Course coordinator
Dr Sarah Ball
Course overview
- Study period
- Semester 1, 2025 (24/02/2025 - 21/06/2025)
- Study level
- Undergraduate
- Location
- St Lucia
- Attendance mode
- In Person
- Units
- 2
- Administrative campus
- St Lucia
- Coordinating unit
- Politic Sc & Internat Studies
This is a restricted entry course and requires prior approval from the School.
The independent study option allows students of exceptional ability to engage in a minor research project. This course can only be undertaken if the planned project is of immediate interest to a potential academic supervisor. Students would be expected to have completed the equivalent of 2 years of full-time study in their undergraduate degree, including #12 units of POLS courses with a minimum GPA of 5.5 in these courses.
Information about applying to undertake this course is available here.
POLS3802 Independent Study allows undergraduate students of proven ability to engage in a #2 unit minor research project over one semester. Students work by themselves butﾠunder the supervision of a member of the academic staff of the School of Political Science and International Studies. The course is particularly useful for students who wish either to gain experience conducting research or to investigate a topic of interest in political science or international studies which is not covered by other undergraduate courses.
POLS3802 requires not only that the student be self-motivated and self-disciplined, but that they also determine and develop their own study project in consultation with their supervisor. It is vital for students to swiftly identify and focus upon a clear research question. The semester then involves independent reading and research, regular contact between student and supervisor, and finally the preparation of a 6,000-word essay.
The essay to be produced should reflect a synthesis of relevant academic literature on the chosen topic. It must develop a reasoned and coherent central argument. It does not necessarily need to make an original contribution to knowledge or involve empirical research.
Course requirements
Assumed background
Students would be expected to have completed the equivalent of 2 years of full-time study in their undergraduate degree, #12 units of POLS courses with a minimumﾠGPA of 5.5 in these courses.
Prerequisites
You'll need to complete the following courses before enrolling in this one:
Two years of full-time study, Six POLS courses and GPA 5.5 >
Course contact
Course staff
Lecturer
Dr Sarah Ball
Timetable
Additional timetable information
There are no scheduled classes for this course. Instead, students are expected to schedule and hold regular meetings with their academic supervisor. As POLS3802 is a #2 unit course, it is also expected that students will spend approximately 10 hours per week reading in the library or otherwise conducting individual, in-depth research on their chosen research question.
Aims and outcomes
This course aims toﾠallow undergraduate students of exceptional ability to gain experience conducting research in political science or international studies prior to applying for admission to Honours or postgraduate study.
Learning outcomes
After successfully completing this course you should be able to:
LO1.
Demonstrate and communicate knowledge of a specialist area of study.
LO2.
Work independently in conducting research, in cooperation with an academic supervisor.
LO3.
Apply the skills of critical judgement and analysis.
Assessment
Assessment summary
| Category | Assessment task | Weight | Due date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essay/ Critique | Research proposal (2000 words) | 30% |
21/03/2025 5:00 pm |
| Essay/ Critique | Final paper (6000 words) | 70% |
30/05/2025 5:00 pm |
Assessment details
Research proposal (2000 words)
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Essay/ Critique
- Weight
- 30%
- Due date
21/03/2025 5:00 pm
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03
Task description
The Research Proposal should be 2000 words and cover:
- The title/topic of the research report you are planning
- A succinct and clear statement of the central problem/question and/or puzzle(s) you are seeking to address
- A brief review and discussion of the literature and/or material you are planning to use for your study
- A succinct and clear discussion of methodological and conceptual issues and theoretical framework that will inform and guide your research
- A brief outline of problems you think you may face during your research
- A bibliography - this can also include resources that you have not reviewed yet but are important and relevant to your research.
Assessment tasks are intended to evaluate a student’s abilities, skills, and knowledge. Unless explicitly stated otherwise in the assessment instructions, assessments are to be completed without the aid of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Translation (MT). Failure to comply with this direction may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Submission guidelines
Assignments for this course will be submitted electronically via Blackboard and using Turnitin.
In uploading an assignment via Turnitin you are certifying that it is your original work, that it has not been copied in whole or part from another person or source except where this is properly acknowledged, and that it has not in whole or part been previously submitted for assessment in any other course at this or any other university.
When you successfully submit your assessment to Turnitin after previewing the uploaded document to make sure you have chosen the correct file, you should see the “Submission Complete!” message. After this, a downloadable Digital Receipt will display on your Assignment Dashboard. It is your responsibility to download the Digital Receipt as proof of submission. Turnitin will not send this receipt to you automatically.
If you don’t see the downloadable receipt on your assignment dashboard, you should regard your submission as unsuccessful.
If the submission was not successful:
- Note the error message (preferably take a screenshot)
- Go to your assignment page and see if it is possible to submit again.
- If you cannot submit again email your course coordinator immediately.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
Unless an extension is granted, penalties for late submission apply. Students are penalised 10% of the maximum possible mark allocated for the assessment item for every calendar day that an assessment item is late.
Marks will be deducted each day for up to 7 calendar days, at which point the submitted item will not receive any marks unless an extension has been approved. Each 24-hour block is triggered from the time the submission is due.
Final paper (6000 words)
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Essay/ Critique
- Weight
- 70%
- Due date
30/05/2025 5:00 pm
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03
Task description
The main item of assessment for the Independent Study is a 6,000-word essay on the topic and research question chosen and developed by the student and approved by the supervisor.
Assessment tasks are intended to evaluate a student’s abilities, skills, and knowledge. Unless explicitly stated otherwise in the assessment instructions, assessments are to be completed without the aid of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Translation (MT). Failure to comply with this direction may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Submission guidelines
Assignments for this course will be submitted electronically via Blackboard and using Turnitin.
In uploading an assignment via Turnitin you are certifying that it is your original work, that it has not been copied in whole or part from another person or source except where this is properly acknowledged, and that it has not in whole or part been previously submitted for assessment in any other course at this or any other university.
When you successfully submit your assessment to Turnitin after previewing the uploaded document to make sure you have chosen the correct file, you should see the “Submission Complete!” message. After this, a downloadable Digital Receipt will display on your Assignment Dashboard. It is your responsibility to download the Digital Receipt as proof of submission. Turnitin will not send this receipt to you automatically.
If you don’t see the downloadable receipt on your assignment dashboard, you should regard your submission as unsuccessful.
If the submission was not successful:
- Note the error message (preferably take a screenshot)
- Go to your assignment page and see if it is possible to submit again.
- If you cannot submit again email your course coordinator immediately.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
If there are circumstances beyond your control that prevent you from submitting an assessment item by the due date, you can apply for an Extension, but you must do so before the due date.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
Unless an extension is granted, penalties for late submission apply. Students are penalised 10% of the maximum possible mark allocated for the assessment item for every calendar day that an assessment item is late.
Marks will be deducted each day for up to 7 calendar days, at which point the submitted item will not receive any marks unless an extension has been approved. Each 24-hour block is triggered from the time the submission is due.
Course grading
Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.
| Grade | Cut off Percent | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 (Low Fail) | 0 - 19 |
Absence of evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: The student does notﾠaddress the question, shows no evidence of reading and minimal comprehension of the issues at hand. |
| 2 (Fail) | 20 - 44 |
Minimal evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: The studentﾠaddresses the question poorly and showsﾠvery little evidence of reading. |
| 3 (Marginal Fail) | 45 - 49 |
Demonstrated evidence of developing achievement of course learning outcomes Course grade description: The student makes an effort to establish a single major argument for the essay andﾠemploys some research which is correlated with the argument. Makes a visible effort to achieve adequate grammar, spelling and punctuation. Evidence of attempting to achieve a recognisable narrative flowﾠappears throughout the assignment. The studentﾠaddresses the question and shows evidence of required research and a basic grasp of the issues at hand. However,ﾠfalls short of satisfying all basic requirements for a Pass. |
| 4 (Pass) | 50 - 64 |
Demonstrated evidence of functional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: The student makes a reasonable effort to provide evidence to support a visible argument andﾠemploys an adequate research base to support the argument. Achieves a reasonable, if not completely coherent standard of grammar, spelling, and punctuation. A recognisable narrative flow is sustained throughout the essay. The studentﾠanswers the question and shows evidence of adequate research and a degree of understanding of the issues at hand. |
| 5 (Credit) | 65 - 74 |
Demonstrated evidence of proficient achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: The studentﾠprovides suitable evidence to support an argument andﾠemploys a comprehensive research base that directly relates to the topic, though it may not completely support the argument. Achieves decent levels of competence in grammar, spelling, punctuation and narrative flow. The studentﾠanswers the question in a direct, well supported fashion and shows evidence of some wide reading and a reasonable understanding of the issues at hand. |
| 6 (Distinction) | 75 - 84 |
Demonstrated evidence of advanced achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: The studentﾠdemonstrates a very good grasp of the chosen topic and provides a considerable amount of evidence to support a clearly stated argument. The studentﾠemploys a reasonably extensive and well-organised research base to structure evidence in support of the argument and achieves a high level of competence in grammar, spelling, punctuation and narrative flow. The studentﾠanswers the question in a direct, reasonably sophisticated fashion, employs wide research and shows a sound understanding of the issues at hand. |
| 7 (High Distinction) | 85 - 100 |
Demonstrated evidence of exceptional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: The studentﾠdemonstrates a highly sophisticated grasp of the topic andﾠsucceeds in addressing the question by providing a high level of evidence to support a clearly stated argument. The studentﾠemploys an extensive and well organised research base to structure evidence in support of the argument andﾠachieves impeccable levels of grammar, spelling, punctuation and narrative flow. The studentﾠanswers the question in a direct and elegant fashion, employs significant research and shows a deep understanding of the issues at hand. |
Supplementary assessment
Supplementary assessment is not available for some items in this course.
Not all of the assessment components of this course may be re-assessed with supplementary assessment. A grade of 3 or N does not guarantee that supplementary assessment may be undertaken for this course, however students may apply.
Refer to my.UQ for how to apply for supplementary assessment.
Supplementary assessment can take any form, for example, an oral or a written exam. Students who are eligible and approved for a supplementary assessment and the form of assessment is an examination, are expected to be available to sit the supplementary exam during the University’s Deferred and Supplementary examination period. Once approved, supplementary assessment cannot be rescinded by the student.
Additional assessment information
Word Length Penalty
Unless otherwise indicated, in the case of written submissions with a specified word count, you are given a +10% leeway on the upper word limit. If your written submission is over this leeway limit, it will attract a 10 percentage point penalty. For example, if your essay is 1,500 words, you may write up to 1,650 before attracting a word count penalty. If your essay exceeds the upper word limit, it will attract a 10% word count penalty. Therefore, if your essay is worth 40 marks, you will lose 4 marks from your allotted grade. Unless specified, penalties only apply to exceeding the word length, not for failure to write a sufficient amount.
Students should note:
• The Author-date in-text referencing system will count toward the word length;
• References in the Footnote referencing system will not count toward the word length. If you are using footnotes, any content included in footnotes beyond the specific text reference will count towards the word length.
Learning resources
You'll need the following resources to successfully complete the course. We've indicated below if you need a personal copy of the reading materials or your own item.
Library resources
Library resources are available on the UQ Library website.
Additional learning resources information
Ethical Clearanceﾠfor an Independent Studyﾠ
It is a University requirement that an Ethical Clearance is obtained for any independent study project involving human subjects. Working with their supervisor, students are expected to seek ethical approval for any interview, survey or other research involving people. If your independent study does not involve people in this way, then you do not need ethical clearance.
Applications should be submitted by using the MyResearch linkﾠhttps://my-research.research.uq.edu.au/
Further information can be found hereﾠhttps://www.uq.edu.au/research/research-support/ethics-integrity-and-compliance/human-ethics/ethics-application
It is not necessary to lodge an application for Ethical Clearance with your initial application. However, this must be done prior to commencing research.
Essay Guide
The School of Political Science and International Studies Essay Guide can be downloaded from the School’s Student Support webpage.
The Guide sets out guidelines you should follow in preparing written assignments.
Essay Writing Assistance
The School of Political Science and International Studies schedules regular “drop-in” sessions designed to provide one-on-one advice and assistance in essay planning and writing.
There is no need to make an appointment and you are encouraged to bring your essay with you.
The day and time of these sessions will be finalized at the beginning of each semester and published on the Student Support webpage.
Student Services
Student services offer a variety of short courses during the semester which will help you improve your study, research and writing skills and thus your academic performance in this course.
Library Resources
UQ Library offers training in software, assignment writing, research skills, and publishing and research management.
The University’s library holdings for Political Science and International Studies are primarily located in the Central Library.
There is a help desk in the Library. Students are also welcome to contact the BEL/HASS Librarians for assistance.
Email: librarians@library.uq.edu.au
Learning activities
The learning activities for this course are outlined below. Learn more about the learning outcomes that apply to this course.
Filter activity type by
Please select
| Learning period | Activity type | Topic |
|---|---|---|
Multiple weeks From Week 1 To Week 13 |
Not Timetabled |
Independent Research Activity Each student works independently on their own research project, under the direction of their academic supervisor. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03 |
Workshop |
Consultation meetings with Supervisor A minimum of four meetings to be arranged by the supervisor and student at the beginning of semester. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03 |
|
Week 2 (03 Mar - 09 Mar) |
Workshop |
Statement of Intent Workshop This workshop will cover the basics of the course, introduce students to each other and give top tips for the research plan and paper writing. The course coordinator will contact all research report students via email to arrange this session. Learning outcomes: L01, L03 |
Week 8 (14 Apr - 20 Apr) |
Workshop |
Work in Progress Workshop This workshop is designed to allow students to hear about the variety of projects that are being conducted and speak about their own project to others. Typically this will be done via discussion of plans that have been submitted as assessment. The course coordinator will contact all research report students via email to arrange this session. Learning outcomes: L01, L03 |
Policies and procedures
University policies and procedures apply to all aspects of student life. As a UQ student, you must comply with University-wide and program-specific requirements, including the:
- Student Code of Conduct Policy
- Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy and Procedure
- Assessment Procedure
- Examinations Procedure
- Reasonable Adjustments - Students Policy and Procedure
Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.