Unit information: Research Skills for MSc in Migration and Mobility Studies in 2020/21

Unit name	Research Skills for MSc in Migration and Mobility Studies
Unit code	AFACM0016
Credit points	20
Level of study	M/7
Teaching block(s)	Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12)
Unit director	Dr. Scheding
Open unit status	Not open
Pre-requisites	none
Co-requisites	none
School/department	Arts Faculty Office
Faculty	Faculty of Arts

Description including Unit Aims

This unit will focus on research skills that are particularly relevant to students on the MSc in Migration and Mobility Studies. It aims to offer guidelines to research in arts, social sciences, and law subjects in general, with the addition of methodologies relating specifically to students on the MSc in Migration and Mobility Studies. Students will gain insight into:

• handling library sources, collections, and archives;
• compiling a bibliography effectively;
• giving effective oral presentations;

The unit will be taught in a mixture of classes convened by the unit director and skills training offered by ASSL and other appropriate resources available to postgraduate students in the Faculties of Arts and SSL.

Intended Learning Outcomes

By the end of the unit you will:

(1) be able to make strategic use of sources and resources, of the most up-to-date research tools and of established research methodologies;

(2) be in a position to select research topics advisedly and to present research findings in a clear and coherent form.

This module also measures general learning outcomes for the MSc in Migration and Mobility Studies as follows:

(3) Demonstrate familiarity with a range of methodologies from a variety of disciplinary backgrounds;

(4) Display a sincerity of belief in particular ideas and methodologies, yet retaining a sympathy for and tolerance towards alternatives

(5) Be able to identify subtly different shades of interpretation and display sensitivity towards the consequences of their application

(6) Demonstrate effective verbal presentation

(7) See a project through from conception to planning, blueprint realisation, and execution

Teaching Information

11x2 hour long group seminars, plus individual tutorials as appropriate

Assessment Information

Assessment is by coursework:

• one mock grant application based upon the British Academy's Small Research Grant application form – 50%

• oral presentations pf c. 15-20 minutes in Weeks 10-11 on any aspect of the student’s research – 50%

In the bibliography, students will demonstrate learning outcomes (1)-(2), (4), (5) and (7). In the presentation, students will demonstrate learning outcomes (1)-(7).

Reading and References

Depending on the topics chosen by individual students