Aims

The formulation, development and completion of an extensive piece of independent work.

To enable students to undertake practice-based research in the area of Digital Cultures.

To facilitate the development and demonstration of knowledge, understanding and techniques necessary to research independently and in-depth.

This module will give students the opportunity to undertake a major project and to foster autonomy, choice and responsibility. At that same time they will receive appropriate support and guidance to enable their success. The focus of this module is very much on the process of learning and of developing academic and professional skills through a project which is embedded within their prior and continuing study.


All projects must be accompanied by an approved ethics form.

All topics and projects must be discussed in advance with a relevant member of staff and formally approved before research begins.


This module will expand knowledge and understanding of practice-based research and enable students to engage in a form practice-based research of their own choosing.

The output will be in the form of a practical application and or intervention in a field of Digital Cultures, accompanied by a written production critique. The aim is to equip students to produce critically informed practical applications and interventions in the field of digital cultures.

Enable students to obtain a comprehensive understanding of research techniques applicable to their own work in terms of both written, research-based and practice-based outputs.

Develop practice-based abilities both in technical and production roles.

Enable students to demonstrate self-direction and originality in tackling and solving problems, and to act autonomously in planning and implementing tasks at a professional or equivalent level.

Enable students to deal with complex issues both systematically and creatively and communicate clearly through their research to specialist and non-specialist audiences.

Enable students to work in groups and employ initiative, personal responsibility and decision-making in complex and unpredictable situations.

Enable students to work in groups (and if circumstances dictate, as solo practitioners) and employ initiative, personal responsibility and decision-making in complex and unpredictable situations.

Outline Of Syllabus

Semester one

May usually include, but is not limited to, an introduction to the module, notion of a reflective practitioner, project development and planning, writing literature reviews, advanced library skills, careers, good academic practice, ethical issues, writing a methodology, doing an analysis chapter.

Semester two
Introduction to Semester Two and Submitting the Dissertation.
Project supervision.

The module may include sessions that address the specific needs of the cohort. These will be reviewed on an ongoing basis.

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

The module involves different styles of teaching and learning at targeted stages of the research project.

Each week adopts the most appropriate format to address the particular needs of the students.

Lectures will provide practical information about accessing information and its management, planning and undertaking a project, making contact with those involved in the research fieldwork, collecting data ethical reflection etc.

The workshops will be whole class events to provide advice and guidance on the approaches/techniques required to
undertake your projects.

Supervisors will meet with all their supervisors for a single whole-group introductory session. Following this, tutorials are in the form of supervisory sessions (individual) and are to ascertain progress, provide formative feedback and feed forward, and facilitate problem solving and supported independent learning.
There will be one supervisor per student.

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

In Semester One students are required to complete the ethics form as part of their assessment. This is a pass / fail assessment.

The assessments enable the students to demonstrate their intellectual grasp of digital cultures and to illustrate this through a practical project of their choosing, with advice in scope and approach from the supervisory team. Given the emphasis on practice, the project forms the major part of the assessment, but the project proposal and the reflective production critique provides the students an opportunity to articulate the theoretical and methodical considerations that informed their practice.