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 Postgraduate Course: Dissertation (MSc Dance Science and Education) (REDU11082)
Course Outline
| School | Moray House School of Education and Sport | College | College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences |  
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) |  
| Course type | Dissertation | Availability | Available to all students |  
| SCQF Credits | 60 | ECTS Credits | 30 |  
 
| Summary | The Dissertation is a major study demanding the course member a high level of individual application and commitment to research and enquiry. It provides the opportunity to identify, reflect on, and explore a topic that has implications for the student's own professional development. The Dissertation will involve a critical interrogation of the relationship between professional practice, academic theory and the design, ethics and interpretation of research. |  
| Course description | There are a number of possible types of dissertation that may be considered appropriate (e.g. empirical research, desk-based research, research proposal, practicum/work-based research placement or journal article style dissertation). Students in discussion with their supervisors and with the MSc Dissertation Director should decide the focus and design of the study. Whether empirical or not, the dissertation should demonstrate an understanding of research design, data collection and analysis, presentation and research ethics. 
 Before writing the dissertation and/or collecting any data, students must submit a detailed dissertation proposal and they must obtain ethical approval for their project. If the proposal is satisfactory, a student may begin work on the dissertation. Students will receive support and guidance from their supervisor while developing their proposals and while carrying out the project.
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |  | Co-requisites |  |  
| Prohibited Combinations |  | Other requirements | None |  
Information for Visiting Students 
| Pre-requisites | None |  
		| High Demand Course? | Yes |  
Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2025/26, Available to all students (SV1) | Quota:  0 |  | Course Start | Full Year |  | Course Start Date | 15/09/2025 |  Timetable | Timetable | 
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) | Total Hours:
600
(
 Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 12,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
588 ) |  
| Assessment (Further Info) | Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 % |  
 
| Additional Information (Assessment) | 100% Coursework Dissertation (12,000 to 15,000 words). A dissertation handbook is available for guidance.
 
 In addition students must submit a written research proposal of 1000 - 2000 words to pass this course
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| Feedback | Students will receive significant feedforward guidance on various aspects of their dissertation from their supervisor including detailed individualised comments on one draft chapter. 
 Students will  present a poster outlining their proposals for formative feedback at a 'conference' to which all academic staff and doctoral students are invited.
 
 Students will receive feedback/ forward on their written proposals from their dissertation supervisor.
 
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| No Exam Information |  
Learning Outcomes 
| On completion of this course, the student will be able to: 
        Specify a topic of enquiry suitable for a dissertation justifying its theoretical significance, relevance and practical feasibilityIdentify and reflect critically on relevant up-to-date literatureJustify the approaches and techniques used identifying the implications of these decisionsCritically examine the contribution and limitations of the study undertaken in theoretical and applied termsDemonstrate that the study complies with relevant ethical guidelines & engages appropriately with academic conventions (style, tone, structuring and referencing) |  
Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills | Not entered |  
| Keywords | dissertation,research,dance |  
Contacts 
| Course organiser | Ms Wendy Timmons Tel: (0131 6)51 6596
 Email:
 | Course secretary | Ms Shannon Payne Tel: (0131 6)51 1196
 Email:
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