| Unit name | Business Analytics Dissertation Project |
|---|---|
| Unit code | MGRCM0042 |
| Credit points | 60 |
| Level of study | M/7 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Academic Year (weeks 1 - 52) |
| Unit director | Dr. Zhang |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you may not take alongside this one |
None |
| School/department | School of Management - Business School |
| Faculty | Faculty of Social Sciences and Law |
Why is this unit important?
The Business Analytics Dissertation Project allows students to use in practice the knowledge and skills they have acquired throughout the programme to research a topic of their interest. Building on their previous knowledge and honing their critical analysis skills, students will need to explore and provide practical solutions to real-world business problems and communicate their findings to the corresponding stakeholders. This unit aims to engage students in reflecting on an initial research idea and extend it to develop a coherent research plan. By reviewing the current academic literature around their chosen topic, students will become familiar with the state-of-the-art research findings and be able to conduct innovative research on their chosen topic. They will learn in practice how to ensure an ethical data collection process and how to deal with sensitive data, which can be common in research. They will apply in practice data collection methods and critically analyse them to improve processes and make an impact.
How does this unit fit into your programme of study?
In this unit, students will build on the knowledge and skills acquired in the other units of the programme to formulate an initial research proposal. This proposal will then be developed into a coherent programme of research to achieve a clear set of objectives and provide solutions to a real-world problem. Following ethical approval, they will collect and analyse data and make evidenced recommendations, presenting the resultant work to identified stakeholders in a dissertation format.
An overview of content
In this unit, students will need to reflect upon a research idea related to a real-world problem and develop a complete research plan. Using the guidance and feedback from their individual supervisor, they will conduct a review of the background literature around their topic, collect primary or secondary data following ethical considerations and approval, critically analyse them and discuss their findings considering the different perspectives of the identified stakeholders in a graduate dissertation format.
How will students, personally, be different as a result of the unit
Upon completion of the unit, students will have formed a deep understanding of how a complete research project related to a real-world business problem is conducted, from the proposal development to the final communication of the results. They will have acquired a broader understanding of the recent academic literature around their chosen topic. They will be able to choose appropriate data collection methods considering ethical implications, apply appropriate data analysis techniques, interpret and discuss the findings and communicate them to the stakeholders.
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this unit, students will be able to:
ILO1 - Develop and execute a research plan to analyse a complex real-world business problem
ILO2 - Critically review the academic literature around their chosen topic and demonstrate a broad understanding of the underlying theory.
ILO3 - Critically evaluate and apply appropriate research methods in the collection and analysis of data, with appropriate considerations of the ethical issues.
ILO4 – Effectively synthesise and discuss results and conclusions and communicate them to identified stakeholders in a dissertation format.
Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks, independent learning and assessment activity. Following your research proposal submission, you will be having one-to-one meetings with your supervisor to get feedback on your work and guidance. The main part of this unit consists of independent work on your project and writing of the final applied research project submission.
Tasks which help you learn and prepare you for summative tasks (formative):
The unit structure is based on a classic graduate project supervision scheme with 5 contact hours for individual supervision provided on a one-to-one basis to assist students with project completion. The remaining 595 learning hours will be spent on independent study and in the preparation of the applied research project submission.
Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative):
Business Analytics Dissertation Project (10,000-12,000 words) (100%): Students are required to formulate and execute a coherent programme of research in business analytics based on a critical analysis of a research problem and literature and with appropriate consideration of ethical issues (ILOs 1-2). Students will select and justify proper research methods in the collection and analysis of data based on knowledge and skills acquired in other units (ILO 3). They are then required to analyse and interpret results and present conclusions in light of the research objectives and discuss research/practical implications and recommendations in a dissertation format (ILO 4).
When assessment does not go to plan:
When a student fails the applied research project and is eligible to resubmit, a revised version of the original submission will be reassessed (100%) [ILOs 1-4]. Students who have been permitted to resubmit their dissertation are entitled to up to 1-hour maximum of additional supervision meetings with their supervisor and the review of one draft.
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. MGRCM0042).
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.
