Dissertation [MSc Transport and Urban Planning]

PLAN62070 Dissertation [MSc Transport and Urban Planning] 60 Full year Postgraduate Taught Level 6 1 FHEQ level (Framework for Higher Education Qualifications) ' Masters/Integrated Masters P4 ' European Credit Transfer & Accumulation System Rating : 30.0 Students on taught Master programmes, including the MSc in Transport and Urban Planning are required to undertake an independent piece of research on a relevant topic and write a 12,000-word dissertation report. This unit is designed to support students to successfully complete their dissertation projects. It will offer tailored support at critical stages of the research process, including supporting students to identify relevant topics; undertake literature review; frame research problem and identify research aim and objectives/questions; develop an appropriate framework of theories, concepts, models and methodology; and operationalize their research design. These will be achieved through lectures and workshops as well as supervisory arrangements. Students are expected to identify and pursue topics that are of interest to them within the broader fields of transport and urban planning for the dissertation. Topics will then be approved subject to feasibility, ethical considerations and the availability of a suitable supervisor. Throughout this unit, students will have the opportunity to develop advanced research capabilities, enhance their critical thinking, and improve their writing, communication and presentation skills, all of which are essential for both academic and professional success.   Students on taught Master programmes, including the MSc in Transport and Urban Planning are required to undertake an independent piece of research on a relevant topic and write a 12,000-word dissertation report. This unit is designed to support students to successfully complete their dissertation projects. It will offer tailored support at critical stages of the research process, including supporting students to identify relevant topics; undertake literature review; frame research problem and identify research aim and objectives/questions; develop an appropriate framework of theories, concepts, models and methodology; and operationalize their research design. These will be achieved through lectures and workshops as well as supervisory arrangements. Students are expected to identify and pursue topics that are of interest to them within the broader fields of transport and urban planning for the dissertation. Topics will then be approved subject to feasibility, ethical considerations and the availability of a suitable supervisor. Throughout this unit, students will have the opportunity to develop advanced research capabilities, enhance their critical thinking, and improve their writing, communication and presentation skills, all of which are essential for both academic and professional success   The unit aims to: -Provide students an opportunity to plan, manage and conduct independent research in a relevant topic within the fields of transport and urban planning -Further students' knowledge of the relevant body of literature, and to develop powers of critical reasoning as part of this process - develop students' writing, presentation and bibliographic skills, and to give them   experience of developing and managing a specific programme of work through to final submission   <ul><li>Identify a research topic in the interdisciplinary field of transport and urban planning</li><li>Demonstrate an ability to identify and critically evaluate theories, concepts, methodologies and empirical evidence relevant to the chosen topic of research</li></ul> <ul><li>Apply theoretical and methodological knowledge and skills to address a research problem and contribute to knowledge accretion in the chosen area of research</li><li>Critically reflect on the relevance of research findings and their implications for addressing complex transport and urban planning issues</li></ul> <ul><li>Demonstrate an ability to gather and analyse evidence and data from multiple sources relevant to the dissertation topic.</li><li>Apply digital tools and software, analysis methods and techniques learnt in course units within the programme to complete the dissertation</li><li>Demonstrate an ability to synthesize and communicate complex information through a coherent dissertation report</li></ul> <ul><li>Demonstrate an ability for independent thought and to work under minimum supervision</li><li>Demonstrate project management skills through planning and execution of an independent piece of research project</li></ul> There will be 4 two-hour lecture-based sessions (8 hours in total) in semesters 1 and 2. These sessions will cover the core content of the unit, including framing the dissertation and ethical considerations. Students will learn critical research methodology skills asynchronously through engaging with E-learning content that will be provided as part of the resources within this unit. About 4 hours of asynchronous learning is expected. Workshops and tutorial sessions (8 hours) will provide students the opportunity to frame their dissertations and develop an outline research proposal with guidance from academic members of staff.  In addition to these students will be allocated supervisors from available pool of academic staff to guide them through the process of completing the dissertation. 4 Dissertation 100% Dissertation 12,000 words  Written feedback on the dissertation will be provided on publication of final degree results through Turnitin N • Adams, John., Khan, H.T.A. and Raeside, Robert. (2014). Research Methods for Business and Social Science Students. 2nd ed. New Delhi: SAGE Publications.  • Berry, R. (2004) The Research Project: how to write it, fifth edition, Routledge, London.   • Creswell, J. (2003) Research Design: Quantitative, Qualitative and Mixed Method Approaches, second edition, Sage, London.   • Frankfort-Nachmias, C. and Nachmias, D. (2007) Research Methods in the Social Sciences, Arnold, London.   • Galvan, Jose L., and Melisa Galvan. Writing Literature Reviews a Guide for Students of the Social and Behavioral Sciences. Seventh edition., Routledge, 2017.  • Hart, Chris. Doing a Literature Review : Releasing the Social Science Research Imagination . London: Sage, 1998.  • Heley, M. and Heley, R., “How to conduct a literature search” in Clifford, N. J. et al. (eds) Key Methods in Geography . Third edition. London: SAGE, 2016  • Kitchin, R. and Tate, N. (2013). Conducting research in human geography theory, methodology and practice. Abingdon, Oxford, England: Taylor and Francis.  • Parsons, T. and Knight, P.G. (2015). How to Do Your Dissertation in Geography and Related Disciplines. Third edition. London: Taylor & Francis Group.   • Robson, C. (2011) Real World Research, third edition, John Wiley, London.   • Silva, E.A., Healey, P., Harris, N. and Van den Broeck, P. (2015). The Routledge handbook of planning research methods. New York ; Routledge.  • Yin, R. (2013) Case Study Research: Design and Methods, fifth edition, Sage, London.    Lectures 12 Practical classes & workshops 2 Tutorials 6 580