CHIN 5006 - Transcultural Communication / Translation Thesis

North Terrace Campus - Semester 2 - 2014

The research thesis component is designed for students who wish to pursue higher degrees in the Faculty, and it is only open to students of the MA (TTC) Program who 1) have completed 36 units of core courses; and 2) students who have achieved the academic record of a credit average or above. Students should, in the first instance, consult the program convenor for possible topics of research. Because of the interdisciplinary nature of the Centre for Asian Studies, students are encouraged to explore a broad range of academic field expertise the Centre and the rest of the Faculty has to offer, namely Linguistics & Applied Linguistics, Literature, Translation, as well as Cultural Studies, Transcultural Communication, History, International Studies, Sociology, and Politics, etc. The convenor will ensure appropriate, wherever possible, joint supervision with others in the Faculty (HUMSS). The MA (TTC) research thesis is to be approximately 14,000-16,000 words in length (including footnotes but excluding bibliography).

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Course Details

Course Code	CHIN 5006
Course	Transcultural Communication / Translation Thesis
Coordinating Unit	Asian Studies
Term	Semester 2
Level	Postgraduate Coursework
Location/s	North Terrace Campus
Units	12
Contact	Individual supervision as per Honours students (3 hours per week)
Prerequisites	CHIN 5003 Research Method and Writing, CHIN 5002 Translation Project: Chinese to English, CHIN 5001 Translation Project: English to Chinese, CHIN 5000 Theories of Representations and China
Assumed Knowledge	As per Prerequisites
Restrictions	Any student of MA (TTC) Program who has completed 36 units with a credit average or above in their academic record is eligible to enter the MA (TTC) research thesis component of the program with the approval of the convenor of MA (TTC)
Assessment	Thesis (100%)

Course Staff

Course Coordinator: Professor Gregory McCarthy

Course Timetable

The full timetable of all activities for this course can be accessed from Course Planner.

Course Learning Outcomes

1	To extend students’ understanding of the ontological, epistemological and axiological principles underpinning ‘Western’ positivist, interpretive, critical and postcolonial research in Asian and Pacific studies in the global context.
2	To introduce students to the key elements of transcultural theory, as coined by Ortiz (1940/1995) and developed in education and (Song and Cadman 2012), and to train them to conduct transcultural research in a thesis.
3	To develop research capacity via one-to one research supervision students to develop the skills required for ‘Western’ research, that is: (1) to interrogate conventional criteria for success in Western research contexts from a transcultural perspective; (2) to design and conduct a rigorous research dissertation i.e. to locate, analyse, evaluate and synthesise information from a wide variety of sources in a planned and timely manner.
4	To facilitate students’ capacity to identify social and cultural problems and to develop effective and creative research solutions by exploring the complexities of transcultural communication in a large summative thesis format.
5	To increase students’ understanding of appropriate scholarly argumentation for international publication, and to develop their ability to write the required genre for publishing their research through group and principally individual manuscript writing.
6	To provide students with fundamental information about the research preparation, argumentation and synthesis. to write critical dissertation.
7	To expand students’ command of technological tools in academic research, notably through information technology, data-base searching and bibliographical software.
8	To inspire and strengthen students’ desire to reflect upon their own cultural heritage in relation to the prevailing conventions and values of other cultures by bringing theoretical perspectives to social analysis.
9	To encourage students to engage in and commit to the high levels of professional integrity required to participate in the international scholarly academy.
10	To respect diverse ethical and cultural conventions and to evaluate their impact on professional skills, responsibilities and forms of communication.

University Graduate Attributes

This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attribute(s) specified below:

University Graduate Attribute	Course Learning Outcome(s)
Knowledge and understanding of the content and techniques of a chosen discipline at advanced levels that are internationally recognised.	1,2 4,7
The ability to locate, analyse, evaluate and synthesise information from a wide variety of sources in a planned and timely manner.	2
An ability to apply effective, creative and innovative solutions, both independently and cooperatively, to current and future problems.	3
Skills of a high order in interpersonal understanding, teamwork and communication.	4
A proficiency in the appropriate use of contemporary technologies.	5
A commitment to continuous learning and the capacity to maintain intellectual curiosity throughout life.	6
A commitment to the highest standards of professional endeavour and the ability to take a leadership role in the community.	7,8, 10
An awareness of ethical, social and cultural issues within a global context and their importance in the exercise of professional skills and responsibilities.	8,9, 10

Learning & Teaching Modes

The course will be run in the format of one-one consultation, two hours per week with the supervisor.

Workload

The information below is provided as a guide to assist students in engaging appropriately with the course requirements.

One-to-one supervision - 2 hours per week	24 hours per semester
14 hours reading per week	168 hours per semester
18 hours preparation per week	216 hours per semster
16 hours research per week	192 hours per semester
TOTAL WORKLOAD	624 hours per semester

Learning Activities Summary

Students have one-on-one meetings with their supervisor.

The University's policy on Assessment for Coursework Programs is based on the following four principles:

Assessment must encourage and reinforce learning.
Assessment must enable robust and fair judgements about student performance.
Assessment practices must be fair and equitable to students and give them the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned.
Assessment must maintain academic standards.

Assessment Summary

The thesis will be read by two examiners. Students are expected to make explicit theoretical and methodological approaches and to demonstrate an ability to use primary and secondary sources.

Assessment Detail

14000- 16000 words thesis, weighting 100%

Submission

Details available upon enrolment.

Course Grading

Grades for your performance in this course will be awarded in accordance with the following scheme:

M10 (Coursework Mark Scheme)
Grade	Mark	Description
FNS		Fail No Submission
F	1-49	Fail
P	50-64	Pass
C	65-74	Credit
D	75-84	Distinction
HD	85-100	High Distinction
CN		Continuing
NFE		No Formal Examination
RP		Result Pending

Further details of the grades/results can be obtained from Examinations.

Grade Descriptors are available which provide a general guide to the standard of work that is expected at each grade level. More information at Assessment for Coursework Programs.

Final results for this course will be made available through Access Adelaide.

Student Feedback

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