A dissertation or thesis[1] is a document submitted in support of candidature for a degree or professional qualification presenting the author's research and findings.[2] In some countries/universities, the word thesis or a cognate is used as part of a bachelor's or master's course, while dissertation is normally applied to a doctorate, whilst, confusingly, in others, the reverse is true.

The term "dissertation" can also mean, more in general, a treatise on some subject, without relation to obtaining an academic degree. The term "thesis" can also mean the central claim of an essay or similar work.

See also

References

External links

Dissertation article at LISWiki, a Library and information science wiki
en.wikibooks.org/wiki/ETD_Guide Guide to electronic theses and dissertations
www.ndltd.org Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations (NDLTD)
Google Scholar to search theses
How to write a PhD thesis with mind maps (tutorial).
Free thesis indexing service

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Aims

To allow the student to develop the skills for the implementation of an internal change and of an internal consultant for their organisation.

To develop and integrate students' learning in the management of a business function at masters level by facilitating a substantive, systematic, rigorous and independent investigation into appropriate pre-selected problems and issues facing the student in his/her workplace and thereby demonstrating their analytic and evaluative capabilities.

Synopsis

The Management Application Project is seen as an important part of this programme that allows the student to place into the workplace setting the different modules that have been studied. The Management Application Project is designed to allow the student to act as an independent consultant in the work setting by identifying, analysing and presenting potential solutions to workplace problems to an employer or sponsoring organisation. The Management Application Project is designed to combine a practical viewpoint with a more reflective approach to the problem situation by recognising the contribution that appropriate management theories can have on the analysis, evaluation and strategic options presented by the student in the final report.

Outline Syllabus

There is no outline syllabus for the Management Application Project. However, the student must call upon knowledge from the units studied in the programme, and practical experience as a manager at his/her place of employment.

The emphasis of this unit is on Action Learning through practical project work.

Learning Outcomes

Knowledge

The student will be able to:

a) demonstrate their ability to conduct a well-structured and critical enquiry into a substantive area of management interest related to their workplace situation and to exercise independent judgement and analysis in synthesising both originally generated as well as previously published material into a well-expressed management report

b) plan and manage their time and effort effectively and efficiently over an extended period and retain a clear focus on the management application task

c) integrate their learning from the programme and demonstrate their ability to evaluate it in a management application

d) contribute to knowledge and practice at their workplace.

Ability

Upon completion of this module, the student will have skills and competencies to:

a) analyse relevant information concerning the organisation's internal and external environments

b) formulate relevant strategies to improve/maintain organisational effectiveness

c) evaluate strategic options

d) analyse the strategic implications of proposed changes to the organisation

e) present the final Management Application to an audience of senior managers at the student's workplace.

Personal

Development of interpersonal skills in respect of adapting the student's own leadership style to situations and people. Provide feedback effectively. Identify new possibilities and solutions; foster innovation among others; develop the skills of an internal consultant.

Outline of the Management Application Project Process

a) The student, in conjunction with his/her employer, will select an area of study that is of importance to both parties around which the Management Application Project will be based. The student will submit a draft proposal of the issues that he/she wishes to investigate, to the university and a tutor will be appointed.

b) The tutor and the student together will formulate an appropriate research plan, and indicative guidance on appropriate readings, research methods and conceptual frameworks will emerge from the tutorial process.

c) The student will then submit a final proposal to the university and his/her employer and the project work will commence.

d) The student will be 'in charge' of the project and will drive the process throughout the project's duration.

e) The role of the university tutor is primarily one of guidance.

f) The student will submit a draft of the project at the end of the semester and through a series of iterations with the tutor, the student will submit the final report for university assessment two weeks before the end of the second semester.

g) Final audio-visual presentations to the employer will occur after university assessment is complete.

h) The student will be entitled to 15 hours of university tutor supervision over two semesters. It is envisaged that much of this student/tutor contact will occur 'at a distance', and the use of E-mail as tutorial medium will be deemed to be appropriate.

i) The Management Application Project will be co-ordinated by a designated university tutor who will be responsible for managing the project process and assigning the university tutor to the student.

Assessment Strategy

The knowledge based and the ability based outcomes from this module will be assessed by the production and submitting of the Management Application Project to the University for assessment. The Management Application Project and/or the Dissertation will consist of a report of not more than 20,000 words.

The specific qualities required in the final Management Application Project and/or Dissertation are:

a) A clearly formulated definition of the problem/issue that the Project/Dissertation is to address

b) An appropriate and well-formulated conceptual framework that would underpin the project/dissertation

c) The choice and use of an appropriate methodology to analyse the data that would be collected for the study

d) A competent critical appraisal of a body of relevant literature to base the report on

e) The creativity and skill in addressing the problem and the evaluation of the strategic options generated

f) Skills in the structuring and presentation of the final project report/dissertation both in paper form and in the from of an audio visual presentation to the student's workplace colleagues.