Course coordinator
Associate Professor Anna Jenkins
Course overview
- Study period
- Semester 2, 2024 (22/07/2024 - 16/11/2024)
- Study level
- Postgraduate Coursework
- Location
- St Lucia
- Attendance mode
- In Person
- Units
- 8
- Administrative campus
- St Lucia
- Coordinating unit
- Business School
Students required to complete research thesis on selected topic within their area of major interest. Topic to be approved by Head of School. For details consult Head of School. (If enrolling in this course across 2 semesters: Students commencing in sem 1 must enrol in RBUS7995 for both semesters. Students commencing in sem 2 must enrol in RBUS7996 for both semesters. Students enrolling in a single sem must enrol in RBUS7993).
The research thesis is an enhancing element of the Masters programs consisting of a piece of independent research completed by the student under the supervision of an academic member of the UQ Business School. Students should enrol in RBUS7993 Research Thesis in Semester 1, or Semester 2. Identification of a thesis topic and a thesis supervisor is required well before semester to allow sufficient time for the student's Request For Permission to Enrol in Postgraduate Business Research Report/Project/Thesis Form to be processed before the due date for enrolment
Course requirements
Prerequisites
You'll need to complete the following courses before enrolling in this one:
16 units of level 7 Business School courses + permission from Head of School
Incompatible
You can't enrol in this course if you've already completed the following:
RBUS7981 or 7982 or 7983 or 7991 or 7992
Course contact
School enquiries
Student Liaison Officer
Please contact your Business School academic supervisor for assistance with your research thesis.
For questions relating to enrolment, thesis submission, and data management, please contact the course administrator via info@business.uq.edu.au.
Timetable
The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.
Additional timetable information
This thesis is an Independent Research Activity (Independent Study), and will not have any regular classes.
We encourage you to contact your Academic Supervisor as soon as possible to discuss your research timeline, setup milestones (or goals) to meet throughout the semester and ensure regular meetings have been scheduled to review your progress. Your supervisor will be your first point of contact.
Aims and outcomes
The aim of the research thesis is to provide the opportunity to learn how to conduct high quality rigorous research through participation in a research course, and a great deal of the student's time will be taken up with it. The thesis entails an extensive literature review, development of a research methodology, execution of a research program, and write-up. On completion of the thesis the student should be able to carry out an independent research project, including literature review, justification of methodology, execution of the project, and analysis and interpretation of results. Students may be required to present at a seminar outlining their thesis proposal.
Learning outcomes
After successfully completing this course you should be able to:
LO1.
Identify and articulate appropriate theroetical frameworks.
LO2.
Carry out a literature review.
LO3.
Develop appropriate hypotheses / research questions.
LO4.
Justify methodology.
LO5.
Analyse and interpret results.
LO6.
Appreciate social and ethical responsibilities and apply ethical standards in research in the field of study.
Assessment
Assessment summary
| Category | Assessment task | Weight | Due date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thesis | Coursework Thesis | 100% |
25/10/2024 1:00 pm |
Assessment details
Coursework Thesis
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Thesis
- Weight
- 100%
- Due date
25/10/2024 1:00 pm
Task description
The empirical Masters thesis follows the same basic format as an Honours thesis or PhD thesis. To that end, unless otherwise instructed by the supervisor, the thesis will have a minimum chapter content likely to include:
- Introduction
- Literature review
- Model and hypotheses
- Methodology of data collection
- Analysis, results and discussion
- Conclusion.
The above structure is an example for an empirical thesis. In cases where a theoretical theses is undertaken a different structure would be required. Students are advised to seek direction of their supervisor on the appropriate structure in such cases.
Ethics
Ethics approval must be sought prior to any form of primary data collection. Information regarding the ethics application process is as follows:
Information about how to submit an application is available here: http://www.uq.edu.au/research/integrity-compliance/low-and-negligible-risk-reviews
All applications should use the HREA form. http://www.uq.edu.au/research/integrity-compliance/hrea
The first committee meeting was held on 31/01, with fortnightly meetings scheduled thereafter. The cut-off date for submissions is one week prior to each scheduled meeting. The schedule for future meetings (and cut-off dates) is available here: http://www.uq.edu.au/research/integrity-compliance/files/human/2017%20BEL%20LNR.xlsx
Any questions regarding the ethics process should be directed to: BELLNR@UQ.EDU.AU
Thesis Format and Word Count
The thesis must be the lesser of 20,000 words in length or 100 pages of double spaced printing in 12 point Times New Roman font on A4 paper.
The fly page must show:
- by (student's name)
- the date
- Supervisor: (name)
On a separate page show: Acknowledgements
Signed disclaimer statement which says: “The work presented in this thesis is, to the best of my knowledge and belief, original, except as acknowledged in the text. The material has not been submitted, either in whole or in part, for a degree at this or any other university.”
DATA and THESIS SUBMISSION
Students are required to submit all data files and thesis by the due time to avoid penalty. The student must pass the thesis through Turnitin which is available on the Course Blackboard Site and attach the generated report to the thesis for submission. After the thesis is examined a window of opportunity exists for students to amend their thesis for editorial errors and submit a final thesis for publication on eSpace. If a student does not submit a final thesis the first version of the thesis will be automatically published as the final.
This assessment task evaluates students' abilities, skills and knowledge without the aid of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Machine Translation (MT). Students are advised that the use of AI or MT technologies to develop responses is strictly prohibited and may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Submission guidelines
The thesis is to be submitted electronically to Turnitin located in the Blackboard Assessment link.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
Extension requests can be submitted via my.UQ. Students will need to provide relevant evidence to support the extension request and written support from their academic supervisor and course coordinator prior to submitting a request. We recommend students meet with their supervisor prior to submitting an extension application to map out their thesis milestone timelines, and their expected submission date.
Course grading
Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.
| Grade | Cut off Percent | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 (Low Fail) | 0 - 29 |
Absence of evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 2 (Fail) | 30 - 46 |
Minimal evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 3 (Marginal Fail) | 47 - 49 |
Demonstrated evidence of developing achievement of course learning outcomes |
| 4 (Pass) | 50 - 64 |
Demonstrated evidence of functional achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 5 (Credit) | 65 - 74 |
Demonstrated evidence of proficient achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 6 (Distinction) | 75 - 84 |
Demonstrated evidence of advanced achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 7 (High Distinction) | 85 - 100 |
Demonstrated evidence of exceptional achievement of course learning outcomes. |
Additional course grading information
Grades will be allocated according to University-wide standards of criterion-based assessment.
Supplementary assessment
Supplementary assessment is available for this course.
Additional assessment information
Marking of Research Thesis
In the event a third examiner is required to moderate the research thesis, the following process applies:
- In the event the variance between the first and second examiner is greater than 10 or across two grade thresholds, a third examiner will be employed for moderation.
- Upon finalisation of the third examiner marks, the final average mark for the research thesis is taken from the two examiner marks closely aligned (i.e., within 10 marks or same grade threshold).
- In the event the variance between all three examiners is greater than 10 or across multiple grade thresholds, the final average grade for the research thesis is taken from across all three examiners.
Late Submission.
Extensions will only be granted according to the University of Queensland policy, in extenuating circumstances, which are beyond the student’s control.
You are able to submit a request to extend your thesis submission deadline by filling out the form available online here.
As part of your application, we would recommend you attach a letter (or a copy an email) of support from your supervisor/s.
Note: delaying your thesis submission may delay the conferral of your degree.
Learning resources
You'll need the following resources to successfully complete the course. We've indicated below if you need a personal copy of the reading materials or your own item.
Library resources
Library resources are available on the UQ Library website.
Additional learning resources information
Learn (Blackboard)
All courses are supported by the UQ Learning Management System, Blackboard Learn, which provides an interactive environment for the students and teachers. This is accessible via PC or Mac or Mobile (Apps) environment.
To log on to Blackboard, go to https://learn.uq.edu.au.
- As Blackboard is a web‐based application, you will need a recently‐released browser for your computer. For the latest Release Notes for Bb Student, see http://en-gb.help.blackboard.com/Bb_Student/z_Release_Notes_Bb_Student.
- For help with Learn.UQ (Blackboard), see https://web.library.uq.edu.au/library-services/it/learnuq-blackboard-help/learnuq-blackboard-contacts or contact AskUs https://web.library.uq.edu.au/contact-us or telephone 334 64312.
Learning activities
The learning activities for this course are outlined below. Learn more about the learning outcomes that apply to this course.
Filter activity type by
Please select
| Learning period | Activity type | Topic |
|---|---|---|
Multiple weeks From Week 1 To Week 13 |
Not Timetabled |
Independent Research Activity |
Policies and procedures
University policies and procedures apply to all aspects of student life. As a UQ student, you must comply with University-wide and program-specific requirements, including the:
- Student Code of Conduct Policy
- Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy and Procedure
- Assessment Procedure
- Examinations Procedure
- Reasonable Adjustments - Students Policy and Procedure
Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.