MUSI481-25W (C) Whole Year 2025

Research Project

30 points

Details:
Start Date: Monday, 17 February 2025
End Date: Sunday, 9 November 2025
Withdrawal Dates
Last Day to withdraw from this course:
  • Without financial penalty (full fee refund): Sunday, 16 March 2025
  • Without academic penalty (including no fee refund): Sunday, 24 August 2025

Description

A supervised research project leading to a written paper.

This is a course in which you work on an independent research project in a music-related area.   Although it doesn't have formal course pre-requisites, it usually builds on research skills and ideas developed in previous studies, especially ARTS401.  It is assessed by a single piece of written work of 8,000-10,000 words, which might include or be supported by the results of empirical work such as interviews or surveys, submitted at the end of the course.  You might also have to achieve other course requirements, such as submitting a research proposal, to pass the course.   For the most part you will be working on your project independently, but you will get advice and input through individual sessions with one or more supervisors, and occasional group sessions with other students working on research projects.

Learning Outcomes

  • This is a framework course supporting a wide variety of individual student projects, and as such the formal learning outcomes are the overall University Graduate Attributes. However, the following are expectations typical of these projects which are likely to inform assessment of the final project.
    Students who pass this course will be able to:
  • Identify and present an appropriate and workable research topic in a music-related field, and construct an effective research proposal as required.
  • Effectively employ methods, skills and approaches appropriate to the topic.
  • Formulate successful research strategies, and be able to adapt to and resolve issues that might arise during the research project.
  • Acquire, analyse, evaluate and interpret a range of source material relevant to the topic, including as appropriate primary and secondary source materials and empirical data.
  • Make effective use of library catalogues and databases, bibliographic tools, and internet resources.
  • Demonstrate accurate use of citation styles to reference sources.
  • Demonstrate scholarly writing, presentation, and discussion skills.
  • Justify a position on a particular topic.
  • Work to required word limits, timelines, and other course requirements.
    • University Graduate Attributes

      This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attributes specified below:

      Critically competent in a core academic discipline of their award

      Students know and can critically evaluate and, where applicable, apply this knowledge to topics/issues within their majoring subject.

      Employable, innovative and enterprising

      Students will develop key skills and attributes sought by employers that can be used in a range of applications.

Prerequisites

Subject to approval of the Head of School.

Course Coordinator

Jonathan Le Cocq

Assessment

Assessment Due Date Percentage 
Research Essay 100%


Please check the course LEARN page for further details and updates.

Textbooks / Resources

Recommended Reading

Lee, Sang-Hie; Scholarly research for musicians ; Routledge, 2017 (This book is available in ebook format via the UC Library).

Leedy, Paul D. , Ormrod, Jeanne Ellis, Johnson, Laura Ruth; Practical research : planning and design ; Twelfth edition; Pearson Education, Inc., 2019.

Young, Gregory , Shanahan, Jenny Olin; Undergraduate research in music : a guide for students ; First edition; Taylor and Francis, 2018 (This book is available in ebook format via the UC Library).

Indicative Fees

Domestic fee $2,353.00

* All fees are inclusive of NZ GST or any equivalent overseas tax, and do not include any programme level discount or additional course-related expenses.

For further information see Creative and Digital Arts .

All MUSI481 Occurrences

  • MUSI481-25W (C) Whole Year 2025