Program Overview

Course Overview

The Research Project—FILM 489 course provides students with the opportunity to develop a detailed academic project that addresses their own research question. The research undertaken should be presented as an extended essay and/or creative/practical presentation, approximately 10,000 words in length.

Course Details

• Dates: 23 Feb 2026 to 8 Nov 2026
• Starts: Trimester 1+2
• Fees:
  • NZ$2,411.10 for domestic students
  • NZ$9,575.40 for international students
• Campus: Kelburn
• Estimated Workload: Approximately 300 hours or 8.1 hours per week for 37 weeks
• Points: 30 points (one point is about 10 hours of work)

Entry Restrictions

• Prerequisites: None
• Corequisites: None
• Restrictions: None (the courses listed contain similar content to this course; if you have already passed one of them, you cannot take this course)

Taught By

The School of Arts and Media — Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences teaches this course.

About This Course

This course allows students to pursue an individual research project, usually in the form of an extended essay, with regular guidance and support from a supervisor. Practical and creative work may be included as part of a research project. Students will conduct extensive research into their chosen topic, drawing on academic sources to develop an informed critical response.

Course Learning Objectives

Students who pass this course will be able to:

1. Identify relevant research questions and answer them within appropriate methodological frameworks.
2. Enhance their critical and research skills and improve their proficiency at film analysis.
3. Develop their ability to present their findings in written form and/or creative or practical format.

How This Course Is Taught

Students will meet regularly with their supervisor, who will guide them through the process and provide feedback on their drafts.

Assessment

• Research Essay: Individual, 100% of the final mark

Mandatory Requirements

To pass this course, students must:

1. Submit the written work specified for this course on or by the specified dates.
2. Achieve an overall pass mark of at least 50%.

What You'll Need to Get

No specific texts or equipment are required for this course.

Disclaimer

This course outline may be subject to change.