MPRE Planning and Real Estate with Professional Placement

Students on the Bachelors and undergraduate Masters degree programmes are required to prepare a dissertation of 10,000 words on an agreed topic. This unit provides students with an opportunity to both synthesise existing scholarly work and conduct their own research, thereby contributing novel insights to the fields of planning, environmental management, real estate, and urban design. Students are free to consider a wide range of relevant topics, subject to approval on the basis of advisory expertise in Planning, Property and Environmental Management and the feasibility of undertaking the topic within the timescale of the programme. The process of conducting an independent research project and writing a dissertation involves identifying a research problem, proposing research questions/objectives, reviewing existing literature, selecting appropriate methodologies, collecting and analysing data, and presenting findings in a coherent manner. Throughout this unit, students will get the opportunity to develop advanced research capabilities, enhance their critical thinking, and improve their writing, communication and presentation skills, all of which are essential for both academic and professional success. Upon completion of a dissertation, students will have not only produced a substantial piece of academic work but also developed a deep understanding of their chosen topic. This enhances their expertise in their field and prepares them for future academic pursuits or professional careers.
 

The unit aims to:

a) provide students with an opportunity to plan, manage and conduct an in-depth enquiry on a topic of interest related to Planning, Real Estate or Environmental Management;
b) Develop students’ skills in conducting a review of existing literature and selecting appropriate research methodology and methods to add to that body of knowledge;
c) Provide students with an opportunity to apply data collection and analytics skills, developed in other course units, in a research context;
d) Enhance students' writing, presentation and bibliographic skills

Lecture-based sessions:

Core content on dissertation and research ethics is taught in lecture-based sessions in semester 1. E-learning content is provided on VLE including interactive material using a range of multimedia sources.

Tutorials:

Students will use supervision meetings to engage with their advisors to further develop their research plans based on the research proposals they submitted in year 2 and gain further advice on the dissertation including ethics, data collection, analysis, and presentation of findings.

Drop-in sessions will be available in Semester 2 for students to ask general and technical questions.

Assessment and independent learning:

Students will conduct independent learning and research, which includes searching for and reading literature, formulating research questions and objectives, designing methodology, collecting and analysing data, and writing and presenting the findings. In this process, students will be assisted with formative feedback from the teaching team via drop-in sessions and from their supervisors.

Identify the research problem relating  to the chosen topic of enquiry and its relevance to planning, real estate  or environmental management.

Comprehend and outline the different stages of the research process from planning, approval to dissemination.

Identify the importance of conducting ethically sound research in planning, real estate and environmental management.

Assess the complexities of the research process, including the analysis of different literature and documents, the analysis and interpretation of data.   

Apply relevant theoretical concepts in devising, applying and critiquing the chosen methodology, methods, and data analysis.

Synthesise and conceptualise research data into relatable findings and recommendations.

Identify and apply a range of research skills, which may include: questionnaire design, interview, observation; and the recording, analysis and interpretation of qualitative and/or quantitative data.

Articulate the research process and research findings in an agreed format and appropriate written style using terminology and academic language.

Develop project management and self-regulatory skills such as time management, self-motivation, flexibility and use of initiative.

Employ diverse software, digital tools and analytical techniques that are required and valued in professional practice

Combined lecture and seminar sessions. Self-directed reading.

Adams, John., Khan, H.T.A. and Raeside, Robert. (2014). Research Methods for Business and Social Science Students. 2nd ed. New Delhi: SAGE Publications.
Berry, R. (2004) The Research Project: how to write it, fifth edition, Routledge, London. 
Creswell, J. (2003) Research Design: Quantitative, Qualitative and Mixed Method Approaches, second edition, Sage, London. 
Frankfort-Nachmias, C. and Nachmias, D. (2007) Research Methods in the Social Sciences, Arnold, London. 
Kitchin, R. and Tate, N. (2013). Conducting research in human geography theory, methodology and practice. Abingdon, Oxford, England: Taylor and Francis.
Parsons, T. and Knight, P.G. (2015). How to Do Your Dissertation in Geography and Related Disciplines. Third edition. London: Taylor & Francis Group. 
Robson, C. (2011) Real World Research, third edition, John Wiley, London. 
Silva, E.A., Healey, P., Harris, N. and Van den Broeck, P. (2015). The Routledge handbook of planning research methods. New York ; Routledge.
Yin, R. (2013) Case Study Research: Design and Methods, fifth edition, Sage, London.