PROFESSIONAL INVESTIGATION - 2025/6

Module Overview

The module provides you with the opportunity to undertake an independent, in-depth research project into an area of professional practice. Using appropriate research methodologies, you will investigate a topic (for instance, related to your Professional Training placement) and present a written report on your area of interest.

Module provider

Music & Media

Module Leader

WILEY Christopher (Music & Med)

Number of Credits: 30

ECTS Credits: 15

Framework: FHEQ Level 6

Module cap (Maximum number of students): N/A

Module Availability

Year long

Prerequisites / Co-requisites

Professional Training Placement at Level P

Module content

The module is self-directed by you with guidance and tutorial support (maximum 10 hours per student) from a specialist supervisor. The choice of topic for investigation may arise from your professional experience at Level P; it may be a response to a request from a professional organisation for a piece of research; or it may be a subject independently identified by you. The area for investigation will be identified early in Semester 1, and you will be expected to undertake primary and secondary research as necessary throughout Semester 1 and part of Semester 2, with the latter part of the second semester devoted to analysing the research and writing up the investigation.

Assessment pattern

Alternative Assessment

N/A

Assessment Strategy

The assessment strategy is designed to provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate and develop subject knowledge, analytical skills, transferable skills and professional skills.

Thus, the summative assessment for this module consists of:

·         Coursework – written submission of 7,000 words (addresses LOs 1–6) 

Formative assessment:

Essay Plan

Feedback:

Formative feedback on work in progress will be delivered in supervisions as required. 

Module aims

• The module aims to develop appropriate research and investigative skills, providing space for you to identify, scope and research atopic arising from the arts profession which you find interesting and worthy of further investigation, undertaking primary research as necessary.

Learning outcomes

Methods of Teaching / Learning

The learning and teaching strategy is designed to further students’ knowledge of, and critical engagement with, an aspect of music/arts/cultural administration.

The learning and teaching methods include:

• Plenary sessions

• Discussion

• Individual supervisions 

• Independent preparation and research

Indicated Lecture Hours (which may also include seminars, tutorials, workshops and other contact time) are approximate and may include in-class tests where one or more of these are an assessment on the module. In-class tests are scheduled/organised separately to taught content and will be published on to student personal timetables, where they apply to taken modules, as soon as they are finalised by central administration. This will usually be after the initial publication of the teaching timetable for the relevant semester.

Reading list

https://readinglists.surrey.ac.uk
Upon accessing the reading list, please search for the module using the module code: MUS3068

Other information

The Department of Music and Media is committed to developing graduates with attributes encompassing employability, digital skills, global and culture awareness, sustainability as it relates to music and the wider arts and, finally, resourcefulness and resilience.

This module provides opportunities to engage with these attributes in myriad ways including:

Cultural and global capabilities: developing an appreciation of different cultural practices, institutions and policies as they relate to aspects such as performance, composition and consumption.

Digital capabilities: these may include conducting extensive online research using digital resources (text, score-based and audio), preparation of digital documents (e.g. word processing, spreadsheets, charts and images) and specialist music software (e.g. notation software) to create digital artefacts.

Resourcefulness and resilience: independence of practice, developing skills and work for assessment, maximising available resources, finding creative ways to address assessments and exercising resilience in doing so, overcoming difficulties and other challenges in undertaking a wider range of pursuits.

Sustainability: depending on the topics studied during the module and the students’ pursuit of independent study for assessment, issues of sustainability may also be addressed.

Employability: developing an in-depth understanding of the cultural industries and associated professions, arising from the Professional Training placement, and preparing students well for many careers in the diverse arts industries in addition to delivering transferable skills appropriate to all graduate destinations.

These values are embedded within the module's learning outcomes and educational aims, and throughout the programme.

Programmes this module appears in

Please note that the information detailed within this record is accurate at the time of publishing and may be subject to change. This record contains information for the most up to date version of the programme / module for the 2025/6 academic year.