- Department: The York Management School
- Credit value: 50 credits
- Credit level: M
- Academic year of delivery: 2022-23
Occurrence | Teaching period |
---|---|
A | Autumn Term 2022-23 to Spring Term 2022-23 |
The dissertation is a research-based activity involving sustained private study over the summer term and the summer vacation, culminating in the submission of a dissertation of not more than 8000 words. The aim of the dissertation is to develop and exhibit your abilities to initiate, design, and implement a research project, and to write-up the results of this.
By undertaking a longer piece of sustained research and writing, students will demonstrate critical analytical skills; ability to gather data and draw together information from a range of sources; writing and presentational skills; and subject-specific knowledge. As this is a self-study module, you will also draw on the skills that you have acquired throughout your whole degree, including self-management, working to deadlines and subject knowledge.
Academic and graduate skills
Successful completion of the dissertation will demonstrate that students are able to:
Undertake a research project
Apply knowledge of research philosophy and methods
Undertake empirical research involving the collection of primary data (where appropriate)
Undertake secondary analysis of existing data and information (where appropriate)
Critically analyse significant bodies of literature in the chosen topic area
Prepare and write a well-presented and substantial piece of academic research
Engage with ethical issues in undertaking research
Critically reflect on the research skills and their relationship to future development and employability
In preparing the dissertation proposal and the dissertation itself, students will:
Critically engage with relevant literature in relation to their named degree
Identify a meaningful research question/topic/problem
Engage with the key issues and questions arising in the topic area
Identify and deploy an appropriate research methodology
Collect and analyse data (where appropriate)
Extrapolate key findings
Consider the contribution of the dissertation to scholarship, policy, and practice as appropriate
The "Dissertation Proposal", to be completed by week 5 of the summer term, will consist of the following elements:
- Indication of relevant literature and topic context
- Identification of a specific research problem/question(s)/topic
- Identification and explanation of an appropriate research method
- Research plan including an indication of potential data sources
- Completion of Ethics Approval
Written feedback on the proposal will be provided, which will feed-forward into the completion of the dissertation itself.
The last 500 words of the final dissertation should be a reflective statement on the research process, looking back over the year as a whole, what challenges the student encountered and what they learned in the process.
Task | % of module mark |
---|---|
Essay/coursework | 80 |
Essay/coursework | 20 |
None
Task | % of module mark |
---|---|
Essay/coursework | 100 |
Student feedback will be in accordance with UYMS and University policy.
Written feedback from both examiners is released to students after the final exam board. In cases of a marginal fail where minor amendments are permitted, students will be given written guidance on the required amendments.
Bryman, A., & Bell, E. (2015). Business research methods. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Buchanan, D. A., & Bryman, A. (Eds.) (2009) The Sage handbook of organizational research methods. London: Sage.
Neuman, W.L. (2011) Social research methods: qualitative and quantitative approaches. Boston and London: Pearson Education
Saunders, M., Lewis, P., & Thornhill, A. (2016) Research methods for business students (7th edn.). London: Pearson.
Symon, G., & Cassell, C. (2012). Qualitative organizational research: core methods and current challenges. London: Sage.
Yin, R. (1994). Case study research: Design and methods. Beverly Hills. CA: Sage publishing.
Neuman, W.L. (2011) Social research methods: qualitative and quantitative approaches. Boston and London:Pearson Education