MUS8032 - Music Research Project
- Offered for Year: 2025/26
- Module Leader(s): Professor Kirsten Gibson
- Owning School: School of Arts and Cultures
- Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
- Capacity limit: N/A
Semesters
Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.
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Semester 3 Credit Value: 60 Total Credits: 60.0
Aims
Music Research Project advances academic and professional skills to facilitate the production of either a scholarly self-generated journal article or a sector commissioned live project report. Students undertake a substantial, independent textual, theoretical or empirical enquiry into an approved topic relating to Music Education or the Music Industries.
Students engage in independent research and analysis, supported through structured small group and one-to-one supervision. The module will also advance their library research and academic writing skills. In short, the module aims to enable students to engage in an extended research project for either an academic, professional music education or business audience.
Outline Of Syllabus
Students submit their research proposal and ethical checklist at the end of Semester 1 and are then assigned a supervisor in Semester 2 with whom they will have five hours of supervision and meetings, with one preparation meeting in semester 2 and the rest in semester 3.
These hours will usually be a combination of small group sessions and one-to-one meetings. A series lectures covering various aspects of the research and writing provide additional support, alongside five 2-hour drop-in sessions offered by the module leader.
Teaching Methods
Teaching Activities
| Category | Activity | Number | Length | Student Hours | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Lecture | 3 | 02:00 | 06:00 | Present in Person. This includes a session run by the Robinson Library. |
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Dissertation/Project-related Supervision | 5 | 01:00 | 05:00 | This may vary between 1:1 supervisions and small group supervisions by topic/supervisor where relevant as well as by stage in the research process. |
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Drop-in/Surgery | 5 | 02:00 | 10:00 | Module leader drop-in surgeries. |
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment Preparation and Completion | 1 | 579:00 | 579:00 | |
| Total | 621:00 | ||||
Teaching Rationale And Relationship
The lectures introduce the requirements of the module and convey key information about the project process, including relevant research and writing skills. This includes a session delivered by the Robinson Library on research skills.
The supervision provides expert guidance and feedback for the chosen field of research in relation to methodology, ethics, bibliography, and relevant writing and presentation style for the specific project. The supervisory hours may be delivered through a combination of small group and 1:1 sessions, where students working in related fields will benefit from group discussion, especially in the early stages of the research process.
The drop-in sessions provide an opportunity for students to discuss the research process or to ask question and seek feedback about the research process with the module leader
Assessment Methods
The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners
Other Assessments:
| Description | Semester | When Set | % | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Research Paper | 3 | A | 100 | 8,000-word research paper in the form of either: 1) a journal article on a relevant education or music industry research topic devised by the student or 2) a professional research report responding to a live project set by sector organisations from the selection available for the current academic year. |
The quality of the research paper tests all the learning outcomes and provides students with the opportunity to develop an extended piece of research in the fields of music education or the music industries. Students who to undertake a live project set by an external sector organisation develop professional skills and the opportunity to work in a consultative capacity within the professional sector relevant to their field. Students who undertake the journal article develop professional scholarly skills. All students develop research, critical, analytical, methodological, writing and citation skills in devising and producing an extended piece of research.
Assessment option 1: 8,000-word journal article
The journal article is an independent, critical and academically stringent research project. Students produce a cohesive piece of work that includes: an introduction, setting out the research context, questions, approach, and ethical considerations where relevant; the main body of research structured in a way that is relevant to the topic and approach; a conclusion; and full bibliography. Task-specific assessment criteria are as follows:
- Critical quality and clear articulation of the research including how it aligns to the scholarly and/or sectoral contexts in which it sits, the underpinning questions it explores, the methodology applied and research findings. (K1, K4, K5, S2, S3, S4, S5)
- Identification and application of relevant methodological and/or theoretical frameworks and demonstration of a rigorous ethical approach. (K2, K3)
- Evidence that the article is informed by advanced primary and secondary source research, underpinned by professional citation practices and bibliography. (S1, S3)
- Coherence and written structure of the journal article including appropriate academic tone for postgraduate research and effective display of data and analysis as relevant to research topic. (S3)
Assessment option 2: 8,000-word live project report
The live project report responds to a research brief set by a professional client in the music education or music industry sector. Students produce a cohesive professional report, underpinned by relevant research method, including primary and secondary source research, addressing the professional brief. All reports will include: an introduction, setting out the brief being addressed, the approach and methodological framework, and ethical considerations and mitigations; a report summary; the main body of the report, structured in a way that is relevant to the brief and approach; report recommendations; a conclusion; and full bibliography.
Task-specific assessment criteria are as follows:
- Critical quality and clear articulation of the research including how it aligns to sectoral context in which it sits, the brief it addresses, the methodology applied, research findings and report recommendations. (K1, K4, K5, S2, S3, S4, S5)
- Identification and application of relevant methodological and/or theoretical frameworks and demonstration of a rigorous ethical approach. (K2, K3)
- Evidence that the report is informed by advanced primary and secondary source research, underpinned by professional citation practices and bibliography. (S1, S3)
- Coherence and written structure of the report including appropriate style for professional consultancy and effective display of data and analysis as relevant to research brief and client. (S3)
Timetable
- Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/