The Long Dissertation is a three-term 40-credit 3rd year Option in which the student prepares an extended piece of written work (of up to 8,000 words) on new material in substantial depth under the guidance of a supervisor.
Occurrence | Teaching period |
---|---|
A | Autumn Term 2022-23 to Summer Term 2022-23 |
Subject Content
Academic and Graduate Skills
Subject content
Academic and graduate skills
Application for the Long Dissertation
A student who wants to carry out an extended investigation in the third year on a focused and specialised topic can apply to the Philosophy Board of Studies for permission to do a Long Dissertation, submitting a plan of their proposed subject. The intention to apply for such a module should be indicated at Year 3 registration. But formal application can be made at any time up to Friday of Week 5 of the summer term immediately before the student’s final year.
Students should in the first instance discuss their idea with their supervisor and identify a potential project supervisor. (Students who do not have a Philosophy supervisor should contact the Philosophy link academic for their degree programme.) Students should then approach the potential project supervisor and agree a title and a brief proposal, which the project supervisor can then submit to the Board of Studies for approval.
The proposal should:
The subject proposed should not be a mere duplication of topics covered in already available modules, though it may comprise a substantial and detailed development of such a topic. In deciding on a topic for a Long Dissertation, students should take care to avoid extensive overlap with any Year 3 module for which they have registered. Long Dissertations may pursue topics related to Year 3 modules, but students should take steps to ensure that they will not find themselves in a position in which it is difficult to avoid duplication of material in the Long Dissertation and other assessments. It is the student’s responsibility to discuss potential overlap with tutors scheduled to teach the relevant module/s.
Overambitious or poorly researched proposals will not receive approval.
In addition to an approved proposal, students need to have a Year 2 average of at least 60 to be eligible to take the Long Dissertation.
Programme of Work
Autumn (roughly 10c)
—Initial meeting to discuss proposal and review draft bibliography
—Further meetings for which annotated bibliography entries and draft proposals are submitted in advance
Spring Term
Summer Term
Task | % of module mark |
---|---|
Essay/coursework | 10 |
Essay/coursework | 90 |
None
Task | % of module mark |
---|---|
Essay/coursework | 10 |
Essay/coursework | 90 |
Students will receive verbal feedback on draft outlines and annotated bibliographies in group meetings during Autumn Term, and verbal feedback on written work for individual tutorial meetings during Spring and Summer Term.
Students will receive feedback on summative assessments within six weeks.
N/a