Course Catalogue

View Specification Document | Reading List

The dissertation is a detailed piece of writing to further develop student's knowledge and expertise in their area of study.

The dissertation is typically carried out through the summer months, between early May and mid-August.

It is supported via regular individual and collective supervisory meetings, including 5 x 1 hour supervisory sessions.

A 2-hour preparatory lecture will be delivered by the relevant programme coordinators towards the end of the second semester to explain aims and learning objectives, supervisory arrangements and key deadlines.

Students must be registered on one of the associated programmes listed in this course specification.

None

None

Dissertation between 10,000 to 12,500 words (excluding the cover page, table of contents, references, and appendices if any), normally submitted before the end of August. The submission should include a section containing the student's critical evaluation of their own performance in working through the dissertation process, with recognition of the reasons affecting that performance. The reflection should include identification of their strengths and weaknesses (supported by evidence) and areas for improvement.

The overall aim of the dissertation is to enable students to develop skill to examine a particular topic/question in-depth. The dissertation is a detailed piece of research to further develop student's knowledge and expertise in their area of study. The dissertation aims to provide students with the skills to reflect upon the knowledge acquired during the taught elements of the MSc and to take independent responsibility for the application of explicit management principles and practices to a particular problem or issue.

The dissertation aims are to enable students to develop skills to:

■ Acquire research/project skills to develop an understanding of key management concepts, relevant theories and contemporary issues required to produce a piece of independent written work.

■ Develop a suitable topic to be investigated. 

■ Critically review a range of research designs, data collection methods and analytical procedures and select an appropriate approach to answer research questions to meet the objective of the project.

■ Develop the ability to plan and undertake a critical review of literature and analysis of available data/ evidence. 

On completion of the dissertation students will be able to:

1. Identify research topic/ problem/ question and objectives on the issues relevant in their degree programme that can be effectively addressed given the constraints of an MSc dissertation

2. Conduct a critical literature review on the identified topic/problem/question including search for literature, evaluation and synthesis

3. Select an appropriate research design and critically acknowledge its advantages and disadvantages 

4. Develop a research plan/proposal for a specific management problem.

5. Demonstrate their understanding of key concepts theories and contemporary issues identified in the degree programme.

6. Demonstrate skills in problem solving by identifying gaps in the academic literature (dissertation) or specific business problems, and developing an organised and structure approach, drawing on data sources to address such gaps.

7. Plan, organise, conduct and present a distinctive and substantial piece of research based or applied scholarship.

8. Demonstrate the ability to reflect on and critically evaluate their performance in working through the dissertation process