- UCAS course code
- N201
- UCAS institution code
- M20
Bachelor of Science (BSc)
BSc Management
- Typical A-level offer: AAA
- Typical contextual A-level offer: ABB
- Refugee/care-experienced offer: BBB
- Typical International Baccalaureate offer: 36 points overall with 6,6,6 at HL
Fees and funding
Fees
Tuition fees for home students commencing their studies in September 2025 will be £9,535 per annum (subject to Parliamentary approval). Tuition fees for international students will be £31,500 per annum. For general information please see the undergraduate finance pages.
Additional expenses
All students should normally be able to complete their programme of study without incurring additional study costs over and above the tuition fee for that programme.
Policy on additional costs
All students should normally be able to complete their programme of study without incurring additional study costs over and above the tuition fee for that programme. Any unavoidable additional compulsory costs totalling more than 1% of the annual home undergraduate fee per annum, regardless of whether the programme in question is undergraduate or postgraduate taught, will be made clear to you at the point of application. Further information can be found in the University's Policy on additional costs incurred by students on undergraduate and postgraduate taught programmes (PDF document, 91KB).
Scholarships/sponsorships
The Manchester Bursary is available to UK students registered on an undergraduate degree course at Alliance MBS who have had a full financial assessment carried out by Student Finance England.
In addition, Alliance MBS will award a range of Social Responsibility Scholarships to UK and international/EU students.
These awards are worth £2,000 per year across three years of study. You must achieve AAA at A-level (or equivalent qualification) and be able to demonstrate a significant contribution and commitment to social responsibility.
The School will also award a number of International Stellar Scholarships to international students achieving AAA at A-level (or equivalent qualification). Applicants who exceed AAA and/or have supplementary qualifications (such as EPQ) will receive additional consideration.
Additional eligibility criteria apply - please see our scholarship pages for full details.
Course unit details:
Research Methodology
Unit code | BMAN24410 |
---|---|
Credit rating | 20 |
Unit level | Level 2 |
Teaching period(s) | Full year |
Available as a free choice unit? | No |
Overview
This course unit provides students with a detailed introduction to the research process and the different skills, knowledge and understanding required to conduct a final year business and management dissertation. Through a range of lectures, seminars and surgeries the course seeks to focus on the development of research questions, conceptual thinking and literature reviews and the selection and application of appropriate methods and techniques for data collection and analysis. A major aspect of this course is the provision of detailed individual feedback to ensure that students have support throughout the course and in relation to the different assignments.
Pre/co-requisites
Dependent Unit - BMAN 31500 Dissertation
Aims
This course unit aims to provide students with a detailed knowledge and understanding of the different aspects connected to the research process in management, business and the social sciences. During the first semester, the course will focus on specific debates underlying research in the social sciences and how these debates inform our understanding of knowledge, objects and truth. This will be followed by an examination of different methodological perspectives, critical thinking skills, developing a literature review and conceptual thinking in relation to specific research studies. The second semester will provide a detailed overview of the different techniques connected to qualitative and quantitative research methods and data analysis to ensure that appropriate methods are selected to conduct future research. Overall, this course seeks to develop an understanding of how to conduct research in terms of producing research questions, proposal writing and supervision, writing a dissertation, literature reviews, research methods, and specific ethical issues.
Syllabus
Semester 1
1. Introduction to Research Methodology
2. Research Perspectives and Assumptions
3. Electronic Searches
4. Developing Research Questions & Reviews
5. Research Questions Review
6. Reading Week
7. Literature Review
8. Critical Thinking and Research Development
9. Research Feedback and Analysis
10. Ethics, Planning and Methods
11. Research Methodology Overview and Surgery
Semester 2
1. Introducing Research Methods & Assignment Review
2. Surveys: Asking Good Questions
3. Experiments and Market Testing
4. Quantitative Analysis: Analysing Research Findings
5. Qualitative Research
6. Access & Proposal Writing
7. Qualitative Data Analysis
8. Qualitative & Mixed Methods
9. Research Planning, Dissertation Structure and Methodology Overview
Teaching and learning methods
Methods of Delivery and Study Hours
Lecture & Surgeries – 40 Hours
Seminar/Tutorial/Workshop/Lab Hours - 11 Hours
Private Study - 150 hours
Total Study Hours - 200 hours
Attendance
Online blended learning
Knowledge and understanding
On completion of this course unit successful students should have:
• A critical understanding of the different assumptions underlying research into the social sciences and the nature and status of research methodology
• An overview of the different debates and issues underlying the research process and how this relates to the specific methods selected to conduct a study
• An awareness of the research process and the different issues to consider when writing a proposal, performing a literature review, conducting empirical research and completing a dissertation
Employability skills
- Analytical skills
- The research methodology course provides the foundations for further research at an undergraduate and postgraduate level and also develops the ability to think through organizational and management problems critically and analytically. It encourages the students to structure their thinking in relation to specific perspectives and paradigms and develops their skills in proposal writing and research planning the process.
Assessment methods
100% Coursework
Assignment One: Research Question – 10% of the final mark
Assignment Two: Methodological Assumptions and Literature Review – 30% of the final mark
Assignment Three: Research Proposal – 60% of the final mark
Resits
Resits will be in the form of a research proposal.
Feedback methods
Feedback will be an integrative part of the teaching process. For example, this will include discussions within lectures and seminars, individual consultations, group surgeries, feedback sessions, coursework feedback, etc.
Please feel free to offer any feedback either individually or within the class setting at any point during the course. In addition, there will be a course unit survey at the end of the teaching period.
Recommended reading
While there is no core text, the following list provides a range of introductory and extended reading in this area.
Bryman A and Bell E (2012) Business Research Methods, Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Bryman A, Williams M, May T and Wiggins R (1996). An Introduction to the Philosophy of Social Research. Routledge.
Chalmers AF (2001). What is this Thing Called Science? University of Queensland Press.
Delanty G (2005). Social Science: Philosophical and Methodological Foundations (2nd edition). Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press.
Delanty G and Strydom P (eds.) (2003). Philosophies of Social Science: The Classic and Contemporary Readings. Open University Press
Denzin N and Lincoln Y (2000). Handbook of Qualitative Research. Sage.
Gilbert N (2008). Researching Social Life. Sage
Gill J and Johnson P (2010). Research Methods for Managers (4th Edition). London: Sage Publications.
Malhotra NK, Birks DF and Wills P (2012). Marketing Research, An Applied Approach (4th Edition). Pearson.
Punch K (1998). Introduction of Social Research. Sage
Robson C (2007). How to do a Research Project: a guide for undergraduate students. Oxford: Blackwell.
Robson C (2011) Real World Research. London: Blackwell.
Schwab DP (2011). Research Methods for Organizational Studies. Routledge.
Seale C (2004). Researching Society and Culture. Sage
Silverman D (2013). A Very Short, Fairly Interesting, Reasonably Cheap Book about Qualitative Research. Sage.
Silverman D (2010). Doing Qualitative Research. Sage
Smith MJ (1998). Social Science in Question. Sage
Thomas, A. B. (2004) Research Skills for Management Studies. London: Routledge.
Thomas, A. B. (2006) Research Concepts for Management Studies. London: Routledge.
Study hours
Scheduled activity hours | |
---|---|
Lectures | 40 |
Seminars | 11 |
Independent study hours | |
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Independent study | 149 |
Teaching staff
Staff member | Role |
---|---|
Anita Greenhill | Unit coordinator |
Additional notes
Pre-requisites: N/A
Co-requisites: N/A
Dependent course units: Research Methodology is a prerequisite for the final year dissertation (BMAN31500).
Programme Restrictions: BSc in Management/Management (Specialism), BSc International Management, BSc International Management with American Business Studies.
For Academic Year 2023/24
Updated: March 2023
Approved by: March UG Committee