Registered on PgC, PgD, MA in Modern Continental Philosophy

The learning contract will assess [Learning Outcomes 2, 4, 5, 6 and 7]

The portfolio assessment is a negotiated form of assessment. It may contain simply a traditional academic essay, or perhaps book reviews, conference reports, or perhaps an oral presentation at the Department's Research Seminar. The precise form of assessment will be determined in the learning contract, where the student must show that this form is most suitable to the contextualised learning outcomes of the project. It is not necessary that the form of assessment be different from that in Negotiated Option 1. This portfolio will assess all outcomes equivalent to 3,500 words.

There are three key differences from 'Option by Negotiated Study 1'. First, since students will have already completed the first module, less emphasis is placed on the skills of designing a programme of study, and more is placed on the original acquisition of knowledge and the enrichment of the student's skills of enquiry, analysis, etc. Second, the first difference is reflected in the weighting of assessment more towards the final project. Third, the student must be able to demonstrate that the subject of study, the types of learning experiences involved, and the skills to be exercised or acquired, are different between Negotiated Option 1 and 2. Otherwise the module would not add anything new so as to be worthy of further credit towards an award. This determination is made at a meeting with the module tutor no later than the first week of term.

Learning opportunities could include internal and external conferences, colloquia or speakers; lecture series offered at other levels and/ or in other subject areas; postgraduate reading groups; sustained discussions on professional mail list servers; newly published books, special edition paper or e-journals, or other publications; radio, TV or internet broadcasts.

This module will consist of a coherent set of such opportunities, identified in a process of negotiation between a student and a tutor, and formalised in terms of learning outcomes and assessment in a learning contract. The learning contract effectively supplements the details of this module descriptor. The learning contract, and the skill and knowledge of the subject its design demonstrates, will be a part of the assessment of the module.

This module will serve as one of the optional modules on the MA in Modern Continental Philosophy.

A student who is taking Negotiated Option 2 will have already successfully completed Negotiated Option 1. Having had experience of preparing a learning contract, the student will have less need for the workshops on preparing the contract. There will be two weeks of workshops (instead of four), at which students can assist each other in planning. Correspondingly, meetings with the module tutor/supervisor will begin earlier and be more numerous, reflecting the greater weight placed upon the final portfolio.

Meeting rooms, IT and library facilities.
Students will not be required to employ resources outside the University (e.g. conference attendance), and where they choose to do so will not expect financial or other assistance from the University.

Becker, Howard S. Tricks of the Trade: How to Think About Your Research While You're Doing It . University of
Chicago, 1998.
Blaxter, et al. How to Research. Open University, 2001.
Booth, et al. The Craft of Research. University of Chicago, 2003.
Burnham, Douglas. Philosophy Research Handbook for Students. Continuum, forthcoming.
Coombes, Hilary. Research Using IT. Palgrave Macmillan, 2001.
Wisker, Gina. The Postgraduate Research Handbook. Palgrave Macmillan, 2001.