2019/20 Taught Postgraduate Module Catalogue

LUBS5578M Business Analytics and Decision Sciences Dissertation

45 creditsClass Size: 200

Module manager: Richard Hodgett
Email: r.e.hodgett@leeds.ac.uk

Taught: 1 Nov to 30 Sep View Timetable

Year running 2019/20

Co-requisites

LUBS5582M

Research Methods

Module replaces

LUBS 5250M

This module is not approved as an Elective

Module summary

The dissertation is an extended piece of research work during which you apply some of the skills and techniques gained on your programme. It provides the opportunity to explore an area of interest relevant to your degree programme in greater detail and to produce a final written report. You are allocated a supervisor who will work with you on a one-to-one basis and may also facilitate some small group meetings in addition to one-to-one supervision.

Objectives

The aim of the module is to give students the opportunity to demonstrate the independent research skills necessary to define, conduct and report a substantial piece of research in business analytics and/or decision sciences. This module will provide students with the opportunity to develop a deep knowledge of their chosen area of study and demonstrate self-motivation and effective time management skills which will be necessary to successfully complete a work of this magnitude over a sustained period.

Learning outcomes
Upon completion of this module students will be able to:
- Locate, extract, analyse and critically evaluate arguments, data and information from the academic literature
- Produce a focused, critical literature review in an area of business analytics or decision sciences
- Identify and articulate clear research questions or hypotheses derived from the literature review
- Justify their chosen research design
- If appropriate, conduct field work, including the collection of qualitative or quantitative, survey based or archival data
- Critically analyse primary and / or secondary data
- Apply the appropriate ethical dimensions of research for their specific research in the context of management and business
- Clearly articulate the research findings appropriately within the subject area
- Independently manage their own research project
The first four learning outcomes are supported also by LUBS5582 Research Methods.

Skills outcomes
Application of techniques and/or concepts specific to the fields of business analytics and/or decision sciences.

Syllabus

- Identify research questions, extract relevant information and define justifiable conclusions
- Use current communication and information technology
- Find, evaluate and acknowledge and reference research sources
- Structure and communicate complex quantitative and /or qualitative information, ideas, analysis, argument and commentary in an appropriate academic format
- Exercise effective time management skills

Teaching methods

Delivery type	Number	Length hours	Student hours
Practical	3	2.00	6.00
Private study hours			444.00
Total Contact hours			6.00
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits)			450.00

Private study

Students will be expected to develop greater in-depth understanding of the specific business analytic or decision science concepts central to their dissertation, of how issues in the relevant field have been investigated in similar work, and of the tools and techniques used to underpin such investigations.

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

In line with the Faculty guidelines on supervision of masters dissertations, students will have between four and six formal meetings with their dissertation supervisor. At the first of these the proposed topic and initial title for the work will be confirmed. Students agree a planned schedule of work with their supervisor and monitoring of attendance and progress against this schedule is undertaken at each subsequent meeting.

Regular meetings with the Supervisor who will help the student by:

- agreeing the dissertation outline, directing students towards relevant literature and/ or other sources of information, and discussing appropriateness of theory and methodology;
- considering and finally approving the detail of the dissertation;
- reading a draft early chapter to provide initial feedback;
- reading appropriate final draft chapters of the dissertation so that again the student has feedback prior to submission.

(Note: It is the student's responsibility to provide this draft within a reasonable time frame, supervisors may well have several other drafts to read at the same time, as well as their normal duties).

Methods of assessment

Coursework

Assessment type	Notes	% of formal assessment
Essay or Dissertation	12,000 word dissertation	100.00
Total percentage (Assessment Coursework)		100.00

The resit for this module will be 100% by 12,000 words dissertation

Reading list

There is no reading list for this module

Last updated: 01/08/2019

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