Undergraduate Programme and Module Handbook 2020-2021 (archived)

Module ACCT3052: Dissertation in Accounting and Finance

Department: Accounting

ACCT3052: Dissertation in Accounting and Finance

Type	Tied	Level	3	Credits	40	Availability	Available in 2020/21	Module Cap	None.	Location	Durham

Tied to	NN43
Tied to	N302
Tied to	N304
Tied to	NN42
Tied to	N204
Tied to	N206

Prerequisites

None

Corequisites

None

Excluded Combination of Modules

None

Aims

To provide students with the opportunity to undertake a substantial research project, on an approved topic of interest, allowing them to present their findings and conclusions in an extended and coherent piece of work;
To facilitate students' development of research skills and provide the opportunity to apply their knowledge to a topic in depth;
To develop students' abilities to plan and manage their own learning.

Content

The topic and scope of the dissertation should be of relevance to your degree and is subject to approval.
Taught sessions will address planning a research project, reviewing literature, structure and presentation of argument, academic writing, basic issues of methodology and method, data gathering and data analysis.

Learning Outcomes

Subject-specific Knowledge:

By the end of the module, students should be able to demonstrate they:
Have acquired an extended knowledge of a relevant topic of interest.
Can distinguish between quantitative and qualitative approaches to research.

Subject-specific Skills:

By the end of the module, students should be able to demonstrate they:
Have acquired the skills of project management in independent research;
Can construct an argument;
Can present and analyse data appropriately.

Key Skills:

Written Communication: specifically academic writing skills
Time Management
Problem Solving and Analysis
Initiative
Digital skills

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

Learning is facilitated through lectures, online learning, group feedback sessions, individual consultations, and independent study.
Formative work is through the submission of a literature review draft for comments.
Summative assessment includes the project plan poster and the submission of a dissertation of up to 10,000 words maximum.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Activity	Number	Frequency	Duration	Total/Hours
Lectures	2	2 at end of year 2 to launch the online training resouce	1 hour	2
Lectures	8	8 lectures in Michaelmas term of year 3	1 hour	8
Online Training	1	End of Year 2 term	4 hours	4
Supervisor groups	1		2 hours	2	■
Consultations	3		20mins	1	■
Preparation and Reading				383
Total				400

Summative Assessment

Component: Dissertation		Component Weighting: 90%
Element	Length / duration	Element Weighting	Resit Opportunity
Dissertation	10,000 words max	100%	same
Component: Project Planning Poster		Component Weighting: 10%
Element	Length / duration	Element Weighting	Resit Opportunity
Poster presentation	1000 words max	100%	Same

Formative Assessment:

Submission of a draft literature review for feedback.

■ 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