EC3DSI-Dissertation (for Joint degrees)

Module Provider: School of Politics, Economics and International Relations
Number of credits: 40 [20 ECTS credits]
Level:6
Terms in which taught: Summer / Autumn / Spring module
Pre-requisites:
Non-modular pre-requisites:
Co-requisites:
Modules excluded:
Current from: 2019/0

Module Convenor: Dr James Reade

Email: j.j.reade@reading.ac.uk

Type of module:

Summary module description:
The dissertation is a piece of research work of a maximum of 12,000 words.

Aims:
The aim is to enable you to explore in some depth a topic, or group of topics, relevant to the subject matter of your degree programme.

Assessable learning outcomes:
The purpose of the dissertation is to enable a student to explore in some depth, and without the time and other constraints inherent in examinations, a topic, or group of topics, relevant to the subject matter of their degree programme. Original work, though welcome, is not normally expected, but the student will be tested on their ability to assimilate and critically evaluate the state of knowledge on their chosen subject, including (where appropriate) techniques in the formulation of hypotheses about economic behaviour and their empirical testing.

Additional outcomes:

Outline content:
Dissertations may cover any branch of economics. They may be theoretically, empirically or policy oriented: they may take a variety of forms, e.g. a critical review of the literature, the construction of economic models, the testing of hypotheses from published data, or a field investigation (providing that this is problem and/or policy oriented); and they may be positive or normative in their approach. Joint language-Economics degrees. The subject matter has to relate to the country concerned. For example, for French/Economics students the dissertation must be on "a specified aspect of French economics". Analogous requirements apply to German/Economics and Italian/Economics students. Joint degrees. The normal requirement is that the dissertation is on a topic of interest to both the disciplines concerned. For example, Politics/Economics students have to write a dissertation "combining economic and political points of view".

Brief description of teaching and learning methods:

Each student will be allocated a supervisor at the start of the Summer term in Part 2. You must then consult your supervisor both before and after the Part 2 examinations in the Summer term, and again in the first week of the Autumn term in Part 3. All staff in the Department of Economics have specified Feedback and Consultation hours at which they are available for consultation. At the first meeting you and your supervisor should agree a preliminary work plan for your Dissertation. In order to be allocated a supervisor you must submit the working title of your dissertation by the end of the Spring term in your second year. The title must be submitted to the department responsible for the dissertation. (In joint language and Economics degrees the dissertation is administered by the Department of Economics.) Contact hours: Meetings as arranged between student and supervisor; a suggested schedule is given in the Contact Hours table. The Guided Independent Study hours expressed in the table below are for the Autumn and Spring terms of the FINAL year, whilst the hours expressed for the Summer term are for the last term of the SECOND year and include hours to be spent on the Dissertation during the Summer vacation.

Contact hours:

	Autumn	Spring	Summer
Project Supervision	2	1	2
Practicals classes and workshops			6
Guided independent study:	158	159	72
Total hours by term	160	160	80
Total hours for module	400

Summative Assessment Methods:

Method	Percentage
Report	20
Dissertation	80

Summative assessment- Examinations:

Summative assessment- Coursework and in-class tests:

Students will be required to submit the following:

-          One 2,000 word assignment, which will count for 20% of the final mark, by Week 8 of the Autumn Term of their final year. This assignment will either involve an extended dissertation proposal or literature review, and is expected to be incorporated into the final dissertation.

-          Completed dissertation (two copies submitted electronically via Blackboard) by Week 11 in the Spring Term of their Final year.

Formative assessment methods:

Students will be required to submit a 1,000 word proposal by Week 1 of the Autumn Term of their final year. This proposal should include details of their research question and motivation, a brief literature review and an overview of data to be used (if applicable) and methodology.

Penalties for late submission:
The Module Convener will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day[1] (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of five working days;

where the piece of work is submitted more than five working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: http://www.reading.ac.uk/web/FILES/qualitysupport/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf
You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Assessment requirements for a pass:
A minimum overall mark of 40%.

Reassessment arrangements:
Re-examination for Finals takes place in August/September of the same year. If a student is required to resubmit the Dissertation, this must be submitted by the last working day of August of the same year.

Additional Costs (specified where applicable):
1) Required text books:
2) Specialist equipment or materials:
3) Specialist clothing, footwear or headgear:
4) Printing and binding:
5) Computers and devices with a particular specification:
6) Travel, accommodation and subsistence:

Last updated: 8 April 2019