Global Migrations and Social Justice Dissertation /Project SPS5030P

  • Academic Session: 2024-25
  • School: School of Social and Political Sciences
  • Credits: 60
  • Level: Level 5 (SCQF level 11)
  • Typically Offered: Summer
  • Available to Visiting Students: No
  • Collaborative Online International Learning: No

Short Description

The Practical Migration Project consists of two connected parts: a practical project relating to migration, refugee and asylum issues; and a supporting reflective dissertation.

 

Both the practical component and the supporting reflective dissertation will be discussed with, and require final approval from, the Programme Lead. Assessment of the practical component and supporting reflective dissertation will draw from expertise across GRAMNet members to ensure rigour and appropriate assessment criteria are used.

Timetable

None

Requirements of Entry

None

Excluded Courses

None

Co-requisites

This is a form of final assessment that will be made available to students studying towards the MSc in Global Migrations and Social Justice and students studying towards the MRes in Global Migrations and Social Justice.

Assessment

There are two formally assessed assignments for this 'dissertation component'. The first is the practical element and requires students to undertake a collaborative project relating to migrants, asylum seekers and/or refugees.  The project can be: practice-based work or an information/awareness raising/advocacy undertaking. The format will require formal approval from the Programme Lead.

The assessment of this component will draw from the specific expertise available in GRAMNet and will consider:

- the degree of initiative shown by the student in and in identifying an original focus for their project.

- the effectiveness of the planning and of completion of the range of tasks.

- the practical skills of the student.

- the success of the student in fulfilling the purpose of the project.

 

The second formal assessment will be a 6000 word reflective report or project which focuses on the process of identifying the issues, designing the project, the practical challenges faced, and some critical reflection on the comparative quality of their work. The word length will be based on other comparative models for project assessment and reflects the need for a detailed and compact reporting style.

Course Aims

The project will allow students to reflect on the experience of being directly and actively engaged with service providers and/or asylum seekers, refugees and migrants, working alongside them to explore how research may be transformative for organisations, individuals and communities.

 

Alternatively, students will reflect on the planning, organising and developing an awareness-raising event or performance (e.g. exhibition, film, seminar series, performance, etc.).

 

Aims:

■ Enable students to connect theory and practice

■ Enable students with existing knowledge and skills (e.g. film making, theatre, fine arts, music) to apply them to raise awareness of specific issues of relevance to migrants, asylum seekers and refugees

■ Develop students' professional competence and creativity to find new and effective ways to tackle migration-related issues

■ Develop students' standards in writing and presenting project reports

Intended Learning Outcomes of Course

By the end of this course students will be able to:

■ Identify creative and innovative approaches in order to respond to the needs of a broad range of stakeholders concerned with asylum migration and providing refuge.

■ Critically reflect on the experience of working with different communities and publics

■ Critically evaluate the effectiveness of specific public, policy or artistic practices in relation to migration

■ Write a project report linking theory and practice and critically discussing outcomes

Minimum Requirement for Award of Credits

Students must submit at least 75% by weight of the components (including examinations) of the course's summative assessment