CMS8001 Professional Communication Dissertation A

Contents

• Staffing
• Synopsis
• Objectives
• Topics
• Student workload
• Assessment details
• Important assessment information
• Assessment notes
• Other requirements
• Production date
• PDF version

STAFFING

SYNOPSIS

This 2 unit course enables students enrolled in the Master of Professional Communication or Master of Editing and Publishing degrees to commence their dissertation under supervision. The final dissertation shall consist of a 12,000-15,000 word assignment on a topic chosen by the student and approved in advance by the supervisor, and may be either the result of original investigation, or embody a critical appraisal or analysis of primary or secondary source material. On completion of this course, students will have developed their dissertation proposal, completed a thorough review of the relevant literature and have written introductory and methodological chapters of their dissertation. This course will normally be followed by CMS8002. Public Relations students may elect to complete a project instead of a dissertation.

OBJECTIVES

On successful completion of this course students will be able to:

1.

develop a research or project proposal, including defining a topic, developing a research design, incorporating an annotated bibliography and justifying a methodology;

2.

undertake independent research, under supervision, on a proposed topic;

3.

review the literature relevant to a selected dissertation or project topic;

4.

develop an annotated bibliography into a literature review; apply and justify methodology appropriate to a research or project topic.

TOPICS

TEXT and MATERIALS required to be PURCHASED or accessed

ALL textbooks and materials are available for purchase from USQ BOOKSHOP (unless otherwise stated). Orders may be placed via secure internet, free fax 1800642453, phone 07 46312742 (within Australia), or mail. Overseas students should fax +61 7 46311743, or phone +61 7 46312742. For costs, further details, and internet ordering, use the 'Textbook Search' facility at http://bookshop.usq.edu.au click 'Semester', then enter your 'Course Code' (no spaces).

REFERENCE MATERIALS

Reference materials are materials that, if accessed by students, may improve their knowledge and understanding of the material in the course and enrich their learning experience.

STUDENT WORKLOAD REQUIREMENTS

ASSESSMENT DETAILS

NOTES

1.

Students will not be admitted to the Master of Professional Communication Program unless they have had a preliminary proposal approved and have been allocated a supervisor. This assessment item relates to all Objectives.

2.

This assessment item relates to all of the Objectives.

3.

This assessment item relates to Objectives 2, 3 & 4.

4.

This assessment item relates to Objectives 2, & 4.

IMPORTANT ASSESSMENT INFORMATION

1. Attendance requirements:
   It is the students' responsibility to attend and participate appropriately in all activities (such as consultation with supervisors) scheduled for them, and to study all material provided to them or required to be accessed by them to maximise their chance of meeting the objectives of the course and to be informed of course-related activities and administration.
2. Requirements for students to complete each assessment item satisfactorily:
   Refer Item 4
3. Penalties for late submission of required work:
   If students submit assignments after the due date without prior approval or documented medical circumstances, then a fail grade may be given, and they may be unable to continue to the second part of this course.
4. Requirements for student to be awarded a passing grade in the course:
   In order to pass the course, each Formative assessment stage must be satisfactorily completed before the final draft of dissertation stage, and the course CMS 8002 must also be successfully completed.
5. Method used to combine assessment results to attain final grade:
   Method used to combine assessment results to attain final grade for Part 1 of a Dissertation/Project (where IIP is a possible grade) - If the research proposal and any possible ethics application are approved and the student's progress report is deemed satisfactory by the student's supervisor and the course examiner, the student will be awarded an interim grade of IIP, indicating satisfactory performance in the course. When the Dissertation/Project has been assessed in its entirety, the grade of IIP will be changed to the final grade.
6. Examination information:
   There is no exam for this course.
7. Examination period when Deferred/Supplementary examinations will be held:
   Given the details under (6) above, there are no deferred exams for this course. However, if any deferred/makeup work is granted, it would have to be submitted by a date set by the examiner.
8. University Regulations:
   Students should read USQ Regulations 5.1 Definitions, 5.6 Assessment, and 5.10 Academic Misconduct for further information and to avoid actions which might contravene University Regulations. These regulations can be found at the URL http://www.usq.edu.au/corporateservices/calendar/part5.htm

ASSESSMENT NOTES

OTHER REQUIREMENTS

1. In order to facilitate the satisfaction of these assessment requirements, students must submit a two page preliminary thesis proposal with application for enrolment.
2. Assessment of this course will be carried out by the student's supervisor/s, in consultation where appropriate, with the Program Manager, Faculty of Arts, USQ.
3. Students should consult regularly with their supervisor.
4. Where work for this course requires surveys or interviews to be conducted, the dissertation supervisor must be satisfied that the methods used reflect University Research Ethics requirements.
5. It is the responsibility of the student to ensure that all chapter drafts, as well as the final draft of their dissertation, be written in an acceptable standard of English expression. If students' initial work is not of an acceptable standard, students will be encouraged to use the services of a copy-editor, or to seek assistance from a competent writer of English. It is not the supervisor's principal role to correct English spelling, expression or grammar, although appropriate advice will be given. Dissertations or drafts of chapters of dissertations that are not expressed to a standard of English expression acceptable to the supervisor will be referred back to the student for correction, and will not be submitted for examination until corrected. Students who fail to address this aspect of their dissertation risk failing the course. Any expenses incurred in having drafts checked by copy-editors will be met by the student. Please also note that while copy-editing may be carried out by someone who is not the student, all the substantial content of the dissertation must be the student's own work

This version produced 11 Dec 2009.