Dissertation
Module Code: MELEN4DSS
Module Convenor: Professor Adrienne Gavin|
Module Tutors: Programme tutors
The dissertation is mandatory for students on all pathways of the MA in English.
The dissertation is the scholarly culmination of the Master's programme. It consolidates skills in independent scholarly writing and research gleaned from all other modules on the programme and develops high-level academic performance in research, organization, argument, writing, and presentation.
Students individually devise a topic for their dissertation guided by their dissertation supervisor. Topics must not overlap substantially with research essay topics written on for any of the option modules and must be approved by the dissertation supervisor and the Programme Convenor.
Students taking the MA in English Literature pathway may write on a topic in any area of literature in English for which a supervisor is available.
Students following the MA in English: Children's Literature pathway must write on a topic within the field of children's literature.
Students taking the MA in English: Literatures Victorian and Modern pathway must write on a topic within the field of Victorian and/or Modern Literature.
Students taking the MA in English: Literatures Medieval and Early Modern pathway must write on a topic within the field of Medieval and/or Early Modern Literature.
Teaching and learning strategies for the dissertation involve individual supervisions during which supervisors monitor progress and offer guidance on research sources and techniques, academic argument, structuring and revising material, and strategies towards completion. Supervisions designed to isolate a viable dissertation topic begin in term one in conjunction with students' work on their dissertation proposals for the mandatory "Research and Scholarship" module. According to a timetable agreed between the student and his or her supervisor Supervisions then continue, generally becoming more frequent in Term 3. Students complete their dissertation over the summer for submission in September on a date that will be announced at the start of the academic year.
Assessment
Students write a dissertation on an approved topic of 15,000 words maximum (including quotations but excluding bibliography and notes).
Illustrative Module Texts
Gibaldi, Joseph ed. MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers. 7th edition 2009 (This book is needed for all MA modules)
Students will compile bibliographies related to their individual topic.