Unit Leader : Ray Kiely
Credit Weighting : 20
Level: 3
Teaching Format : Mainly guided independent study
Pre-requisite : TWS 203 and any other TWS units
Excluded Combinations : None
Co-requisite : None
Aims
To enable students to develop project writing skills appropriate to level 3
of an honours degree; to gain an in-depth knowledge of a particular aspect
of Third World Studies; and to integrate the knowledge they have
previously gained within the subject area.
On completion of this unit students should
(i) have developed their skills at project writing appropriate to the
requirements of level 3 of an honours degree.
(ii) have applied knowledge gained previously within the subject area
and particularly that in TWS 203, to a particular country/region or
theme and thereby gained an in-depth knowledge of a topic of special
interest to them.
(iii) through the process described in (ii) above, have enhanced their
ability to integrate the knowledge learnt in the subject area.
(iv) be confident about applying the knowledge and skills learnt within
the subject area to the general study of Third World societies.
Content
Each project must
(i) be equivalent to the work required of one taught unit (i.e. 20
credits).
(ii) result in the writing of an essay of 4,000 to 6,000 words.
(iii) be focused on one particular country/region or theme appropriate to
the subject area.
(iv) apply and extend aspects of the knowledge gained from a study of
other units within the subject area, particularly TWS 203.
(v) contain a survey section in which information/data about the topic
under investigation is presented, i.e. it should be empirically
grounded.
(vi) formulate and present a case or argument supported by relevant
evidence and written persuasively. It should not be just a long
essay.
Students will select a topic of their own choosing. If it broadly complies
with the stated requirements outlined above and a member of staff with
appropriate expertise is available to supervise it, the proposal will be
formally registered, with or without amendment, by the end of week 4 in
the year of intended completion. Projects which are not formally registered
by the end of week 4 may not be submitted in that year.
Students will be encouraged to work on background reading over the
summer period. A single project needs to be completed in one semester.
Project Units are not available to students taking only a Minor in Third
World Studies.
Three two-hour group sessions on project writing and research skills will
be offered to students in weeks 2, 3 and 4. Thereafter students will
undertake independent study, receiving support from their supervisor
through at least three one-hour tutorials per semester before completion of
the work. Work in progress must be submitted to the supervisor
throughout the semester on agreed dates. If such work is not submitted as
agreed, students may not be permitted to present the final essay for
assessment.
Assessment
The final Project (100%)