Type of course

Admission requirements

Course content

Objectives of the course

Students who have successfully completed the course should have the following learning outcome and competently and professionally be able to:

Knowledge

• Have an understanding of the aims and practice of social research
• Situate the work within a theoretical framework

Analytical understanding

• adopt appropriate methods for the research design and hypothesis building
• analyse, synthesise and evaluate data;
• independently plan and manage the research process making effective use of resources
• independently integrate theory and experience in constructively responding to human rights and social justice problems

Skills and competences

• formulate policy recommendations that address problems in a programmatic format
• suggest solutions in dialogue with peers, tutors, agency personnel and clients to ethical dilemmas which arise in research practice

demonstrate a creative approach to problems

Language of instruction and examination

Teaching methods

Assessment

COURSEWORK REQUIREMENTS
1.Each student will have to submit a research plan (2 pages) by the end of the second semester, identifying main topic and proposed theoretical and methodological approach.
By the end of the third term a full (8-10 pages) research proposal shall be submitted. Guidance in writing the proposal will be given as part of the module on Research methods and project management (SOA 3022) This proposal must be approved before fieldwork/in situ data gathering can be accepted as resource material for the dissertation.

2. All students will participate in a Dissertation Symposium at the very end of the Spring term where their dissertations will be peer-reviewed.
Students that due to sickness or other valid reasons can not attend the Dissertation Symposium, will need to write an essay of 5-6 pages (2000 words). Title will be given. The essay is evaluated as approved/not approved.

FINAL EXAM
A 15,000 word dissertation.

Where appropriate the thesis should consist of:

• an analysis of an identified human rights and social justice case(s)
• a literature review
• a presentation of research design and hypothesis building
• a description of and justification for the selected theoretical and methodological approach
• a presentation and analysis of the data
• a conclusion and set of recommendations for addressing the problem

a discussion of ethical problems encountered and their resolution in the research and cultural context

The exam committee will be composed of two people, excluding the thesis supervisor. Grading will be on the scale of A to F, where F=Fail. Further details can be found in a Dissertation Guidelines

A programme-wide Examination Board will be convened by the University of Roehampton after the Symposium to review the progress of students and to make recommendations on examination performance and the achievement of awards to each of the universities¿ examinations boards. Re-sit examination is offered with the grade F.

RE-SIT EXAMINATION
The exam committee will be composed of two people, excluding the thesis supervisor. Grading will be on the scale of A to F, where F=Fail. Further details can be found in a Dissertation Guidelines.

A programme-wide Examination Board will be convened by the University of Roehampton after the Symposium to review the progress of students and to make recommendations on examination performance and the achievement of awards to each of the universities¿ examinations boards. Re-sit examination is offered with the grade F.