Undergraduate Programme and Module Handbook 2018-2019 (archived)
Module ECON4025: RESEARCH PROJECT (ACCOUNTING)
Department: Business School (Economics and Finance)
ECON4025:
RESEARCH PROJECT (ACCOUNTING)
Type |
Tied |
Level |
4 |
Credits |
100 |
Availability |
Available in 2018/19 |
Module Cap |
None. |
Location |
Durham
|
Tied to |
N401 |
Tied to |
N402 |
Prerequisites
- Dissertation; Contemporary Issues in Financial Accounting;
Financial Planning & Control
Corequisites
Excluded Combination of Modules
Aims
- To challenge students to undertake a substantial research project
on an approved topic of interest and present their findings and
conclusions in an extended and coherent piece of work.
- To develop students' abilities to plan and manage their own
learning at an advanced level.
- To facilitate students' development of research skills and provide the opportunity to apply their knowledge to a specialised topic in financial accounting/management accounting as appropriate.
- To enable students to become members of a learning community engaged in leading edge accounting research
- To develop the ability to apply critical thinking skills to the resolution of research and practical problems at an advanced level, furthering students’ engagement with the academic community of practice and enhancing their employability.
- To enhance students’ interpersonal skills, and their skills in oral and written communication in specialised subject areas.
Content
- The topic and scope of the dissertation will be decided in
consultation with an appropriate member of staff, should be of relevance
to financial accounting/management accounting as appropriate, and is
subject to approval by the Programme Director acting on behalf of the Board
of Examiners.
- Workshop activities will address advanced issues of
methodology and method, data gathering and data analysis, reviewing literature, structure and presentation of argument, academic writing.
Learning Outcomes
- have acquired extended knowledge of a relevant topic of
interest.
- be able to propose solutions to research and practical
problems in financial or management accounting at an advanced level.
- have acquired skills of independent research and project
management at an advanced level.
- be able to present and analyse complex data in a clear and appropriate manner.
- be able to present arguments and conclusions in an extended and coherent form using a range of critical perspectives.
- be able to use their findings to develop implications for
business and communicate them with a business audience
- be able to apply ethical principles in their approach to
research and dissemination.
- Ability to think critically and creatively and argue coherently
- Ability to communicate effectively orally in writing on specialised subject areas
- Advanced skills of planning, organisation and time management
- Use of initiative in specialised contexts
- Ability to make effective use of IT systems, including accessing literature and other sources via electronic means and using appropriate computer-based methods of analysis
- Ability to sustain effort over an extended period
- Enhanced employability through the development of effective self-management and interpersonal skills to a high level, including
oral communication skills.
- Enhanced employability through the development of
problem-solving and analytical skills in complex, unpredictable and
specialised contexts.
Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to
the learning outcomes of the module
- Lists of relevant topics proposed by Business School research
groups will be published each year. Students may 'bid' for these projects or, alternatively, propose their own topic, subject to approval and appropriate supervisory capacity.
- Students wishing to ‘bid’ for a project are required to submit a short statement (1000 words) outlining why they are interested in being allocated to specific topic or area. A panel including the Module Leader and Programme Director will make the allocation decision in consultation with the proposed supervisor.
- Students are not allowed to duplicate material from their
level 3 dissertation in the level 4 research project.
- Learning will be facilitated by workshops, supervision
meetings and support for private study. This will include support from the Doctoral Training Unit and Business School research seminars.
- Formative assessment will be by means of preparation of a
research proposal and plan, an initial structured literature review and
the keeping of a dissertation diary.
- Summative assessment is through a research project (20,000 words maximum), a research paper (5,000 words maximum), and a DBS conference presentation and business overview of the work (1000 words
maximum). In exceptional cases there may be the opportunity to present at an external conference.
- Students will be supported through individual consultation
sessions with their allocated supervisors throughout the year.
Teaching Methods and Learning Hours
Activity |
Number |
Frequency |
Duration |
Total/Hours |
|
Workshops |
4 |
Varies |
1.5 hours |
6 |
■ |
Supervision meetings |
15 |
Initial meeting at end of year 3, 5-6 per term, by
agreement with supervisor in terms 1 and 2, plus 2 meetings in final
term |
1 hour |
15 |
■ |
Research Conference |
1 |
Term 3 |
8 hours |
8 |
■ |
Preparation, fieldwork and reading |
|
|
|
971 |
|
Total |
|
|
|
1000 |
|
Summative Assessment
Component: Research Project |
Component Weighting: 70% |
Element |
Length / duration |
Element Weighting |
Resit Opportunity |
Research project |
20,000 max |
100% |
|
Component: Research paper |
Component Weighting: 20% |
Element |
Length / duration |
Element Weighting |
Resit Opportunity |
Research paper |
5,000 max |
100% |
|
Component: Presentation at conference |
Component Weighting: 10% |
Element |
Length / duration |
Element Weighting |
Resit Opportunity |
15 minute presentation plus 1,000 word overview |
|
100% |
|
Preparation of research proposal and plan (1000 word max), initial literature review (10,000 words maximum) and keeping of a dissertation diary.
■ Attendance at all activities marked with this symbol will be monitored. Students who fail to attend these activities, or to complete the summative or formative assessment specified above, will be subject to the procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University