Module:                                 PS305 - Project

Credit value:                         12

Programme:                          B.A. PS General Objective:

Through this module students will work out a  comprehensive project in the third year. Students  will  be  introduced  to  the  field  of  socio-political  research  through  the  module Methodology of Social Research,  and other (previous) modules. The pre-exposures would have prepared them sufficiently to conduct the  project in a considerable professional way. During this exercise, students should demonstrate that they can apply theoretical knowledge.

Learning outcomes:

Through project writing the students will be able to:

•     Delimit  a  proposition  from  the  conceptual  aspects  of  Political  science  or  the

Bhutanese political sphere,

•     Demonstrate initial research skills related to subjects studied during the three years of the programme,

•     Process statistic and realistic data independently and present them scientifically.

•     Demonstrate knowledge about the research methods.

•     Understand the political reality through a focussed study of a topic

•     Prepare the students for further research during the honours programme.

Learning and teaching approach: Discussions with supervisor (30 hours) Research and writing (90 hours)

This module counts for 12 credits. On an average week, a student should have two hours of contact  with  his  or  her  project  supervisor.  Six  hours  should  be  spent  on  project  work

(delimiting of proposition, research, gathering data, analyzing and processing data, writing of the project, etc.)

Assessment:

Synopsis Writing and presentation (30%) Feasibility of topic (10%)

Clarity about the topic (10%)

Knowledge about the works done on the topic (10%)

Final assignment presentation (10%) Coherence in argumentation (5%) Defence of the assignment (5%)

Final assignment (60%):

Content (30%)

Clarity of opinion (15%) Grammar and writing style (10%) Formatting (5%)

Pre-requisite knowledge:

Methodology of Social Research (PS304)

Subject matter:

Students are expected to write a research proposal, after which, they will be provided with a project supervisor. In the second phase, students  will undertake empirical socio-political research on a topic which concentrates on a field of Bhutanese political reality. E.g- Democracy in Bhutan and the role of monarchy, the emergence and growth of party system in Bhutan, Comparing the constitution of Bhutan with any other country, Role of media in modern democracies, Problems of bureaucracy and development etc.

Bhutan will have made the transition to democracy by 2010. There will be sufficient topics and sources of data forehand by then.

Reading List:

Text Books

Bell,  J.,(2007)  Doing  Your  Research  Project:  A  Guide  for  First-Time  researchers  in

Education, Health and Social Science. 4th edition, Open University Press. MacNabb,D.E(1998) Research Methods for political science,(Available in Library). Sarantakos, S.,(2005) Social Research. 3rd edition, Palgrave MacMillan.

Reference Books

Blaikie, N.W.,(1995) Approaches to Social Enquiry. Polity Press, Cambridge,.

Pinch Stern (2001) Investigating the social world: the process and practice (Available in

Library).

Rodger, John (2000) Introduction to Social Policy, (Available in Library).

Schutt, Russell K. (1999)  Investigating the Social World:  The Process and Practice of

Research.  Second Edition,Pine Forge Press.

Schutt, Russell K. and Matthew Archibald (1999) Study Guide and Activities to Accompany

Investigating the Social World.  Second Edition Pine Forge Press.