Innovations in postgraduate education: authentic alternatives to the Master's dissertation
Workshop postponed. For details of new dates please contact enquiries@charteredabs.org
The Higher Education sector has seen healthy growth in postgraduate taught students and a changing demographic with home and international students from increasingly diverse backgrounds. However, many students struggle to acclimatise and have a steep learning curve with one-year masters programmes.
Coming from different academic and cultural backgrounds, a growing number of students are unused to writing in academic English and are disadvantaged when faced with a significant piece of independent, self-directed work such as a dissertation. Simultaneously, the essay mill business has become better organised, and universities are seeing an increase in assessment offences.
This practical workshop will explore how alternatives to the traditional dissertation can give students a more personalised learning journey and support student progression, attainment and outcomes.
Learning outcomes
By the end of the workshop participants will have:
- A deeper understanding of the relative merits and the accessibility/inclusivity of current forms of capstone projects for postgraduate (PG) business school students
- Evaluated the appropriateness of the traditional masters dissertation in fulfilling these aims, and have a greater awareness of the strengths and limitations of using dissertations
- New ideas about the alternative formats that can be used to replace the traditional dissertation; and an awareness of the resource and staff development implications of these alternatives
- A co-created 'map' of alternative dissertation options for Business PG students that covers the positives and negatives of each approach, that they can use to inform teaching practice in their own institution.
About CMBE Events
Our series of CMBE Events are open to all educators. They have been designed with CMBEs in mind, to support them achieve their professional development goals. By attending this event, CMBEs can claim up to 6 units (hours) towards their annual CPD commitment.
Workshop Facilitators
Dr Christine Comrie
Deputy Head of Department - Business and Management (Postgraduate), Faculty of Business and Law, University of the West of England
Dr Ed Little
Associate Head of Department (Postgraduate Marketing and Events Programmes), Faculty of Business and Law, University of the West of England
Dr Cathy Minett-Smith
Associate Dean, Learning Teaching and Student Experience, Faculty of Business and Law, University of the West of England
Pre-event preparation
Workshop participants will be contacted a week or so before the event to ask if they are able/willing to send postgraduate dissertation module specifications and module handbooks from their own Institution in advance of the workshop to inform preparation for the introductory session.
09:30 Registration and refreshments
10:00 Welcome and setting the context
Exploring the aims of the dissertation; Why is it there? Purpose of the dissertation, common themes in aims/role based on review of any materials sent prior to workshop
Cathy Minett-Smith, Associate Dean, Learning Teaching and Student Experience, Faculty of Business and Law, University of the West of England
10:45 Breakout groups
In these group discussions we will explore the pros and cons of the current `academic’ dissertation.
Dr Christine Comrie, Deputy Head of Department - Business and Management (Postgraduate), Faculty of Business and Law, University of the West of England
Dr Ed Little, Associate Head of Department (Postgraduate Marketing and Events Programmes), Faculty of Business and Law, University of the West of England
Dr Cathy Minett-Smith, Associate Dean, Learning Teaching and Student Experience, Faculty of Business and Law, University of the West of England
11:15 Break
11:30 Feedback session
Led by the facilitators
12:00 Breakout groups: Exploring alternatives to the traditional dissertation
Led by the facilitators
13:00 Lunch
14:00 Summary of ideas explored during the breakout discussions
Led by the facilitators
14:30 Breakout groups
Exploring the challenges, resources and development needs of the various alternatives.
15.00 Feedback and wrap-up by
Led by the facilitators
15:30 Close
Dr Christine Comrie
Deputy Head of Department - Business and Management (Postgraduate), Faculty of Business and Law, University of the West of England
As Deputy Head of Department (Business and Management, postgraduate) at the University of the West of England, I am responsible for the quality and currency of our postgraduate programme portfolio.
Before working at UWE as an academic, I was a Marketing Manager at Unilever (global fast moving consumer goods company) for 15 years and was fortunate enough to travel extensively in the Middle East, Africa and South America.
I joined UWE as an educator in 1998 on a part-time basis alongside bringing up three children and carrying out some consultancy work and took up a full-time position at UWE in 2012. My previous roles at UWE involved working with overseas partner organisations and developing support mechanisms for our international students studying in the UK. On joining UWE full time, I gained a PG Cert in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education and became a fellow of the HEA and in 2021 achieved my doctorate within the school of Education. I have taught undergraduate, postgraduate and CPD modules and my specialism is global marketing which I find fascinating given the VUCA environment in which global marketers must operate.
Dr Ed Little
Associate Head of Department (Postgraduate Marketing and Events Programmes), Faculty of Business and Law, University of the West of England
Dr Cathy Minett-Smith
Dean, Learning Teaching and Student Experience, Faculty of Business and Law, University of the West of England
Dr Cathy Minett-Smith is a Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, a National Teaching Fellow reviewer and has extensive teaching experience in Higher Education. Cathy is currently the Dean of Learning and Teaching in the faculty of Business and Law at the University of the West of England. Prior to this she was the Associate Dean Student Experience in the University of Bedfordshire Business School where she successfully led the Education Impact strand resulting in Bedfordshire Business School being the first school in the UK to be recognised under EFMD’s Business School Impact System (BSIS). In both of these roles she was responsible for developing and enhancing all aspects of the student experience, working with colleagues in the Business School and wider university to actively link the functional areas of the student learning experience, including administrative, learning support and academic delivery, to creatively and effectively develop the learning experience for students. Cathy has extensive experience of strategy development and implementation at both an institutional and faculty level. Cathy also has strong connections with the Chartered Association of Business Schools (CABS), is Vice chair of the CABS Learning, Teaching and Student Experience committee and the facilitator of the CABS Leaders in Learning and Teaching development programme.
This workshop takes place at the University of the West of England. Further logistical information will be available in due course.
University of the West of England
Frenchay Campus
Coldharbour Lane
Bristol
BS16 1QY
Certified Management & Business Educators (CMBE): £185
Educators from UK business schools that don't hold the CMBE: £235
Group Booking Discount: Bring colleagues and save 25% on each additional place. Contact the Chartered ABS for further details enquiries@charteredabs.org
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