Postgraduate Course: Dissertation MSc Comparative Public Policy (PGSP11248)
Course Outline
| School | School of Social and Political Science |
College | College of Humanities and Social Science |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) |
| Course type | Dissertation |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 60 |
ECTS Credits | 30 |
| Summary | All students will undertake a 15,000 word dissertation on a topic, related to a topic in Comparative public policy to be submitted by a date specified in the University Regulations. The dissertation is an extended piece of scholarship in which a student is expected to formulate and sustain a substantive piece of research in this area of scholarship.
The dissertation is expected to engage critically and analytically with the literature in the field, building upon relevant concepts and theory covered in the taught element of the degree and deploying a range of primary and secondary sources as well as appropriate data analytic, comparative and bibliographic skills. Each student will be allocated a research supervisor in the second semester.
To test the ability of students to undertake a sustained piece of supervised but independent work in the area of Comparative public policy, displaying the research skills, training and knowledge acquired in the previous coursework.
- to test the ability of students to demonstrate an ability to engage critically and analytically with the literature in the field of their specialist interest.
- to develop and test the ability of students to employ relevant social science concepts and theories in formulating a thesis.
- to examine the ability of students to manage the conduct, presentation, and timing of an independent research project, employing appropriate data analytical, comparative and bibliographic skills.
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| Course description |
The dissertation is your chance to undertake an extended piece of independent scholarship. Students usually undertake a balance of empirical and theoretical work, but are not specifically required to conduct primary empirical research. Students on the Comparative Public Policy MSc are though required to have a comparative element in their dissertation.
The subject should be chosen then on the basis of your own interests, what staff are able to supervise, and what is feasible in terms of the literature, resources and time available. Therefore, choose a topic that interests you, and which has a clear focus and definable boundaries.
You are free to choose the research strategy and methods that seem appropriate and practical to answer your research question. MSc dissertations can thus take a variety of forms, including:
- Analysis of documents, such as policy documents
- Analysis of secondary data (quantitative or qualitative data)
- Fieldwork based, involving the generation or collection of primary data
- Analysis primarily aimed at advancing conceptual and/or theoretical insights
- Any combination of the above.
Outline content
The following is a suggested schedule. In practice the exact timetable may vary following discussion between student and supervisor regarding the nature of the project.
Feb-March
- Attend dissertation workshop and decide on the broad topic. Approach potential Supervisor and supervisors allocated.
April-May
- First meeting with supervisor to discuss dissertation proposal/plan/timetable
- Exploratory and background reading and ethical self-audit
- Research, reading and writing and second meeting with supervisor to discuss progress
- Submit draft chapter; meet with supervisor, discussion of submitted chapter
June-July
- Complete reading, data gathering.
- Contact with supervisor as mutually agreed
- Complete the first draft, including references
August
- Finalise the bibliography and revise, edit, proof-read
- Submission
The dissertation enables you to pursue in some depth an academic interest in a topic (largely) of your choosing. The aim is to give you the opportunity to demonstrate your ability to apply appropriate research methods and engage critically and analytically with relevant concepts and theories covered in the taught element of the degree as you seek to answer your distinct research question.
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
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Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | None |
| High Demand Course? |
Yes |
Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2017/18, Available to all students (SV1)
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Quota: None |
| Course Start |
Flexible |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
600
(
Dissertation/Project Supervision Hours 12,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 12,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
576 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
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| Additional Information (Assessment) |
15,000 word dissertation |
| Feedback |
You will be supported in your dissertation work by an academic supervisor who will offer guidance and advice on the following;
- helping you to define the research problem and focus your argument and topic and alert you to obvious problems.
- the coherence and relevance of the dissertation, and on issues of methodology, ethics and research design that are specific to your dissertation project.
- relevant bodies of literature to get you started and/or refer you to another member of staff for suggestions on sources.
- draft outline and timetable of work,
- diagnostic comment and constructive suggestions on at least one chapter in good time (normally within two weeks of receipt).
- help you with issues of thesis and dissertation structure.
It is important to be clear that while your supervisor is there to offer feedback and guidance on your work the dissertation is an independent piece of research. Hence the research, production, editing and proof reading of the dissertation remain your responsibility.
The initial supervision meeting will take place towards the middle of April and will focus on refining the research question/ topic and proposed methods. In advance of this meeting you should expect to be asked to send your supervisor a draft dissertation outline and timetable for the research. Two to three subsequent supervision sessions will take place primarily in May through June to provide timely support as you begin the research project and enter the data gathering and analysis phase. Your supervisor will read and comment on some draft chapters, provided they are submitted in good time, but will not read the entire thesis prior to submission.
It is expected that supervision meetings will primarily take place in person, but may be supplemented/replaced with email/ Skype where appropriate. The supervision sessions are an opportunity to gain feedback on your work as it progresses and so it is important that you are proactive in initiating contact; bringing to the supervisors attention any difficulties experienced and submit work for comment in good time.
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| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- To test the ability of students to undertake a sustained piece of supervised but independent work in the area of Comparative public policy, displaying the research skills, training and knowledge acquired in the previous coursework.
- to test the ability of students to demonstrate an ability to engage critically and analytically with the literature in the field of their specialist interest.
- to develop and test the ability of students to employ relevant social science concepts and theories in formulating a thesis.
- to examine the ability of students to manage the conduct, presentation, and timing of an independent research project, employing appropriate data analytical, comparative and bibliographic skills.
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Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Not entered |
| Keywords | Not entered |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Jay Wiggan
Tel: (0131 6)50 3939
Email: |
Course secretary | Ms Nicole Develing-Bogdan
Tel: (0131 6)51 5067
Email: |
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