Undergraduate Course: Preparing for your Dissertation (BUST09007)
Course Outline
| School | Business School |
College | College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 9 (Year 3 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Not available to visiting students |
| SCQF Credits | 0 |
ECTS Credits | 0 |
| Summary | This course introduces students to research methods and prepares them for completing the Business Honours Dissertation in Year 4. The course includes pre-recorded lectures and two one-hour seminar sessions in Semester 2, with an additional one-hour session for students planning to write a dissertation in Accounting and Finance.
After completing these sessions, students will choose a dissertation topic and prepare a dissertation research proposal. This proposal will be used to match students with a dissertation advisor.
The course is compulsory for all Year 3 students (including those on joint degrees) who plan to complete a Business Honours Dissertation in Year 4. |
| Course description |
This short seminar series supports the School's aim to develop students' technical and theoretical understanding of Business research. The main purpose of the course is to help students prepare a research proposal for their Year 4 dissertation.
The course will:
1. Explain what the Honours dissertation is, its purpose, and the challenges involved.
2. Help students develop their own research idea, understand how it relates to existing literature, and choose appropriate research methods and research design.
3. Prepare students for submitting their dissertation proposal through ATLAS, being matched with a supervisor, and working with their supervisor throughout the project.
Outline Content
- Overview of the dissertation and its requirements (all students)
- Dissertation proposal format, research methods, and use of ATLAS (all students)
- Writing a dissertation in Accounting or Finance (for students considering a project in these areas)
Student Learning Experience
Seminars are delivered in January and February each year. During the seminars, students will be introduced to online resources covering dissertation structure, topic selection, setting research questions, and identifying the data required.
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
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Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2026/27, Not available to visiting students (SS1)
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Quota: None |
| Course Start |
Semester 2 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Please contact the School directly for a breakdown of Learning and Teaching Activities |
| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
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| Additional Information (Assessment) |
Students are required to submit a Dissertation Proposal. |
| Feedback |
Not entered |
| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Understand the range of research and research methods available in subjects offered in the Business School.
- Make an informed choice of research project for the dissertation.
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Reading List
Saunders, M, Lewis, P and Thornhill, A (2009/1997) Research Methods for Business, Harlow: Pearson Education Ltd
Ghauri, P and Gronhaug, K (2010/1995) Research Methods for Business Studies, Harlow: Pearson Education Ltd
Booth, W, Columb, G and Williams, J (2008/1995) The Craft of Research, Chicago: University of Chicago Press
Perry, C (1998) 'A structured approach for presenting theses', http://users.ugent.be/~dgosseli/Presentations/PhD-Thesis-Approach.pdf (This is intended for postgraduate students but still contains some very useful guidance on structuring your dissertation) |
Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Preparation for the Dissertation |
| Keywords | Not entered |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Kalsoom Jaffar
Tel:
Email: Kalsoom.Jaffar@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Miss Isla Dalley
Tel: (0131 6)50 3900
Email: Isla.Dalley@ed.ac.uk |
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