EN3D03 - Dissertation 01 Sep 2025 - 31 Aug 2028 | Version 1

Associated Module Information

Module Code: EN3D03
Module Title: Dissertation
Faculty: Faculty of Business and Creative Industries
Faculty Group: Culture and Animation
Faculty Sub Group: Culture
Module Leader: Nicholas Dunlop
Module Team: Michael Chick, Barrie Llewelyn, Diana Wallace
First Intended Intake: SEP 2025 Final Year of Intake: 2026
Date Closed:
Credit Value: 40 Credit Level: 6
Language: English
Percentage of Module Taught in Welsh: 0
Equivalent Module:
HECOS codes: 100320 - English studies
HECOS Code Weighting: 100

Document Version Information

Version 1
Valid From 01 Sep 2025
Valid To 31 Aug 2028

Module Aims

This module aims to guide students in undertaking and developing an independently produced, sustained, persuasive, accurately expressed and properly presented piece of writing in the genre, or about an appropriate subject-specific topic, of their own choosing. The finished submission (which will include a properly presented bibliography) will comprise either:

An extended and polished piece of fiction, non-fiction or collection of poetry.

A piece of scholarly research founded on, presenting, evaluating and drawing conclusions from relevant data and related findings, making use of relevant discursive and secondary materials, respecting relevant methodological and ethical issues.

An extended literary-critical study incorporating, evaluating and drawing conclusions from relevant primary and secondary literary and critical materials.

Content Summary

The dissertation is a special kind of module, end-assessed by an extended piece of writing of about 6,000 words. With the assistance of a project supervisor, the student will produce a piece of original creative, evaluative, literary or socio-linguistic research in a genre or addressing a topic of their choosing. The topic may be related to, or independent of, concurrent taught modules, and will be supported by the equivalent of a ¼ hour's staff supervision per week - the supervisor suggesting sources, discussing organisation of content and other issues relevant to the work in progress.

Creative Writing Workshops are driven by the students’ writing, providing sensitive appreciation of work in progress. An awareness of audience-issues, the publishing process, the role of agents and the responsibilities of the author vis a vis presentation and professionalism are addressed. Regular individual tutorials enhance redrafting/editing skills and provide experience of best practice in the relationship between author and editor.

Language and Literature dissertations involve the collection, analysis and evaluation of primary materials – data, literary texts or equivalent resources – and engagement with secondary sources. It demonstrates the student's ability to work independently, make soundly-based evaluative and academic judgements, and express informed opinions showing familiarity with recent research in the field.

Learning and Teaching Methods

Activity Type Hours
Tutorial 10
Project supervision 16
Practical classes and workshops 14
Independent Study 270
Directed Study 70
Formative Assessment - Independent 20
Total Hours Selected 400

Learning Outcomes

# Learning Outcome
LO1 Demonstrate the ability to produce a sustained and persuasive piece of original writing, independent research, and/or critical argument, in a mode or on a topic of the student’s own choosing, based on the gathering and arrangement of primary data/texts and scholarly materials.
LO2 Demonstrate honed relevant (discipline-specific) writing, critical reading, redrafting and presentational skills appropriate for a final- year undergraduate project

Module Requisites

N/A

Assessment Criteria

Assessment Category Assessment Type Description Duration Word Count Weight (%) Best of? Pass Mark
Asynchronous Assessment Dissertation / Major Project 1 Sustained piece of investigative critical/scholarly writing, or original creative writing. 0 8000 100 No 40

Assessment Matrix

Assessment Type Learning Outcomes
LO1 LO2
Dissertation / Major Project 1

Reading List

A student’s reading on this module will be determined by the supervisor, and will depend on topic, mode and approach of project (students will be referred to the latest editions).

Essential reading might include:

Cameron, D et al. (1992) Researching Language.

Greeyham, B. (2009) How to Write Your Undergraduate Dissertation. Cuddon, J A. Penguin Dictionary of Literary Critical Terms.

Bennett, Andrew and Nicholas Royle. Introduction to Literature, Criticism and Theory. Truss, Lynne. Eats Shoots and Leaves.