate to level H/6.
3. Develop and analyse their own arguments and ideas.
4. Identify and work with appropriate secondary literature and/or original sources.
5. Work independently in producing an extended piece of research.
Personal reading and research, one-to-one virtual or in-person discussion meetings with the member of staff supervising the project, plus feedback on a single draft of the Extended Essay. Attendance at departmental research events (weekly research seminar + weekly work in progress seminars) to obtain a sense of what a good research project looks like, how to present research, and what sorts of questions and objections need to be addressed.
Tasks which help you learn and prepare you for summative tasks (formative):
Regular supervision meetings.
Essay draft, with comments on draft provided by supervisor in advance of submission.
Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative):
An essay of up to 7000 words (ILOs 1-5)
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. PHIL30148).
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.
