GI7P77 - Securities Studies Dissertation (2023/24)
| Module specification | Module approved to run in 2023/24 | ||||||||
| Module title | Securities Studies Dissertation | ||||||||
| Module level | Masters (07) | ||||||||
| Credit rating for module | 60 | ||||||||
| School | School of Social Sciences and Professions | ||||||||
| Total study hours | 504 | ||||||||
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| Running in 2023/24(Please note that module timeslots are subject to change) | No instances running in the year |
Module summary
GI7P77
Security Studies Dissertation
This is a module which requires studens to conduct an extended piece of research on a topic in the security studies field.
Prior learning requirements
GIP028C Theory and Research Methods in International Relations
Module aims
To enable students to engage in a major piece of independent research in security studies, which is sensitive to theoretical and methodological issues and which employs a full scholarly apparatus.
Syllabus
Students are expected to identify a field of research and complete a 15,000 word dissertation with guidance provided by the module leader and their supervisors.
Learning and teaching
Students will have been prepared for their dissertation work through the core module Theory and Research Methods in International Relations. They are given a detailed course outline offering advice on the planning and carrying out of their research for the dissertation. They also receive 6 weeks of classes at the start of their dissertation and are then allocated a tutor with whom they will meet regularly in order to receive feedback and guidance as their work progresses.
The module has a WebLearn site and pdp opportunities are provided to students in GIP028C.
Learning outcomes
By the end of the dissertation students will be able to show:
1. the ability to formulate a significant research question and to carry through systematic research towards a defensible answer to the question
2. the ability to master available sources in the given research topic area.
3. the ability to reflect upon and find solutions to theoretical and methodological issues entailed by the search for answers to the research question chosen.
4. the ability to critically evaluate evidence and relevant secondary sources in the field.
5. the ability to thoroughly reference their work, using a consistent referencing system.
6. the ability to organise their work rigorously and effectively and to present it in a professional way
Assessment strategy
Students produce a dissertation (norm 15,000 words) which will be assessed in line with the learning outcomes given above. (Students seeking to produce a dissertation exceeding the 15,000 word norm by more than 500 words, will require special permission from the module tutor before they submit).
Bibliography
• Steve Ball, The Complete Guide to Writing your Dissertation: Process, Techniques and Insights, How To Books Ltd., January 2012.
• John Biggam, Succeeding with Your Master’s Dissertation: A Step-by-Step Handbook, Open University Press, 2011.
• Catherine Dawson, Introduction to Research Methods: A Practical Guide for Anyone Undertaking a Research Project, How to Books Ltd., 4th Edition, 2009.
• Christopher Hart, Doing Your Masters Dissertation (Essential Study Skills Series), Sage Publications Ltd., December 2004.
• Christopher Hart, Doing a Literature Review: Releasing the Social Science Research Imagination, Sage Publications Ltd., 2002.
• John Bolker, Writing Your Dissertation in Fifteen Minutes a Day, Owl Books, US, 1998.
• Bell, Judith, Doing your research project. A guide to first-time researchers in education and social science, 3rd edition (Buckingham: Open University Press, 1999).
• Berry, Ralph, The research project. How to write it, 3rd edition (London: Routledge, 1994).
• Bouma, Gary D. and Atkinson, G.B.J, A handbook of social science research, 2nd edition, (oxford: Oxford University Press, 1995).
• Hampson, Liz, How's your dissertation going? Students share the rough reality of dissertation and project work (Lancaster, 1994).
• Marsh, David, Stoker, Gerry (ed.), Theory and methods in Political Science (London: Macmillan, 1995).
• Preece, Roy, Starting research. An introduction to academic research and dissertation writing (london: Pinter, 1994).
• Rudestam, K.E. and Newton, R.R., Surviving your dissertation. A comprehensive guide to content and process (Newbury Park: Sage, 1992).
• Turabian, Kate L., (revised by John Grossman and Alice Bernstein), A manual for writers of term papers, theses and dissertations, 6th edition (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1996).