Dissertation
30 ECTS
Dissertation
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Module Description
The aim of the dissertation is to produce an original piece of master’s level research work on a clearly defined topic relating to their chosen speciality area and/or other area/s of advanced nursing practice.
Additionally, it enables the student to synthesise the in-depth, critical, advanced knowledge, understanding and skills in the context of their whole programme of study towards their named pathway award.
Entry Requirements
Candidates who apply for this course will hold a:
- Applicants are required to be qualified nurses.
- Applicants are required to hold a full bachelor’s in Nursing with a minimum of 2:1 or 2:2 classification (First-Class Honours, Upper Second-Class Honours, Second-Class Honours).
- For those nurses who hold a foreign qualification, an IELTS 6.0 will be requested at admission stage.
In the case of mature students who do not possess all the formal required academic qualifications, then the RPL process could be applied such that if evidence of equivalent learning is found then the applicant could still be accepted in the course.
Such RPL process will subject applicants to an interview held with a board of experts within the field, chosen specifically by IDEA College, so as to verify their experiences and prior learning.
Target Audience
This programme targets:
- Qualified nurses holding a full bachelor’s in Nursing.
Career Paths
The programme prepares for positions such as and not limited to:
- This Degree aims to equip qualified nurses with the knowledge and skills needed to advance their own nursing practice in a defined speciality and/or in other area/s following a generic route.
Assessment Guidelines
- Formative: The module will contain formative assessment in the form of ongoing review and feedback on chapter drafts as students’ progress.
- Summative: Submission of a structured dissertation (word count range: 22,000 – 25,000 words).
For successful completion, the student is required to achieve a minimum of 50% pass mark in the dissertation.
Dissertation Assessment
Assessment of dissertations is primarily based on:
- Depth of critical understanding of the theoretical framework;
- Application of appropriate research tools;
- Critical approach to analysis, interpretation and evaluation of research findings;
- Depth and level of argumentation build-up;
- Original contribution to the generation of new knowledge/hypothesis/models;
- Scholarly presentation meeting academic standards
Module Intake Dates
TBA 2025
Learning Outcomes
Competences
At the end of the module/unit the learner will have acquired the responsibility and autonomy to:
- Critically analyse the literature evidence on a particular topic relevant to their chosen nursing speciality area and/or other area/s, identify a gap in knowledge as a starting point for research, and formulate an appropriate research question.
- Critically appraise a range of methodological designs to determine an appropriate approach that can effectively address the research question.
- Apply for the relevant ethical permissions to undertake the research study.
- Undertake a substantive piece of robust research and consider its implications for nursing practice, policy education, and research in relation to their chosen nursing speciality and/or other area/s.
- Write an abstract summary of the research with a view to future presentation at a conference or publication.
Knowledge
By the end of the module/unit, the students will be able to:
- Acquire a holistic overview of key research philosophical perspectives.
- Identify a gap in exiting literature and the need to address it.
- Critically evaluate quantitative and qualitative research methods.
- Consider the effectiveness of employing a mixed methods approach.
- Critically evaluate data collection methods for qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-methods research.
- Understand advanced data analysis techniques,
- Learn how to select an appropriate research topic for a master’s dissertation.
- Demonstrate advanced awareness of ethical research practice.
- Know how to gain access to data and sample groups.
- Know how to formulate appropriate research questions and hypothesis.
- Explain the significance of the study.
- Critically discuss how research impacts on nursing practice, policy, education, and research.
Skills
At the end of the module/unit, the learner will have acquired the following skills:
- Identify a research problem.
- Relate problem to some relevant theory studied in this programme.
- Formulate the research problem precisely.
- Generate interest in the problem by giving a detailed overview of the background to the problem.
- Compile relevant historic and currently available literature/secondary information in and around the field of study.
- Conduct quantitative/qualitative data analysis.
- Structure the research paper/dissertation in an appropriate manner.
- Use a range of verbal and written communication skills to provide a rationale for choice of study.
- Appraise the quality of published research using validated tools such as CASP.
- Identify and address the limitations of collected data and suggest improvements for future research.
Module-Specific Learner Skills
The learner will be able to:
- Present own discussion and developments in a logical and organised manner through approaches of critical feedback and self-reflection.
- Engage with peers and/or team members to share and reflect on own development.
Module-Specific Digital Skills and Competences
The learner will be able to:
- Navigate through the online learning platform to find assignments, discussion boards, literature, tutorials, etc.