The dissertation is a detailed piece of writing that develops applied knowledge and expertise in independent research.

Approximately 5 supervisory sessions.

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Dissertation (12,000 - 15,000 words)

The dissertation is a detailed piece of writing that further develops the student's knowledge and expertise in independent research. The dissertation provides students with the opportunity to reflect upon the knowledge acquired during the taught elements of the MRes and to take independent responsibility for the application of explicit management principles and practices to a particular problem or issue. The dissertation often involves examining a particular topic/question in-depth, with evidence of an ability to undertake sustained critical analysis. It provides an opportunity for students to demonstrate their research/project skills and produce an important piece of written work.

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

■ Undertake a substantial and focused piece of independent research using research methods and analytical techniques.

■ Review the literature relating to a specific area or issue, present an efficient and effective synthesis and critical review of that literature, and identify gaps in the existing knowledge.

■ Identify significant research problems, issues and questions, refine them into well formulated research aims, objectives, and/or testable hypotheses, and articulate competently their intended contribution to the existing relevant literature;

■ Produce a systematic plan (design) of research with details relating to the main parameters of the data collection and data analysis processes of this design, and apply rigorously within its context appropriate quantitative and/or qualitative methods to particular research topics and questions to provide relevant evidence and defensible conclusions;

■ Critically evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the selected research design as it has been applied in the specific research project;

■ Draw together research work into a substantial piece of written work which is clearly motivated and structured, and present it so as to conform to the requirements of a defined target audience.

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