Last modified: 05 Aug 2021 13:04
The final research project in the MSc in Cultural Heritage offers the opportunity to delve deep into a heritage issue or case study that interests you. By conversing with relevant literature and analysing a unique source material, you will become proficient in collecting, evaluating and synthesizing knowledge, and produce your own slice of original research. The project can be completed as a regular dissertation or as an applied research project based on a work-placement.
| Study Type | Postgraduate | Level | 5 |
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| Term | First Term | Credit Points | 60 credits (30 ECTS credits) |
| Campus | Aberdeen | Sustained Study | No |
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The final research project for the MSc in Cultural Heritage consists of an extensive piece of independent research and writing. It can take two forms. One is a dissertation, representing and in-depth original investigation and analysis of a topic related to cultural heritage. It can deal with, for instance, the process of developing a Wold Heritage site, the impact of heritage regulations on local communities, contested heritage, or political uses of the past within national and international conflicts. The other is an applied research project based on a 2-4 week work-placement at a heritage site or institution. This option results in a study about a policy, practice or issue that relate in some way to the placement, such as political and economic pressures, or challenges related to community engagement.
In both cases, you will be expected to demonstrate that you can: conduct advanced searches for- and organize relevant source materials, apply appropriate methodologies and analytical frameworks from heritage studies and archaeology, prepare a literature review situating their research in its wider ethical, theoretical and thematic context, and write and edit a comprehensive study. As part of this, you will also be required to prepare a popular piece on the topic of your research project – a short text directed to a newspaper, blog or similar.
All students will receive one-to-one supervision in identifying a suitable topic and completing their original research project. The program can arrange suitable work-placements, but students can also identify possibilities themselves. There will be a voluntary joint workshop to offer feedback on everyone’s draft texts. Voluntary writing sessions online will also be organized.
Information on contact teaching time is available from the course guide.
| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 10 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | 15 | Feedback Weeks | 17 | |
| Feedback |
1000 words. Feedback will be provided individually two weeks after the popular article is published or distributed |
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| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
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| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 90 | |
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| Assessment Weeks | 19 | Feedback Weeks | ||
| Feedback |
Feedback will be provided individually throughout the research process, and in a voluntary joint draft workshop |
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| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
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There are no assessments for this course.
| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
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| Reflection | Create | Plan and execute an original research project on some aspect or issue related to archaeological heritage or cultural heritage management |
| Conceptual | Apply | Develop strong research questions and place them in a clearly explained methodological, conceptual and ethical framework |
| Reflection | Evaluate | Critically engage with-, and situate research within current literature and theories from the interdisciplinary field of heritage studies, as well as in its wider social and political setting |
| Procedural | Understand | Understand how to identify, correctly cite and assess the reliability of written and electronic sources of information |
| Procedural | Apply | Show ability to collect and organise relevant material and data, distinguishing between secondary and primary sources |
| Reflection | Analyse | Employ skills to independently analyse sources and write a critical review of the research findings that ties back to the literature |
| Reflection | Create | Produce a comprehensive and clearly articulated written presentation of original research |
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