Hi, this may sound really silly and basic ...

I'm going to start Warwick university at the end of this month as a postgraduate student and study a PGCE to become a teacher. The course is 1 year long, and it is compulsory to complete 1/3rd of the masters. I'm guessing around 10,000 words. I'll have around 8 weeks to complete. As an undergraduate, most assignments were practical based, and did not have to complete many written assignments

1. Am I given a proposed subject and then I have to develop further?
2. How long does research take?
3. Is a Masters equivalent to a dissertation?:$