This is an archived handbook for a previous year. The current undergraduate and postgraduate handbooks can be viewed using the links above.

Undergraduate Handbook 2021-2022 (archived)

Module ACCT3052: Dissertation in Accounting and Finance

Department: Accounting

ACCT3052: Dissertation in Accounting and Finance

Type	Level	Credits	Availability	Module Cap	Location
Tied	3	40	Available in 2021/2022	None.	Durham

Tied To

Pre-requisites

None

Corequisites

None

Excluded Combinations

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	Attendance Monitored
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	Yes
Consultations	3		20mins	1	Yes
Preparation and Reading				383
Total				400

Summative Assessment

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

Formative Assessment

Submission of a draft literature review for feedback.

Students who do not attend monitored activities shown under Teaching Methods and Learning Hours, or who fail to complete the summative or formative assessment(s) specified above, may be subject to the Academic Progress procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University.