Research project and dissertation
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| 5 Tutor-marked assignments (TMAs) | |
| End-of-course assessment | No residential school |
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This course is available for study in the countries shown. Fees may vary by country.
Summary
As the final element in our MSc computing programmes, M801 draws together your practical and academic skills and knowledge. You will undertake a detailed research project, and be guided by a supervisor through the thirteen-month period of work, which leads to the production of a dissertation (10,000–15,000 words). There is preliminary work to be undertaken before the course begins – this means that you may need to be working on this as well as the final module for your diploma. You must already hold a relevant Postgraduate Diploma before you can take this course.
Course content
M801 is the final element in the general MSc in Computing for Commerce and Industry, or the specialist MScs in Software Development, Networks and Distributed Systems, or Management of Software Projects. You will need to identify a research topic: you can choose to either select a topic area from those we provide or you may submit a topic of professional relevance to you for approval. The subject you choose for your project will depend very much on your own background, but it should normally be related to one or more of the subjects you have studied as part of your diploma. If you wish to gain one of the three specialist MScs, your project topic must be in an appropriate area relating to the subject area of that MSc.
Projects are usually concerned with academic or practical issues which may arise from your studies, your work or from other areas of computing interest. A suitable topic is one in which:
- there is an existing ‘body of knowledge’ on which you can build
- you can formulate a problem from which you can describe objectives with achievable outcomes
- you can suggest a methodology for the investigation or study
- you can draw conclusions of interest to others with a related problem or issue.
The project and dissertation gives you the opportunity to:
- select from a given area of activity an issue or problem that you need to solve
- select and research the necessary areas of learning in order for you to understand the academic background to your project
- demonstrate self-direction and originality in tackling and solving problems
- integrate knowledge and skills from various sources into a coherent whole, making the appropriate abstractions
- critically evaluate proposed solutions using appropriate proven methods and tools
- critically evaluate and reflect upon your own work
- communicate your work effectively.
Upon completion of your project and dissertation you should have:
- advanced your own knowledge and understanding through independent learning and critically evaluated and reflected upon your work
- demonstrated a systematic understanding and a critical awareness of current problems in your field of study or area of professional practice
- demonstrated your ability to select and implement appropriate research methods and techniques
- demonstrated self-direction and originality in developing problem-solving skills and applying them independently to professional level or equivalent tasks/projects/functions
- evaluated the strengths and weaknesses of a particular technology or solution within a computing system and critically evaluated proposed solutions using appropriate methods
- dealt with complex issues both systematically and creatively, making informed judgements in the absence of complete data
- integrated knowledge and skills from various sources into a coherent whole, making the appropriate abstractions and synthesising arguments from underlying premises to produce overarching conclusions
- clearly communicated knowledge, ideas, and conclusions about computing systems both in detail in the dissertation and at a high level of abstraction for a general audience in the poster presentation.
After completing this project you will be able to plan, organise and execute similar studies in other areas, understand their essential elements, and know which general approach is likely to lead to success.
Entry
You must be registered for one of the following:
- the MSc in Software Development, for which you must have obtained the Postgraduate Diploma in Software Development. You must then begin your study of M801 either in the presentation immediately following completion of your diploma, or in the next presentation.
- the MSc in Networks and Distributed Systems, for which you must have obtained the Postgraduate Diploma in Networks and Distributed Systems. You must then begin your study of M801 either in the presentation immediately following completion of your diploma, or in the next presentation.
- the MSc in Management of Software Projects, for which you must have obtained the Postgraduate Diploma in Management of Software Projects. In this case, there is no restriction on the timing of your study of M801.
- the MSc in Computing for Commerce and Industry. For this you may qualify by obtaining the Postgraduate Diploma in Computing for Commerce and Industry, the Joint Postgraduate Diploma in Computing and Manufacturing or any of the specialist diplomas mentioned above. In this case, there is no restriction on the timing of your study of M801.
You can register for a place while you are completing the final courses of your diploma or at any time after completing it (subject to the restrictions noted above on the timing of study where applicable and the successful completion of the final courses of your diploma). Your course fee is fully refundable if you withdraw before the course start date.
In addition to registering for a place you also need either to develop your own project topic or select a project topic from our list during the period August to December in the year before you begin the course. You must adhere to this very strict process along with the pre-course start deadlines to enable you to prepare to begin the course. Full details and deadlines are available on the M801 website. Failure to adhere to these deadlines will normally result in deregistration, for which you will be entitled to a full refund. If you do not register and select a topic early, you are unlikely to get your first choice. You can also get informal advice as to the general suitability of your proposed topic area from the Postgraduate Technology & Computing (PTC) Office staff at The OU in the East Midlands (telephone 0115 971 5566 or email us).
Discount for OU Graduates
If you are a graduate of The Open University (holding either an undergraduate or masters degree), you are eligible for a discount of £150 towards the cost of this course. Telephone 0845 3666056 or email us to claim your discount when you register for this course.
Qualifications
M801 is a compulsory course in our
- MSc in Computing for Commerce and Industry (F05)
- MSc in Management of Software Projects (F43)
- MSc in Networks and Distributed Systems (F42)
- MSc in Software Development (F26)
Some postgraduate qualifications allow study to be chosen from other subject areas. We advise you to refer to the relevant qualification descriptions for information on the circumstances in which this course can count towards these qualifications because from time to time the structure and requirements may change.
If you have a disability or additional requirement
This course should present no special difficulties, since you will choose the subject and methodology for the project yourself. You are welcome to discuss any help you might need with the staff at our Student Registration & Enquiry Service.
You will need to spend considerable amounts of time using a personal computer and the internet. If you are a new student, or new to courses using a computer or the internet, you will need to inform us of your particular needs as soon as possible, as some of our support services may take several weeks to arrange. Details of how to do this and our range of support services are described in our booklet Meeting your needs which you can download or request from our Student Registration & Enquiry Service.
You can also find information about accessible course materials, financial support and the Disabled Students' Allowance, equipment and other services, on our Services for disabled students website. It also includes our contact details for advice and support both before you register and while you are studying.
Course materials
What's included
Study guide, assessment guide, other printed materials, course website, optional online forums.
J. A. Sharp, J. Peters, K. Howard (2002) The Management of a Student Research Project, Gower Publishing
C. Turk, J. Kirkman (1989) Effective Writing, Chapman and Hall
You will need
You may find that some of the topics we suggest require you to have access to and run additional software packages. If you choose such a topic you may need a machine with a higher specification than we indicate.
Use of the internet is essential for:
- access to the course website
- submission of your tutor-marked assignments (eTMAs) and your final dissertation (ECA)
- access to our online library services including bibliographical databases to help you to identify academic sources in your chosen topic area.
It will also enable you to take part in the optional online forums.
Computing requirements
This course includes online computer activities – you can access these using a web browser that can play Flash and Shockwave.
You will need internet access and a computer. If you have purchased a new computer since 2002 it should meet your course computing requirements. Check our Technical Requirements section if your computer is older than this or is otherwise unusual.
Teaching and assessment
Support from your tutor
You will have a supervisor who will provide advice and guidance throughout your work, as will other University staff at various stages. You will be in regular contact by telephone, mail or post. Contact the Postgraduate Technology & Computing (PTC) Office at The OU in the East Midlands (telephone 0115 971 5566 or email us) if you want to know more about study with The Open University before you register.
Assessment
Five tutor-marked assignments (eTMAs) and a 10,000 - 15,000 word dissertation. Each of the assignments builds towards the dissertation, TMA01, 04 and 05 are formative and carry no marks. TMA02 and TMA03 are summative. Each contributes 10% to your overall mark for the course. If you score less than 40% on either of these TMAs you will be advised to withdraw from the course and request a presentation transfer. We would normally expect you to submit your assignments online using our eTMA system. The final mark for the course is calculated from your scores in the two summative TMAs and the dissertation. The primary assessment of the course is the 15,000 word dissertation. The courses starts in February and you submit your dissertation in March the following year.
Professional recognition
The British Computer Society (BCS) offers exemption from some of its membership requirements for holders of an appropriate MSc in Computing from The Open University. M801 can form part of such an MSc, provided that you have taken prescribed courses in your Diploma and the topic of your MSc project satisfies certain criteria. For more details download Recognition leaflet 3.7 Computing or ask our Student Registration & Enquiry Service for a copy. If you would like this course to count towards your BCS exemption you should inform your supervisor immediately after the start of the course so that he or she can help you ensure that your research and dissertation are appropriate.
Students also studied
Students who studied this course also studied at some time:
Future availability
The details given here are for the course that starts in February 2010. We expect it to be available once a year in February.
How to register
To register a place on this course return to the top of the page and use the Click to register button. For more information and advice about registration see OU Study Explained.
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A postgraduate course in Computing and ICT.
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The first three months were extremely difficult - I was new to academic research, and the task of finding a ...
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A great course that I would thoroughly recommend ... but not an experience that I'll rush to repeat. Expect some ...
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