Postgraduate - UnitAMG5743 - Communications research thesis

This unit entry is for students who completed this unit in 2015 only. For students planning to study the unit, please refer to the unit indexes in the the current edition of the Handbook. If you have any queries contact the managing faculty for your course or area of study.

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24 points, SCA Band 1, 0.500 EFTSL

Refer to the specific census and withdrawal dates for the semester(s) in which this unit is offered.

Level	Postgraduate
Faculty	Faculty of Arts
Organisational Unit	School of Arts and Social Sciences, Malaysia
Offered	Malaysia First semester 2015 (Day)
Coordinator(s)	Associate Professor Mark Gibson

Synopsis

The unit is an alternative to AMG5742 for students who want the option of progression to a higher degree by research. It is undertaken in the final semester of the Master of Communications and Media Studies and allows students to develop an independent research project. The topic is chosen by the student and developed with the advice and support of a supervisor. The project is written up in an 18000 word dissertation, allowing the student to demonstrate advanced skills in research, writing and project management. Students are encouraged to consider the project not only as a formal requirement for the degree, but also as contributing to a portfolio of professional and scholarly development.

Outcomes

On successful completion of the unit, students will be able to demonstrate:

Knowledge, skills and attributes necessary for understanding and engaging in advanced research;
An ability to design, write and edit a research thesis;
An ability at advanced level to analyse and evaluate arguments, and to understand critical approaches relating to the communication industries and communication issues;
The capacity to contribute advanced knowledge in the chosen area of research;
An enhanced intellectual independence, and greater self-reliance and critical distance in intellectual and professional activity.

Assessment

Within semester assessment: 100%

Workload requirements

Minimum total expected workload to achieve the learning outcomes for this unit is 576 hours per semester typically comprising a mixture of scheduled learning activities and independent study. A unit requires on average three/four hours of scheduled activities per week. Scheduled activities may include a combination of teacher directed learning, peer directed learning and online engagement.