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2016/17 Undergraduate Module Catalogue

LUBS3350 Management Dissertation for part time BSc

40 creditsClass Size: 50

Module manager: Jo Bates
Email: J.Bates@leeds.ac.uk

Taught: 1 Mar to 31 Mar (13mth) View Timetable

Year running 2016/17

This module is mutually exclusive with

LUBS3305	Dissertation in Management
LUBS3345	Dissertation/Project in Management

Module replaces

LUBS3345

This module is not approved as a discovery module

Objectives

This module aims to provide the student with the opportunity to develop independent research and evaluation skills whilst developing a deep knowledge of their chosen area of study. Students will develop a problem or question to solve in the context of their chosen area of study and work, with the support of a supervisor, to investigate the problem. The dissertation may take the form of a literature based, work place based, or client focused project. It should include some form of primary date gathering in the form of questionnaires, pilot schemes etc. The project should include an in depth literature search in the area even if it is a practically based study, allowing students the chance to become expert in their chosen area of study and to develop skills of evaluating and critiquing the sources of information available.

In addition the presentation of the research in the form of a formal report aspiring to the level of a peer reviewed journal article will hone their writing and referencing skills. Independence, self motivation and time management will be important, so that students can demonstrate to referees and employers that they can organize themselves to complete a work of this magnitude over a sustained period.

Learning outcomes
On completion of this module students will be able to:

- Demonstrate a confident and in depth knowledge of the state of research in their chosen area
- Critically evaluate and review literature published in peer reviewed scholarly journals
- Design a project, question or methodology that is appropriate to the problem posed and to the field of enquiry, including the ability to reflect on and review procedures in the light of new findings
- Design a project that will add to the existing knowledge in their chosen field
- Organise, motivate and carry out the project in a timely and successful manner, including hitting a series of milestone deadlines
- Understand the value of their findings (including negative evidence) and interpret them in a manner that is both appropriate and useful to their chosen field
- Write a formal scholarly account of their project which is properly referenced and forms a genuine contribution to the field, potentially with a view to submitting for publication

Syllabus

In February of their first calendar year at LUBS (year 4 of study), students will receive guidance on choosing and arranging their dissertation through two lectures: one to introduce the concept of dissertation and ask students to start thinking about topics, and a later one to regroup and instruct on what to do next.

Students will then make three choices of topic area in preference order and the module tutor will assign each student to a topic (and therefore a tutor) in one of their preferred areas. Supervisors will be announced to students in time for them to start the module in March. It is likely, but not necessary or prescribed, that in most cases the supervisor will be their programme director.

There will be three workshops in the first few weeks of the module to support and guide them. They should have a plan of action confirmed by their supervisor by end of June including a schedule of how the work will be completed. Students should write and submit a sample chapter for early November so that feedback can be given on both writing and content. The final piece will be submitted mid to late March depending on when Easter falls.

Word count is 12000 words.

Teaching methods

Delivery type	Number	Length hours	Student hours
Lectures	5	1.00	5.00
Tutorial	3	1.00	3.00
Private study hours			392.00
Total Contact hours			8.00
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits)			400.00

Private study

Clearly the dissertation is almost entirely composed of private study, independent scholarship and investigative activities, and report writing. The amount of work done per student will vary but should be directly reflected in the success of the piece. The student’s independent work should include literature research, project design, project execution, analysis of results and writing up of the account.

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

Milestones in June and November allow the module tutor and supervisor to monitor progress. Equally students will be encouraged to let the module tutor know if their supervisor has been unavailable or has missed the deadline for feedback. This encourages students to develop their professionalism and their expectations of professionalism from others.

Students will be expected to seek meetings and/or help from their supervisor as and when they are required. A minimum and maximum number of meetings and/or contacts is not prescribed but the independent nature of the work should remain paramount. Due to the nature of these students it is anticipated that most of the contact will be via email or phone.

Methods of assessment

Coursework

Assessment type	Notes	% of formal assessment
Essay or Dissertation	milestone 1	5.00
Essay or Dissertation	milestone 2	5.00
Essay or Dissertation	12,000 words final submission (Set March year 4, Due March year 5)	90.00
Total percentage (Assessment Coursework)		100.00

A small part of the available credit is devoted to completion of milestones, as experience shows that students are not compelled to keep to time if there is no credit bearing incentive for them to do so. The milestones are timed to ensure students are thinking about their dissertation well in advance rather than imagining that they can leave it all until second semester of their final year. The dissertation, if failed, can be rewritten and resubmitted for a maximum resit mark of 40%, but by the August exam period. Unlike other LUBS modules it cannot be replaced by a written exam. This reflects the high credit and variable nature of the dissertation as well as its vital importance in developing level 3 skills.

Reading list

There is no reading list for this module

Last updated: 25/07/2016

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