Run by School of Arts, Culture and Language

60.000 Credits or 30.000 ECTS Credits

Organiser: Prof Pwyll ap Sion

The Part II Project module of the MA or MMus programme consists of a single research project of a scope and scale that a student may reasonably expect to complete in four to five months of full-time, independent study. It will demonstrate advanced knowledge and study in the field, and will demonstrate some level of individuality and originality in terms of thought and approach. It will take one of several forms, appropriate to the programme studied:

• A dissertation or equivalent prose study (MA in Music, MA in Music with Education); • An edition with commentary (MA programmes in Music); • A portfolio of compositions, or single, substantial composition (MMus in Composition and Sonic Art); • A public recital (MMus in Performance); • A project that combines two or more of these elements (MA in Music with Education); • A lecture recital (MA in Music with Education, MMus in Performance); • A portfolio of pedagogical materials (MA in Music with Education); The scope and content of the project must be approved by a subgroup of the Board of Studies/Board of Examiners. The project will be guided by a relevant supervisor.

The course content will be dictated by the student’s chosen field of study and area of interest.

Length Guidelines: • Dissertation: 15,000–20,000 words. The word count may be reduced if the dissertation contains extensive graphical or tabular material (e.g. Schenkerian analysis); • Edition: a portfolio of notated transcriptions of works agreed with the supervisor, together with a full commentary and prose study of normally 5,000–10,000 words; • Composition (notated): one large-scale work or a portfolio of works of substantial scope, resulting in about 20–25 minutes in performance, together with a commentary of around 2,000 words; • Composition (acousmatic/sonic art): a portfolio of work of substantial scope and length, resulting in about 14–16 minutes in performance, together with a commentary of around 2,000 words; • Recital: a public performance of around 50–60 minutes’ duration (excluding breaks), together with a programme note. For students taking MA in Music with Education who choose performance as their final project, this should last around 30–35 minutes (excluding breaks), together with a programme note (the performance and the programme note are weighted at 90% and 10% respectively); • Lecture-recital: a performance of around 50–60 minutes’ duration (excluding breaks), together with a written commentary of around 2,000 words (the performance and the commentary are marked as a single item of assessment). For students taking MA in Music with Education who choose the lecture-recital as their final project, this should last around 30–35 minutes (excluding breaks), together with a programme note (the performance and the programme note are weighted at 90% and 10% respectively); • Portfolio of education materials: 15,000–20,000 words, or 20–25 minutes of music, or a proportional combination of both, or equivalent. The scope will need to be approved in advance by the supervisor; – In certain circumstances (e.g. for students following the MA Music with Education programme), it may be possible to combine more than one mode of submission in a single project, or to define a completely different mode of submission. The precise nature of such projects must be approved by a subgroup of the Board of Examiners.

threshold

Threshold (50-59) Work which displays a good grasp of factual knowledge, with adequate ability at conceptual thought, and some awareness of methodological issues (albeit limited), and showing sufficient evidence of a generally intellectual approach, with fair expression.

good

Good (60-69) Work which displays a sound grasp of the subject, a good level of conceptual thought, awareness of methodological and other issues, with evidence of intellectual acumen and good expression .

excellent

Excellent (70+) Work which displays a thorough grasp of the subject, with evidence of extended study, profound conceptual thought, originality of approach and excellent presentational skills.

1. On successful completion of the module, students will be able to demonstrate that they can execute and submit an extended piece of work that shows a detailed knowledge of the field of study in question. .

2. On successful completion of the module, students will be able to demonstrate the ability to think critically, independently and evaluatively.

3. On successful completion of the module, students will be able to develop the ability to sustain an argument (written and/or musical) and to communicate persuasively and coherently.

4. On successful completion of the module, students will be able to demonstrate an understanding of a variety of concepts and techniques in their chosen field of study.

5. On successful completion of the module, students will be able to Illustrate a variety of skills in the chosen field of study.

6. On successful completion of the module, students will be able to demonstrate originality of thought and/or creative independence.

7. On successful completion of the module, students will be able to demonstrate enhanced research skills and demonstrating a range of appropriate research methodologies in the area of musicology, refined editorial skills in the case of an editions with commentary; evidence of a range of creative and technical abilities in the case of composition; or technical competence, control and interpretative understanding of the music in the case of performance.

Type	Name	Description	Weight
DISSERTATION	Main Submission		95.00
FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT	Brief Project Plan	A short proposal, to be submitted by Friday of Week 13 of Semester 2 (week starting 10 May 2021), using the proforma which will be attached via the module link on Blackboard. This accounts for 5% of the overall mark and assesses Learning Outcomes 1–7;	5.00

		Hours
Private study		582
Tutorial	Individual supervision on a fortnightly basis, up to a total of 18 hours.	18

• Literacy - Proficiency in reading and writing through a variety of media
• Self-Management - Able to work unsupervised in an efficient, punctual and structured manner. To examine the outcomes of tasks and events, and judge levels of quality and importance
• Exploring - Able to investigate, research and consider alternatives
• Information retrieval - Able to access different and multiple sources of information
• Management - Able to utilise, coordinate and control resources (human, physical and/or financial)
• Argument - Able to put forward, debate and justify an opinion or a course of action, with an individual or in a wider group setting
• Self-awareness & Reflectivity - Having an awareness of your own strengths, weaknesses, aims and objectives. Able to regularly review, evaluate and reflect upon the performance of yourself and others

• Musicianship skills – recognition, classification, contextualisation, reconstruction, exploration
• Re-creative skills – interpretation, innovation, versatility, and other skills relating to performance
• Creative skills – conception, elaboration, adaptation, presentation, collaboration, preservation
• Intellectual skills specific to Music – contextual knowledge, cultural awareness, critical understanding, repertoire knowledge, curiosity, analytical demonstration
• Technological skills – digital capture, digital expression, digital innovation
• Intellectual skills shared with other disciplines – research and exploration, reasoning and logic, understanding, critical judgement, assimilation and application
• Skills of communication and interaction – oral and written communication, public presentation, team-working and collaboration, awareness of professional protocols, sensitivity, ICT skills, etc.
• Skills of personal management – self-motivation, self-critical awareness, independence, entrepreneurship and employment skills, time management and reliability, organisation, etc.
• Enhanced powers of imagination and creativity (4.17)

Resource implications for students

None.

Talis Reading list

http://readinglists.bangor.ac.uk/modules/wxt-4011.html

Compulsory in courses:

• V9AC: MA Medieval Studies year 1 (MA/MS)
• W3AH: MA Music year 1 (MA/MUS)
• W3BJ: MA Music with Education year 1 (MA/MUSED)
• W3BM: MMus Composition and Sonic Art year 1 (MMUS/CSA)
• W3BG: MMus Performance year 1 (MMUS/MUSP)