Independent Study
Postgraduate course
- ECTS credits
- 10
- Teaching semesters
- Spring
- Course code
- KIN306
- Number of semesters
- 1
- Teaching language
- English and Chinese
- Resources
- Schedule
Course description
Objectives and Content
The course involves an independent research project on a self-chosen topic in the broad field of Chinese Studies.
An independent study provides students with the opportunity to work one-on-one with a faculty member on a particular topic or creative project. Often the idea for an independent study arises in a course. Students may also develop creative projects in areas related to Chinese language, literature or society.
Students must apply to take the course and find a supervisor for the independent study. The supervisor should be preferably an academic employee at a Norwegian or Chinese higher education institute. The course must be first discussed with and approved by the UiB Chinese faculty.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of the course:
Knowledge
The student
- will have advanced knowledge of a self-chosen area in the broad field of Chinese Studies
- will have good knowledge of theories and methods in the field
Skills
The student
- will be able to use the knowledge from the field in independent investigations of a specific research topic
- will be able to use professionally relevant methods and commonly used digital tools
- will work independently with scientific research
General competence
The student
- will be able to reason on subject-relevant ethical issues
- will be able to present and discuss research material clearly and comprehensively
- will be able to acquire new knowledge at an advanced academic level
ECTS Credits
Level of Study
Semester of Instruction
Place of Instruction
Required Previous Knowledge
Recommended Previous Knowledge
Credit Reduction due to Course Overlap
Access to the Course
Teaching and learning methods
Compulsory Assignments and Attendance
It is mandatory to submit and have the reading list/syllabus approved before a set deadline announced in Mitt UiB.
The draft of the term paper must be approved as well. The student is responsible for finding a supervisor, and must submit a short project description that contains: a title, a research question, and a syllabus of 800 - 1000 pages that the student has not been examined in previously. The supervisor will approve of the project description.The application and attachments must be submitted to the Department of Foreign Languages for approval before 1 March in the spring semester. Compulsory activities are valid in the teaching semester only.
Forms of Assessment
A term paper of approximately 3,000-3,500 words (not including appendices, footnotes and the reference list/bibliography) developed from the self-study project shall be submitted for assessment. The term paper must be written in English and follow the conventions of academic writing. The descriptive adequacy and explanatory adequacy of the paper will be the key aspects for assessment.
The student should familiarize him/herself with the rules that apply to the use of sources and citations. If the rules are violated, the student may be suspected of cheating or attempted cheating.
The term paper is assessed in the independent study semester only. No retake assessment is arranged.