Master's degrees in Real Estate and Planning require students to either complete a Major Research Project on a real estate or planning problem/challenge (8,000 words plus a practical component) or a traditional dissertation (see Course Specification for REP Dissertation) on a self-selected topic relevant to their chosen specialist pathway. Preparation for the Major Research Project is supported by a course in Applied Built Environment Research, with a supervisor allocated to each student at the start of Semester 2.

A supervisor will be appointed as the main point of contact for each student during the Major Research Period, and students should expect to meet with their supervisor for a minimum of five meetings, scheduled at the time agreed by the student and supervisor. Most of the work for the Major Research Project will be carried out by the student in their own time.

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Assessment is based solely on a research project in the form of a Major Research Project addressing a practical 'real world' real estate or planning problem/challenge of 10,000 - 13,750 words interwoven with a more practical component (comparable with the effort required for a traditional Dissertation). This practical component might include drawing, illustrations, computations, policy analysis or other problem-solving techniques that directly address the project's aims and objectives (a word count at the lower end of the range stated above is permitted when a significant proportion of the Mahor Research Project concerns the practical component and will be agreed with the supervisor). The written component must include a review of the grey and academic literature, practice-orientated research and policy and justify the research method employed, while the practical component must be situated within the framework developed through the literature review and demonstrate the student's analytical and investigative skills in solving a planning and research problem.

The aim of the Major Research Project is to develop students' evidence gathering, analysis, problem-solving and presentation skills appropriate for a career in real estate and planning practice, and to undertake a research project in their chosen disciplinary specialist pathway. By the end of the course, students will be able to employ data sourcing, investigation techniques and analytical methods in the development of a practical solution to a real estate or planning problem/challenge and present their research in a professional and accessible format for a professional audience.

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

■ Evaluate the purpose of research in real estate and planning and the robustness of its application to practical problems/challenges, and evaluate theories, concepts and principles in a specialist area of study determined by degree pathway choice.

■ Define a research problem relevant to real estate or planning practice and refine it into research aims, objectives, questions and/or hypotheses.

■ Search for and critically review grey literature, policy and other secondary data sources and understand the ethical issues involved in the collection, handling and storage of primary and secondary research data.

■ Plan and manage a research project by collecting information from a variety of sources, synthesising it effectively and presenting it using a combination of professional prose and presentation techniques.

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

Minimum requirement for award of credit for students on MSc City Planning, MSc City Planning & Real Estate Development, and MSc Real Estate is D3 or above.

University standard regulations apply to students on other qualifications.