ECON48060: DISSERTATION (INTERNATIONAL) (MSC ECONOMICS)

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• Dissertation (MSc Economics) (ECON47060)

• To provide students with the opportunity to conduct an in-depth investigation at an advanced level of an issue which is applicable and relevant to their degree subject.
• The dissertation should be theoretically underpinned and should normally involve undertaking empirical research, but may be a critical essay that draws upon academic literature.
• To provide students with the opportunity to undertake research abroad at a partner University.

• The dissertation and the research process.
• Planning a research project and ethical issues.
• Students review the literature and choose a dissertation topic, which is formally approved by the Board of Examiners. It should be one that is suitable for in-depth investigation, and relevant to their degree route.
• In producing the dissertation, students will make use of and manage library facilities, databases and other learning resources.
• Before going abroad, students attend information briefings on undertaking their dissertation abroad and are assisted with the application process by the MSc Study Abroad team. In addtion, students are monitored and supported by the MSc Study Abroad team while abroad, and have a mentor from the partner institution.

Subject-specific Knowledge:

• By the end of the module students should have:
• a critical understanding of a relevant topic through utilisation of appropriate techniques of research and analysis.

Subject-specific Skills:

• To be able to effectively organise, structure and manage a research project at an advanced level, including undertaking critical appraisal of relevant literature, and apply critical judgement and discrimination.
• To have developed the ability to operate independently on a research topic and exercise appropriate judgement in the selection of material.
• To have further developed the skills of inquiry, quantitative and qualitative research design, experimental research, data collection and information retrieval, bibliographic search, measurement and analysis, interpretation and presentation of results.
• To have developed advanced skills of research, analysis and scholarly expression in a chosen topic.

Key Skills:

• Written Communication
• Planning and Organising
• Problem Solving and Analysis
• Using Initiative
• Numeracy
• Computer Literacy
• Self-discipline, time management and the ability to work autonomously

• Lectures will be used to cover general aspects of the dissertation process, including ethics.
• Students work independently on their research, analysis and writing up while abroad, under the guidance of a supervisor in Durham and a mentor abroad whose main responsibility is to check progress. Normally the student will meet their supervisor before going abroad and will regularly keep in touch with their supervisor while abroad, via email or Skype. In addition, the student will normally meet their mentor while abroad on no more than three occasions.

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