REMBDIS: Flexible MSc Dissertation

Module code: REMBDIS

Module provider: Real Estate and Planning; Henley Business School

Credits: 40

Level: 7

When you'll be taught: Full year

Module convenor: Professor Eamonn D'Arcy, email: p.e.darcy@henley.reading.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s): Students must have completed 140 credits, including core modules of programme (Open)

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: NA

Academic year: 2024/5

Available to visiting students: No

Talis reading list: No

Last updated: 19 November 2024

Overview

Module aims and purpose

This modulepermitsa student to conduct a substantialresearch study on a relevant topicin either real estate or real estate investment and finance that isselected by the student in consultation with the module convenor and a specific supervisor. 

The dissertation module provides a vehicle for an in-depth understanding of a chosen area of real estate or real estate investment and finance. Depending on the student’s interest, thisrequires students to select a relevant topic or issue in their programme area for further research and analysis. They willbe specifically required to display academic rigour in carrying out an agreed research programme, in presenting findings, and in producing a high quality, fully referenced dissertation that is supported by appropriate statistical, qualitative and/or illustrative data. 

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to: 

• demonstrate a comprehensive ability to set out a topic, motivation and approach, guiding the reader as to the content of the substantive chapters to come;
• establish a conceptual/theoretical context and provide a review of the work already done in theparticular field;
• rigorously set out a presentation and analysis of the research material including, if appropriate, the relevant quantitative and statistical data; 
• critically put forward a generalisation of the findings leading to conclusions and implications for policy or advanced research.

Module content

• Introductory liaison with the Dissertation Co-ordinator;
• Appropriate on-line research methods material;
• Preparation of research proposal and methodology;
• Submission of research proposal/allocation of supervisor;
• Main empirical work on dissertation;
• Meetings with supervisor;
• Submission of final dissertation.

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

There is no formal class contact time and no attendance requirement for the dissertation. Supervision and research methods training will be thesubjectof a student needs assessment at the beginning of the dissertation. Students will be able to draw off the research methods material developed for the REMDISS module via voluntary attendance at research methods workshops and seminars within that module, on-line access to material based on those workshops and other multi- media material available throughBlackboard. There are no specific entry points for the dissertation, the student will be given one year from registration to complete the study.

Study hours

At least 10 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

As this is a capping module for the programme,bringing together students’ learning from all other modules, before submitting the dissertationstudents must have completed 140 credits including thecore modulesfor their programme. 

Students need to achieve an overall module mark of 50% to pass this module.

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

Assessments with numerical marks

• 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 (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of three working days;
• the mark awarded due to the imposition of the penalty shall not fall below the threshold pass mark, namely 40% in the case of modules at Levels 4-6 (i.e. undergraduate modules for Parts 1-3) and 50% in the case of Level 7 modules offered as part of an Integrated Masters or taught postgraduate degree programme;
• where the piece of work is awarded a mark below the threshold pass mark prior to any penalty being imposed, and is submitted up to three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline), no penalty shall be imposed;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

Assessments marked Pass/Fail

• where the piece of work is submitted within three working days of the deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): no penalty will be applied;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): a grade of Fail will be awarded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/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.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

Reassessment

Additional costs