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Research Project - ELE00166M

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  • Department: Electronic Engineering
  • Credit value: 60 credits
  • Credit level: M
  • Academic year of delivery: 2023-24
    • See module specification for other years: 2024-25
  • Notes: This is an independent study module

Module summary

Putting into practice the project management skills you have gained in the Project Development module you will undertake your own substantial independent research project in audio or music technology, with guidance from an academic member of staff. A number of topic areas are suggested each year, and we aim to also provide industry-related projects whenever possible, where topics are suggested by our industrial partners.

Module will run

Occurrence Teaching period
A Summer Semester 2023-24

Module aims

Subject content aims:

  • Critical thinking and analytical skills

  • Research skills

  • Report planning and writing

  • Empirical research and/or development work

Graduate skills aims:

  • Self-management

  • Self-motivation

  • Project planning and development

  • Autonomous task planning

Module learning outcomes

After successful completion of this module, students will be able to:

  • Undertake a significant independent research project (with guidance from supervisor)

  • Critically analyse current literature, and results from research/development undertaken.

  • (Where appropriate for the selected topic), develop and apply software solutions to address a specific problem/research issue

  • Design innovative solutions to audio related problems, addressing current research issues

  • Apply knowledge of research methods and evaluation

  • Write a substantial technical report which presents their research in a clear, rigorous, accessible and consistent manner.

Graduate skills learning outcomes

After successful completion of this module, students will be able to:

  • Evaluate critically the approach they have taken, putting into context of other methods and solutions in the area.

  • Plan and manage their own research and writing

Module content

Students submit their topic choices by week 3 of the Semester 2 and will be allocated a project supervisor.

It is expected that students meet their project supervisor regularly over the course of the project. Supervision may be carried out in small groups comprising students who are undertaking research in a similar area with the same supervisor.

Students will also be expected to email their second supervisor weekly to keep them informed of their progress.

Indicative assessment

Task % of module mark
Essay/coursework 100

Special assessment rules

Non-reassessable & Non-compensatable

Indicative reassessment

Task % of module mark
Essay/coursework 100

Module feedback

'Feedback’ at a university level can be understood as any part of the learning process which is designed to guide your progress through your degree programme. We aim to help you reflect on your own learning and help you feel more clear about your progress through clarifying what is expected of you in both formative and summative assessments. A comprehensive guide to feedback and to forms of feedback is available in the Guide to Assessment Standards, Marking and Feedback.

The School of PET aims to provide some form of feedback on all formative and summative assessments that are carried out during the degree programme. In general, feedback on any written work/assignments undertaken will be sufficient so as to indicate the nature of the changes needed in order to improve the work. The School will endeavour to return all exam feedback within the timescale set out in the University's Policy on Assessment Feedback Turnaround Time. The School would normally expect to adhere to the times given, however, it is possible that exceptional circumstances may delay feedback. The School will endeavour to keep such delays to a minimum. Please note that any marks released are subject to ratification by the Board of Examiners and Senate. Meetings at the start/end of each term provide you with an opportunity to discuss and reflect with your supervisor on your overall performance to date.

Formative Feedback:

Received at intervals throughout the project period.

This builds on feedback received from supervisors throughout the Project Development module, where the student’s Research Blog, Presentation and Literature Survey / Project Plan provide major sources of Formative Feedback.

Summative Feedback:

A standardised feedback sheet will be received for each assessment for the module, showing the final module mark, the marks breakdown against each of the learning objective assessment criteria, and how these have met based on a set of predefined grade descriptors that will be supplied with the assessment brief. In addition, personalised feedback will be given highlighting three clear areas of strength and three areas for improvement. The final module mark will also be made available via eVision.

Indicative reading

To be chosen with supervisor dependent on research topic undertaken.


The information on this page is indicative of the module that is currently on offer. The University constantly explores ways to enhance and improve its degree programmes and therefore reserves the right to make variations to the content and method of delivery of modules, and to discontinue modules, if such action is reasonably considered to be necessary. In some instances it may be appropriate for the University to notify and consult with affected students about module changes in accordance with the University's policy on the Approval of Modifications to Existing Taught Programmes of Study.