CS900-7-AP-CO:
Interdisciplinary MA Dissertation
2025/26
Philosophical, Historical, and Interdisciplinary Studies (School of)
Colchester Campus
Autumn & Spring
Postgraduate: Level 7
Current
Thursday 02 October 2025
Friday 20 March 2026
80
07 April 2025
Requisites for this module
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
MA F85212 Environment, Society and Culture,
MA F85224 Environment, Society and Culture,
MA F852MO Environment, Society and Culture
The MA dissertation is a substantial piece of interdisciplinary work 12,000 words long, which culminates the MA course. The dissertation is an opportunity to investigate a topic of your choice and develop your interests and research skills.
To prepare students for researching and writing their dissertations, CS900 includes 4 academic skills workshops, 4 research design and methods workshops. The module director will provide students with guidance on choosing a dissertation topic and supervisor, and how to design a feasible, ethical research project. The supervisor will then provide students guidance on developing their project, carrying out the research and writing the dissertation.
The aims of this module are:
- To provide students with the opportunity to undertake a significant research project involving in-depth investigation at an advanced level;
- To provide students with the opportunity to use and develop advanced level interdisciplinary research skills at master's level.
By the end of this module, students will be expected to:
- Have an appreciation of how different research methods can be used to investigate a specific problem or topic addressed within a substantial piece of written work;
- Be able to produce a significant piece of written work that demonstrates critical analysis of a defined issue and explores it within a substantial, coherent argument;
- Be able to select, reflect upon, justify and use appropriate qualitative research methods and sources;
- Be able to identify, interpret and integrate information from a range of disciplinary perspectives.
No additional information available.
This module will be delivered via:
- The four study skills sessions will be taught by a Skills for Success tutor in the autumn term.
- The four dissertation research workshops will run in the second part of the Spring term. They will combine short lectures with class discussion and exercises. It is very important that you attend these sessions and do the preparatory reading. Students are also required to do two short assignments in the Spring term: a review of a past dissertation (5%) and a selection of key texts relevant to their research topic (5%).
- In Week 32, students will then give a ten-minute oral presentation of their research proposal (5%) at the Dissertation Workshop and receive feedback from the Dissertation Coordinator and their MA Course Director. The final written research proposal (5%) is due on the Friday of Week 33. In the summer term students will conduct independent research for their dissertation in consultation with their supervisors.
This module does not appear to have a published bibliography for this year.
Assessment items, weightings and deadlines
| Coursework / exam |
Description |
Deadline |
Coursework weighting |
| Coursework |
Written Research Proposal (1000 words) |
|
5% |
| Coursework |
Dissertation (12000 words) |
|
80% |
| Coursework |
Review of Past Dissertation (750 words) |
|
5% |
| Coursework |
Selection of Key Texts |
|
5% |
| Coursework |
Oral Project Presentation |
|
5% |
Exam format definitions
- Remote, open book: Your exam will take place remotely via an online learning platform. You may refer to any physical or electronic materials during the exam.
- In-person, open book: Your exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer to any physical materials such as paper study notes or a textbook during the exam. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, open book (restricted): The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer only to specific physical materials such as a named textbook during the exam. Permitted materials will be specified by your department. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, closed book: The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may not refer to any physical materials or electronic devices during the exam. There may be times when a paper dictionary,
for example, may be permitted in an otherwise closed book exam. Any exceptions will be specified by your department.
Your department will provide further guidance before your exams.
Overall assessment
100 per cent Coursework Mark
Reassessment
100 per cent Coursework Mark
Module supervisor and teaching staff
Dr Jane Hindley, email: janeh@essex.ac.uk.
PHAIS Postgraduate Queries: phaispg@essex.ac.uk
No
No
No
Dr Daniel James Rycroft
University of East Anglia
Associate Professor
Dr Rebecca Jarman
University of Leeds
Associate Professor of Latin American Studies
Available via Moodle
Of 87 hours, 2 (2.3%) hours available to students:
85 hours not recorded due to service coverage or fault;
0 hours not recorded due to opt-out by lecturer(s).
* Please note: due to differing publication schedules, items marked with an asterisk (*) base their information upon the previous academic year.
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