BAEcon Development Studies

A dissertation provides students with an organizing focus for their final year. Defining, researching and writing a dissertation can be one of the most satisfying and interesting experiences of an undergraduate student. Producing a dissertation should help students learn how to define a researchable problem, to decide upon appropriate sources, and to develop a sustained argument. In addition, dissertations reinforce and extend analytic skills. Defining, researching and writing a dissertation will help students develop valuable skills such as time management, initiative in deciding upon and locating relevant primary and secondary sources, problem-solving, developing a capacity for independent work, communicating effectively in writing, and working with some primary sources.

A student who writes a development studies dissertation will be able to: (i) develop deep knowledge about their chosen topic; (ii) develop intellectual independence; (iii) learn to define a researchable problem; (iv) learn to decide upon appropriate secondary and primary sources; (v) deploy the scholarly apparatus of bibliography and footnotes effectively; (vi) learn to develop a sustained argument; (vii) develop analytic skills; (viii) learn to meet deadlines; (ix) learn to communicate effectively in writing; (x) learn to deploy information from secondary sources as well as some primary sources.

Plan Pre-requisities for Development Studies specialists are: EITHER Dev Studies, Dev Studies and Politics, Dev Studies and Sociology or Dev Studies and Economics

This course unit is available to BA Econ Development Studies pathway only

A dissertation provides students with an organizing focus for their final year. Defining, researching and writing a dissertation can be one of the most satisfying and interesting experiences of an undergraduate student. Producing a dissertation should help students learn how to define a researchable problem, to decide upon appropriate sources, and to develop a sustained argument. In addition, dissertations reinforce and extend analytic skills. Defining, researching and writing a dissertation will help students develop valuable skills such as time management, initiative in deciding upon and locating relevant primary and secondary sources, problem-solving, developing a capacity for independent work, communicating effectively in writing, and working with some primary sources.

A student who writes a development studies dissertation will be able to:

1. Develop deep knowledge about their chosen topic.
2. Develop intellectual independence.
3. Learn to define a researchable problem.
4. Learn to decide upon appropriate secondary and primary sources.
5. Deploy the scholarly apparatus of bibliography and footnotes effectively.
6. Learn to develop a sustained argument.
7. Develop analytic skills.
8. Learn to meet deadlines.
9. Learn to communicate effectively in writing.
10. Learn to deploy information from secondary sources as well as some primary sources.

In undertaking a dissertation, a student will have the opportunity to develop intellectual independence while specializing in depth in a topic of interest. This can be any suitable topic related to the field of development studies. The choice of the topic will be determined by the student in consultation with a supervisor.

Individual study under the guidance of dissertation supervisors.

 

• Office hours.

• May, T. (1997) Social research: Issues, methods and processes, Open University Press.
• Robson, C. (1993) Real world research: A resource for social scientists and practitioner-researchers, Oxford University Press.
• Wallimann, N. (2001) Your research project: A step-by-step guide for the first-time researcher, Sage.