THE UNIVERSITY of EDINBURGH

DEGREE REGULATIONS & PROGRAMMES OF STUDY 2022/2023

Timetable information in the Course Catalogue may be subject to change.

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DRPS : Course Catalogue : Business School : Business Studies

Undergraduate Course: Business Studies Long Essay (BUST10077)

Course Outline
SchoolBusiness School CollegeCollege of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
Credit level (Normal year taken)SCQF Level 10 (Year 3 Undergraduate) AvailabilityNot available to visiting students
SCQF Credits40 ECTS Credits20
SummaryThe Business Studies Long Essay is only available to students on the MA Language and Business degree programme in third year. This is an independent study programme where students work directly with one or more staff members to develop and complete an independent piece of research. The subject of the Long Essay is the student's responsibility and must be on a Business Studies theme. It must relate closely to the country in which the student is spending their year abroad or be on a continental European theme if the student is abroad in Europe. The subject of the Essay must deal with a contemporary issue and, whilst it may be necessary to present an historical perspective, history must not dominate the Essay. Essay topics chosen by students in previous years have included: an examination of how the Spanish retail company Zara became so successful; the contemporary and historical influences on the decline of the small business in France; the effect of water shortages on businesses in Spain; the effects of the expansion of the EU on trade and industry; advertising in post-Soviet Russia.
Course description The Business Studies Long Essay is a compulsory component of the Language and Business degree programme in third year, accounts for 40 credits and contributes to the final degree classification. The Long Essay is an important assignment as it is the only piece of work from the third year of the degree programme which is assessed by staff in the Business School at the University of Edinburgh. An outline proposal for the topic is submitted in week 7. Staff Advisers are allocated before Christmas, and students are encouraged to submit two pieces of interim work during the year (January and March) to receive feedback on their progress and academic guidance. As the assignment is expected to be an independent piece of research, Advisers will not offer feedback on multiple drafts of different sections or comment on a complete draft of the whole essay prior to submission. The Long Essay is submitted on the first day of semester 1 in Fourth Year.
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
Pre-requisites Co-requisites
Prohibited Combinations Other requirements None
Additional Costs None
Course Delivery Information
Academic year 2022/23, Not available to visiting students (SS1) Quota:  None
Course Start Full Year
Timetable Timetable
Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) Total Hours: 400 ( Seminar/Tutorial Hours 2, Dissertation/Project Supervision Hours 4, Feedback/Feedforward Hours 4, Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 8, Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours 382 )
Assessment (Further Info) Written Exam 0 %, Coursework 100 %, Practical Exam 0 %
Additional Information (Assessment) Business Studies Long Essay 7-10,000 words excluding the bibliography, references and front page. The Long Essay must be in English unless the Course Co-ordinator agrees to its being in the language of study.
Feedback FORMATIVE Feedback - Available for two INTERIM (Non-assessed) pieces of work:
Essay Plan and Draft Timetable
Draft Literature Review Section

SUMMATIVE Feedback - Available for Final Submission after Exam Board in January.
No Exam Information
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
  1. Understand and discuss the nature of independent learning and thinking as applied in research.
  2. Demonstrate in-depth and critical knowledge of a particular subject area.
Learning Resources
Students are expected to research their own resources, but they will be given access to:
- the seminar slides from the 'Research in Management' seminars
- guidelines on good academic practice.
Additional Information
Graduate Attributes and Skills - Independence in Learning
- Research skills: planning, executing and reporting research
- Self and Project Management skills
- Evaluation and Critical Analysis
- Awareness of appropriate methodology to employ for data collection
- Report presentation skills using IT.
Special Arrangements This 40-credit course is only available to students on the MA Language and Business programme in Year 3 during the compulsory year abroad.
Study Abroad Students on 'Language and Business' programmes expecting to study abroad in third year are invited to a pre-departure Long Essay Briefing Lunch organised by the Business School in semester 2.
KeywordsLong Essay
Contacts
Course organiserDr Stephen Harwood
Tel: (0131 6)51 5243
Email:
Course secretaryMiss Isla Dalley
Tel: (0131 6)50 3900
Email:
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