Study-Unit Description

Study-Unit Description


CODE PPL5009

 
TITLE Dissertation

 
UM LEVEL 05 - Postgraduate Modular Diploma or Degree Course

 
MQF LEVEL 7

 
ECTS CREDITS 30

 
DEPARTMENT Policy, Politics and Governance

 
DESCRIPTION The dissertation consists of a substantial exercise of individual academic research on a chosen topic within the spheres of public policy and public management. It is based on:

(a) wide reading on a sub-field of public policy and critical reflection on the published scholarly and official literature in the sub-field concerned;
(b) an appraisal of relevant methodological approaches, a reasoned choice of research methods and the application of research instruments in the collection and analysis of data in the chosen sub-field; and
(c) the writing of a monograph which embodies the research question or proposition, literature review, research plan, data, analysis, findings and conclusions, and which constitutes a scientific contribution to knowledge; the monograph should be publishable either in full or as one or more scholarly articles;
d) the presentation and discussion of the individual academic research being conducted for the dissertation and held during the dissertation research seminars.

The areas of research which the Department of Public Policy can support relate to the policy sciences, governance and institutional development, politics, the governance of micro-states and the Europeanisation of policy-making.

Study-Unit Aims:

The principal aim of this study-unit is to train students to undertake, present and critically discuss and debateadvanced, substantial research which meets commonly accepted standards of scientific integrity, and which contributes to knowledge in one of the sub-fields of public policy and public management.

Learning Outcomes:

1. Knowledge & Understanding:

By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to:
- debate with authority and write about a sub-field of public policy, policy leadership or public management with the confidence of an expert;
- appraise scholarly, governmental and non-governmental reports and similar scientific literature on the sub-field in question;
- engage in critical discussion with scholars, officials and experts in the field;
- appreciate different perspectives related to the sub-field, different possible methodological approaches and modes of interpreting data;
- defend the dissertation during a viva voce examination more effectively.

2. Skills:

By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to:
- formulate a precise research question or hypothesis;
- deliver presentations about the research being conducted for the dissertation to a critical academic audience;
- be aware of and defend assumptions underlying the research;
- plan, appraise and implement a coherent research study with a view to answering the research question or proving/disproving the hypothesis;
- undertake policy- or governance-oriented scientific writing, with a view to assisting decision-makers or contributing to the sub-field concerned;
- defend assumptions, propositions, the choice of research design and instruments, findings and conclusions before a panel of experts.

Main Text/s and any supplementary readings:

Main Texts:

- Saunders, M.N.K., Lewis, P. and Thornhill, A. (2015) Research Methods for Business Students. Essex: Pearson.
- Academic publications relating to the specific theme of the dissertation and methodologies adopted throughout the course of the research.

Supplementary Readings:

- Cassuto, L. 'The dissertation defense: We're doing something right'. The Chronicle of Higher Education, Vol 59(10).
- Crème P. and Lea M.R. (2008), Writing at University – A Guide for Students. UK: Open University Press.
- Franklin, M.I. (2012), Understanding Research: Coping with the Quantitative - Qualitative Divide, Routledge.
- Hall, P A. 1990. 'Helpful hints for writing dissertations in Comparative Politics', Political Science and Politics, 1990, Vol.23(4), pp.596-598.
- Hart, C. (2009), Doing a Literature Review: Releasing the Social Science Research Imagination. Great Britain: Sage Publication.
- Joyner, R.L., Rouse, W.A. and Glatthorn, A.A. (2013) Writing the Winning Thesis or Dissertation: A Step-by-Step Guide. London: Sage Publications.
- Lei, S. A. (2009) Strategies For Finding And Selecting An Ideal Thesis Or Dissertation Topic: A Review Of Literature. College Student Journal, 43(4), pp.1324-1332.
- Murray, N B. 2009. Inside Track: Writing Dissertations and Theses. Pearson Longman.
- Murray, R. 2011. How to Write a Thesis. Open University Press.
- Levin, P. (2008), Excellent Dissertations. UK: Open University Press.
- Libman, A. (2012), Learning to Be Different: Quantitative Research in Economics and Political Science, Rationality Markets and Morals, 3, pp.178–184.
- Scruton, R. (2007), The Palgrave Macmillan Dictionary of Political Thought. UK: Palgrave Macmillan Publishing.
- Truss, L. (2003), Eats, Shoots & Leaves! The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation. UK: Profile Books Ltd.

 
ADDITIONAL NOTES Pre-Requisite Study-unit: PPL5011

Co-Requisite Study-unit: PPL5019

 
STUDY-UNIT TYPE Dissertation

 
METHOD OF ASSESSMENT
Assessment Component/s Assessment Due Sept. Asst Session Weighting
Dissertation See note below Yes 100%
Note: Assessment due will vary according to the study-unit availability.

 
LECTURER/S

 

 
The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints.
Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice.
It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2024/5. It may be subject to change in subsequent years.

https://www.um.edu.mt/course/studyunit