| Unit name | Applied Dissertation Project |
|---|---|
| Unit code | CADEM0021 |
| Credit points | 60 |
| Level of study | M/7 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Academic Year (weeks 1 - 52) |
| Unit director | Dr. Hadi Abulrub |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
Multidisciplinary Research Skills |
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you may not take alongside this one |
None |
| School/department | School of Civil, Aerospace and Design Engineering |
| Faculty | Faculty of Engineering |
Why is this unit important?
The dissertation project unit is a crucial component of academic and professional development. It provides students with the opportunity to apply their programme knowledge to real-world challenges allowing them to explore their chosen field in depth in group settings. It builds teamwork, collaboration, and project management abilities, which are highly valued by employers.
The unit encourages originality and adherence to research ethics, preparing students for professional or higher academic roles. By integrating technical and/or management principles, the dissertation project equips students with the expertise and confidence needed to tackle complex, interdisciplinary problems in their future careers.
How does this unit fit into your programme of study
This unit complements the programme by allowing students to integrate one or both of technical expertise and business management knowledge to address complex, interdisciplinary challenge. The unit bridges the gap between technical innovation and business solutions, preparing graduates for leadership roles where both engineering insight and management acumen are essential for success.
How will students, personally, be different as a result of the unit
This unit will help students grow personally by enhancing their collaboration, communication, and leadership skills. They will develop confidence in managing complex projects, balancing technical and managerial aspects. Working with peers will improve their teamwork and problem-solving abilities, while exposure to real-world challenges will strengthen their adaptability, critical thinking, and readiness for professional roles in industry or academia.
Learning Outcomes:
Students will learn through regular supervisor meetings, which provide tailored feedback and guidance on the process, and through group meetings that foster collaboration and peer support. Additionally, workshops are delivered to ensure students are well-informed about dissertation requirements.
Tasks which help you learn and prepare for summative tasks (formative)
The group project dissertation includes formative assessments to guide progress. Regular supervisor meetings provide tailored feedback and direction, while group meetings encourage collaboration and peer input. Workshops are designed to ensuring students are well informed of dissertation requirements.
Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative):
The summative assessment for the group dissertation comprises two key components:
A transparent published method is in place to identify and govern students’ contribution to group work.
When assessment does not go to plan
In the case of required reassessment, where the student was unable to complete their contribution to the group project, we would enable the student resitting to undertake further individual development and critique of their group’s original submission, highlighting areas for improvement and development. The resubmission components would be as above, but all individual.
Reassessment will occur during the reassessment period using an equivalent task that meets ILOs for the individual assessment.
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. CADEM0021).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the University Workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The assessment methods listed in this unit specification are designed to enable students to demonstrate the named learning outcomes (LOs). Where a disability prevents a student from undertaking a specific method of assessment, schools will make reasonable adjustments to support a student to demonstrate the LO by an alternative method or with additional resources.
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. For appropriate assessments, if you have self-certificated your absence, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (for assessments at the end of TB1 and TB2 this is usually in the next re-assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any exceptional circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
