Course Title: Major Project

Part A: Course Overview

Course Title: Major Project

Credit Points: 48

Course Code	Campus	Career	School	Learning Mode	Teaching Period(s)
COMM1100	City Campus	Postgraduate	335H Applied Communication	Face-to-Face	Sem 1 2006, Sem 1 2009, Sem 2 2006, Sem 2 2007, Sem 2 2008, Sem 2 2009
COMM1100	City Campus	Postgraduate	345H Media and Communication	Face-to-Face	Sem 1 2010, Sem 1 2012, Sem 2 2010, Sem 2 2011, Sem 2 2012

Course Coordinator: brigid magner@rmit.edu.au

Course Coordinator Phone: 9925 3685

Course Coordinator Email:brigid.magner@rmit.edu.au

Course Coordinator Location: 9.5.33

Course Coordinator Availability: By appointment, via email

Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities

Required Prior Study

Successful completion of COMM1096 Introduction to Communication Research.

OR

Alternatively you may be able to demonstrate the required skills and knowledge before you start this course. Contact your course coordinator if you think you may be eligible for recognition of prior learning. Further information: http://www.rmit.edu.au/browse;ID=x94or0ccuu7k

Course Description

You have an option in GRAP 2495 ( Professional Practice), to conduct a research project. If you select this option you will be required to submit a Minor Project (10,000 words) or a Major Project (16,000 words). Research projects must involve original research and offer an opportunity to define and implement independent research in an area of communication in your own interest or of relevance to your future career direction.
Once the proposal has been approved by the Coursework Research Committee, you will be allocated a project supervisor (usually from within the School of Media and Communication) who then meets with you four times during the semester to advise and provide guidance during the research project.

One project seminar is offered during this semester to provide support and discussion of common problems, in addition to guidance provided by supervisors.
Project Semester 2, 2012
Wednesday 5.30 - 6.30 9.3.14.
 

Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development

Project Seminar provides support sessions for students currently writing their minor or major project. It is not a formal class in which you have to enroll or carry out assessment.

Whilst you will have have regular meetings with their individual supervisors it is often the case that completing the project can feel like a rather isolated experience. Because of the predominantly independent nature of this kind of research it is sometimes the case that students get held up by (what seem in retrospect) relatively minor problems or lose confidence: it can be easy to feel that you are the only one experiencing the trials and struggles (and sense of achievement) that are all part and parcel of the process of successfully completing a research project.
A proven way to counter this sense of isolation and to keep on track throughout the semester is to discuss issues you may face on the research journey with your fellow students who are also working on their projects. This semester some of that support will be provided online via Blackboard.
 

Research projects involve original research and offer an opportunity to define and implement independent research in an area of communication of their own interest or of relevance to their own future direction.

Overview of Learning Activities

four meetings with a Supervisor. Individual research.

Overview of Learning Resources

A website of useful resources is available via the Learning Hub.

Please login at http://www.rmit.edu.au/online
 

Overview of Assessment

Students are required to submit a 16,000 word Major Project

These projects are assessed by an examiner (who is not your supervisor but in most cases an appropriate staff member within the School of Media and Communication).

When the examination process is complete, a copy of the examiner’s report will be sent to you by registered post. This usually takes around three-four weeks from the date of submission.
Assessment Tasks
Students are required to submit a 16,00 word Major Project by 1 November 2012
Other Relevant Information
Please note: All major projects must be completed by the end of semester 2 2012 as this project code will not exist in 2013.