Dissertation (Education) EDUC51104P

  • Academic Session: 2025-26
  • School: School of Education
  • Credits: 60
  • Level: Level 5 (SCQF level 11)
  • Typically Offered: Full Year
  • Available to Visiting Students: No
  • Collaborative Online International Learning: No
  • Curriculum For Life: No

Short Description

Dissertation (Education)

Timetable

Regular one to one supervision with designated tutor and group sessions.

Requirements of Entry

none

Excluded Courses

none

Co-requisites

none

Assessment

The dissertation can take 2 formats:

■ traditional: should contain between 12 000-15 000 words (excluding appendices) (100%)

■ 3-part: 10-minute presentation (10%); 2000-3000 words policy brief/ executive summary (40%); 7000-8000 words dissertation (50%).

 

A great variety of studies can be accepted as legitimate research exercises for the Dissertation. An experiment of classic design; a survey by questionnaire; interviews of pupils and staff; a study by ethnographic, systematic or participant observation; a case study; a review of policy; discourse analysis of official reports are possible examples.

Are reassessment opportunities available for all summative assessments? No

Reassessments are normally available for all courses, except those which contribute to the Honours classification. Where, exceptionally, reassessment on Honours courses is required to satisfy professional/accreditation requirements, only the overall course grade achieved at the first attempt will contribute to the Honours classification. For non-Honours courses, students are offered reassessment in all or any of the components of assessment if the satisfactory (threshold) grade for the overall course is not achieved at the first attempt. This is normally grade D3 for undergraduate students and grade C3 for postgraduate students. Exceptionally it may not be possible to offer reassessment of some coursework items, in which case the mark achieved at the first attempt will be counted towards the final course grade. Any such exceptions for this course are described below. 

Course Aims

To provide students with an opportunity to conduct a supervised research exercise that involves examining literature, gathering relevant data and analysis of findings.in an educational context.

Intended Learning Outcomes of Course

By the end of this course students will be able to:

 

1. critically review relevant literature

2. identify an issue of strategic importance to their field of professional practice (based on literature and personal experience)

3. develop research question(s) which will act as the conceptual basis of the research

4. develop a research methodology, whether empirical, historical, philosophical or other, which is adequate to the research question(s) (including research methods)

5. demonstrate a rigorous and ethical engagement with research material which is adequate to the research strategy

6. present the findings of the research

7. draw conclusions from the research process which are rooted in the research, are in proportion to its scope and have relevance for the researcher's filed of educational practice, arguing priorities for future development

8. present output(s) which conform to the remit and guidelines for completion of the dissertation (traditional or 3-part)

Minimum Requirement for Award of Credits

Students must submit at least 75% by weight of the components (including examinations) of the course's summative assessment.