Course coordinator
Dr Sarah Ball
Course overview
- Study period
- Semester 2, 2025 (28/07/2025 - 22/11/2025)
- 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 exceptional ability to engage in a 2 unit minor research project over one semester. Students work by themselves, under the individual 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 to gain experience conducting research in political science or international studies, or exploring a topic 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. At the outset of their independent study, 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:
32 units of courses including 12 units of POLS courses
Restrictions
Required GPA of 5.5 across 12 units of POLS courses
Course contact
Course staff
Lecturer
Dr Sarah Ball
Timetable
Additional timetable information
There are no timetabled classes for this course but regular workshops are held to support student learning and engagement. Students are expected to schedule and hold regular meetings with their academic supervisor. It is also expected that students will spend approximately 10 hours of reading and 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.
Assessment
Assessment summary
| Category | Assessment task | Weight | Due date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper/ Report/ Annotation | Research Plan and Annotated Bibliography | 30% |
21/08/2025 2:00 pm |
| Essay/ Critique |
Independent Study Essay
|
70% |
30/10/2025 2:00 pm |
A hurdle is an assessment requirement that must be satisfied in order to receive a specific grade for the course. Check the assessment details for more information about hurdle requirements.
Assessment details
Research Plan and Annotated Bibliography
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Paper/ Report/ Annotation
- Weight
- 30%
- Due date
21/08/2025 2:00 pm
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03
Task description
The Research Plan and Annotated bibliography should cover:
- The title/topic of the research report you are planning
- A succinct and clear statement of the central problem, research question and/or puzzle(s) you are seeking to address
- A succinct and clear statement of the research design that will answer your question
- An annotated bibliography listing and describing/critiquing the key sources that you intend to use when conducting research on your particular topic.
The task is marked by the supervisor. It should be no less than 1500 words and no more than 2000.
This task has been designed to be challenging, authentic and complex. Whilst students may use Al and/or MT technologies, successful completion of assessment in this course will require students to critically engage in specific contexts and tasks for which artificial intelligence will provide only limited support and guidance. A failure to reference generative Al or MT use may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct. To pass this assessment, students will be required to demonstrate detailed comprehension of their written submission independent of AI and MT tools.
Submission guidelines
Submission:
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 that 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, then 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.
Independent Study Essay
- Hurdle
- In-person
- Online
- Mode
- Oral, Written
- Category
- Essay/ Critique
- Weight
- 70%
- Due date
30/10/2025 2:00 pm
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03
Task description
The largest item of assessment for the course is a paper on the topic chosen by the student.
Referencing
All sources from which information has been derived, paraphrased, quoted or used to support statements of fact and opinion must be clearly and accurately cited. The bibliography must include full details of all works from which information is derived, quoted or referred to in the body of the report or notes. The form of citation in the bibliography should follow the format set out in the School of Political Science’s Essay Guide.
Length
Essays should not exceed 6,000 words, including quotations and substantive footnotes or endnotes, but excluding the bibliography and appendices. Please note that the word limit does NOT allow for +10% as it does in other courses.
Please pay careful attention to the attached rubric and use that as a guide to your work.
This task has been designed to be challenging, authentic and complex. Whilst students may use Al and/or MT technologies, successful completion of assessment in this course will require students to critically engage in specific contexts and tasks for which artificial intelligence will provide only limited support and guidance. A failure to reference generative Al or MT use may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
To pass this assessment, students will be required to demonstrate detailed comprehension of their written submission independent of Al and MT tools. Students must receive a pass in an ‘essay oral response’ to pass this course. Students who do not receive a pass on the oral response task can only receive an overall grade of 3 or less for the course.
Essay oral response
Once submitted, the student will be required to demonstrate that the Research Report is their own work by responding to questions relating to the methods, concepts and key literature used. This will be scheduled during the week after submission and will be undertaken by the course coordinator. The response will take up to 15 minutes and involve answering targeted questions. The only criteria is that the student demonstrates the research report reflects their own work.
Hurdle requirements
Students must receive a pass in an ‘essay oral response’ to pass this course. Students who do not receive a pass on the oral response task can only receive an overall grade of 3 or less for the course.Submission guidelines
Submission:
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 that 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, then 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.
Course grading
Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.
| Grade | Description |
|---|---|
| 1 (Low Fail) |
Absence of evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: The student does not address the question, shows no evidence of reading and minimal comprehension of the issues at hand. |
| 2 (Fail) |
Minimal evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: The student addresses the question poorly and shows very little evidence of reading. |
| 3 (Marginal Fail) |
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 and employs 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 flow appears throughout the assignment. The student addresses the question and shows evidence of required research and a basic grasp of the issues at hand. However, falls short of satisfying all basic requirements for a Pass. |
| 4 (Pass) |
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 and employs 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 student answers the question and shows evidence of adequate research and a degree of understanding of the issues at hand. |
| 5 (Credit) |
Demonstrated evidence of proficient achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: The student provides suitable evidence to support an argument and employs 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 student answers 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) |
Demonstrated evidence of advanced achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: The student demonstrates a very good grasp of the chosen topic and provides a considerable amount of evidence to support a clearly stated argument. The student employs 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 student answers the question in a direct, reasonably sophisticated fashion, employs wide research and shows a sound understanding of the issues at hand. |
| 7 (High Distinction) |
Demonstrated evidence of exceptional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: The student demonstrates a highly sophisticated grasp of the topic and succeeds in addressing the question by providing a high level of evidence to support a clearly stated argument. The student employs an extensive and well organised research base to structure evidence in support of the argument and achieves impeccable levels of grammar, spelling, punctuation and narrative flow. The student answers the question in a direct and elegant fashion, employs significant research and shows a deep understanding of the issues at hand. |
Additional course grading information
Grades will be awarded on the following basis:
1.ﾠFailﾠ 1 - 19%
2. Failﾠ 20 - 44%
3. Failﾠ 45 – 49%
4. Passﾠ 50 - 64 %
5. Creditﾠ 65 - 74 %
6. Distinctionﾠ 75 - 84 %
7. High Distinctionﾠ 85 - 100 %
Supplementary assessment
Supplementary assessment is not available for some items in this course.
No supplementary assessment is available for any of the assessment items listed in this course.
Additional assessment information
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.
Marking Criteria/Rubric
Marking criteria and/or marking rubrics are available in the ‘Assessment’ folder in Blackboard for this course.
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 Clearance ﾠfor 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 |
Project 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 |
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 for Students Policy and Procedure
Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.