Module Catalogue 2024/25

Pre Requisite Comment

Students who fail this module will be required to re-sit in May. Students who fail the re-sit will not be able to progress to the GTP8099 Dissertation.

Co Requisite Comment

N/A

Aims

• To provide learning opportunities to enable students to develop and demonstrate their skills as a
researcher.
• To engage in debate at the forefront of appropriate topic, whilst relating the topic to its wider social,
economic, environmental and political context.
• An independent research project, on a topic chosen by the student (subject to approval of the DPD) is
designed, developed and undertaken under the supervision of a member of programme staff. Topics can
relate to issues covered on the programme, individual concerns and/or research interests of programme
staff.

Outline Of Syllabus

The research dissertation module, GTP8099, is explicitly designed to enable and foster integrated studies, bringing together regional and spatial planning in the MA dissertation format. Students will be required to propose and agree research topics for the MA dissertation that integrate regional development and spatial planning concerns in an international context.

This module is supported by TCP8911 (Research Design) in Semester 1. Students have individual tutorials with their supervisor throughout and are additionally supported by group workshops during Semester 2 and into the summer.

Students can choose a topic related to local and regional development or spatial planning or a combination of both.

Intended Knowledge Outcomes

• Understanding of forefront of debate in chosen topic, placed in an appropriate context
• Understanding of the complexity and rigour of the research process
• An advanced knowledge and understanding of the principles, applications and limitations of the main
methodologies, analytical techniques and data sources

Intended Skill Outcomes

• Ability to develop an appropriate and successful research strategy
• Development of evaluation skills of data and policy and the ability to draw sound conclusions on the
basis of this evaluation
• Ability to manage a large demanding individual project

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

• Application in a piece of independent research
• Utilisation of analytical methodologies, techniques and data sources
• Critical engagement in a piece of independent research
• Application and practice of subject specific/practical and key skills including problem solving,
utilisation of appropriate research techniques and data sources, synthesis and presentation of data

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

The dissertation involves the extended presentation of all stages of the research process from introduction and justification of project, through theoretical context and methodology to results and conclusions.

This allows students to express all required elements of the research process, engagement with literature, methodology and rigour and ultimate findings and analysis in relation to one focused study to a postgraduate level. It allows demonstration of the robustness required within the UK.

Although students begin their dissertation in Semester 2 and complete over the summer, they are introduced to the required work and begin training for it in week 1, Semester 1.

General Notes

N/A