The Dissertation Module is a mandatory requirement for the award of a Masters. The Dissertation must contain appropriate primary research. This is a self-directed learning module that is reported on in a final Dissertation of between 12,000 and 15,000 words. The research and learning process attached to this module will address a financially related problem or issue. Students are encouraged to shape their work towards the development of practical conclusions and recommendations which have industry relevance.
The aim of this module is to give the student a chance to focus on an independent journey of inquiry. This module is to enable the student to undertake a learning â??journey' which is largely self directed and self-motivated, and which is substantially different to the teaching led experience encountered to date. This allows the student, with the support of an assigned supervisor, the opportunity to integrate the various dimensions and domains of knowledge acquired (across the Masters programme), as well as utilising the research methods acquired in the Research Methods Module, and so becomes a capstone subject. This module also aims to encourage students to develop a commitment to independent research. It also offers the chance to concentrate on, and specialise in, a subject discipline and/or a sectoral field, here, normally, the retail or services sector.
The subject matter of the dissertation includes the elements the student will have completed as indicated above as well as the following indicative elements**; as well as the following indicative elements
- a statement of the problem
- a review of relevant literature-a report on the appropriate industry sector (where it links directly with the research objectives)
- a qualitative or quantitative paradigm
- data collection
- data analysis
- an appropriate integration of comment with literature and the context
- conclusion to the study
- the reporting of the study
**these are indicative only as each dissertation is dependent on the research topic selected by the student
The learning and teaching includes the preparation carried out in an earlier module on Research Methods. Lecture and workshops from the Research Methods Module will feed directly into this Dissertation Module and will be supplemented where appropriate during the module by seminars or special lectures on specific issues. At the beginning of the module, each student is allocated an individual research Supervisor who will guide the student’s research. Students are required to hold regular meetings with their supervisor and to engage with him/her in the development and completion of their research. Progress of the work will be documented by the supervisor in a logbook. During the summer months students are expected and required to work independently in the completion of their research.
| Module Content & Assessment | |
|---|---|
| Assessment Breakdown | % |
| Other Assessment(s) | 100 |