2025/26 Undergraduate Module Catalogue

PIED3790 Dissertation for Joint Honours Economics and Politics

20 Credits Class Size: 60

Module manager: Dr J Simon Rofe, Dr C Harlen & Prof S Lightfoot
Email: J.S.Rofe/C.Harlen/S.J.Lightfoot@leeds.ac.uk

Taught: Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun) View Timetable

Year running 2025/26

Mutually Exclusive

LUBS3301 Economics Project
PIED3750 Dissertation

This module is not approved as a discovery module

Module summary

The dissertation is a piece of written work of 5,000 words, and can be researched on a topic of your own choice (with the agreement of the School Dissertation Committee). It is designed to allow you to produce an extended piece of written work on an area or topic of special interest to you. Ideally, the work will combine elements from both parts of your degree. This is your opportunity to follow through a topic which has interested you but which you have not been able to research so far in your degree or to go into issues raised on second and third level modules in more detail.

Objectives

This module aims to:

- Enable students to undertake an in-depth study of a topic of their own choice
- Provide students with the opportunity to engage in a major research exercise and one that, in scope and scale, significantly exceeds that of a project
- Move students towards undertaking original research, the results of which they must present in a scholarly fashion
- Develop skills such as written communication, planning and initiative.

Learning outcomes

On completion of this module, you will be able to will be able to demonstrate the skills of organising and completing an independent research activity and the presentation of your researched findings. You will also, at the end, have a valuable extended piece of your own work that you can show to employers or use for post-graduate work in the future.

Syllabus

This module allows students to undertake a substantial piece of original research on a topic. Students will receive introductory lectures on the nature of the dissertation, how they should settle on a dissertation topic, and how they should organize their work on the dissertation. Each student will be allocated an advisor, who will help her/him to refine the topic and develop a research strategy. Periodic supervisory meetings will supply guidance to the student and written drafts of sample chapters will be commented on, provided these are submitted by the given deadlines. On completion of this module, you will be able to will be able to demonstrate the skills of organising and completing an independent research activity and the presentation of your researched findings. You will also, at the end, have a valuable extended piece of your own work that you can show to employers or use for post-graduate work in the future.

Teaching Methods

Delivery type Number Length hours Student hours
Meetings 1 1 1
Drop-in Session 3 1 3
Supervision Meetings 3 0.5 1.5
Lecture 5 1 5
Private study hours 189.5
Total Contact hours 10.5
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits) 200

Private study

50 hours planning and reading
50 hours independent research
91 hours writing and editing

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

Deadlines for specific elements of the dissertation (proposal; chapters) are set and students not submitting work on time are reported by the advisers to the module team and action taken where appropriate.

Methods of Assessment

Coursework
Assessment type Notes % of formal assessment
Essay 1 x 5,000 word Dissertation 100
Total percentage (Assessment Coursework) 100

Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated

Reading List

Check the module area in Minerva for your reading list

Last updated: 30/04/2025

Errors, omissions, failed links etc should be notified to the Catalogue Team