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Economics Dissertation - ECO00045H

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  • Department: Economics and Related Studies
  • Credit value: 20 credits
  • Credit level: H
  • Academic year of delivery: 2025-26

Module summary

In this final semester module students undertake a piece of independent empirical research in economics, within one of a number of prescribed subject areas. The work is supervised, primarily through workshop groups, by a member of staff with expertise in that area. Summative assessment comprises three elements:

  • 15-minute presentation to the workshop group, 20%

  • (max 4500-word) final report, 80%

Important note:

After you have selected and been allocated your module choices, there is an additional requirement in order for you to retain your place on this module. You are required to write a 250-word outline of the topic you would like to write your dissertation on, specifying the workshop group you wish to join: finance, health, macroeconomics, microeconomics or social policy.

At the end of Year 2 end of the Semester 2 you will receive a link to a google form for submission of this information. The deadline for submission of your outline is Friday Week 11 of Semester 2 of Year 2 at 12 noon. Please get in touch with the module leader for more information or if you have missed the deadline.

Please note that if you fail to submit a dissertation outline proposal you will lose your place on this module and will have to select an alternative option.

Related modules

Pre-requisite modules

Module will run

Occurrence Teaching period
A Semester 2 2025-26

Module aims

To enable students to undertake individual and independent empirical research, applying the theoretical concepts and empirical techniques acquired elsewhere in the degree programme, and thus developing and assessing their ability to:

  • apply these concepts and techniques
  • work independently
  • present cogently the results of such work

Module learning outcomes

Through taking this module, a student will develop skills and knowledge relating in particular to:

  • defining feasible hypotheses and objectives for empirical research in economics, drawing on appropriate economic theory and concepts

  • locating and compiling economic data

  • applying appropriate techniques, principally econometric, in analysing that data and testing hypotheses

  • presenting their analysis in a coherent final report, including in a way that would be intelligible to non-specialists

  • working independently, but also interactively through workshops discussing with, and presenting to, other students working on their own projects

Module content

Lectures: There are four face-to-face lectures scheduled in Weeks 1, 2, 5 and 8. The lecture slides will be available in the Module Materials section. Recordings of lectures will be available from the Replay Content section of the VLE.

Workshops: There are five workshops (Week 2, 4, 6, 8 and 9) including a 2-hour workshop (Week 9) for the presentations. Each workshop will have an assigned workshop leader who will serve as your dissertation supervisor, offering guidance and feedback on your research.

The topics covered in the four lectures this year will be:

Lecture 1 Introduction to the Module, Literature Review, Refining your research proposal

Lecture 2 Finding what you need, Search Strategy Managing your references How to narrow your dissertation topic? Preparing your data

Lecture 3 Data, Methods, and using STATA

Lecture 4 Preparing your results and Preparing your presentation

Workshops are relatively flexible and are specific to the group's needs and specific topics, but work on the following themes:

Workshop 1: Introduction and Discussion on topics and research proposal

Workshop 2: Discussion on data and methodology

Workshop 3: Preparation for your presentation

Workshop 4: Discussion on presenting and analysing your results

Workshop 5: Presentations

Indicative assessment

Task % of module mark
Essay/coursework 80.0
Oral presentation/seminar/exam 20.0

Special assessment rules

None

Additional assessment information

Formative assessment: As part of formative assessment, you are required to submit a research proposal (max 1000 words). You will receive an indicative grade and written feedback to help guide the development of your final dissertation. Please note that this is a formative assessment and will not contribute to your final grade.

Summative assessment comprises two elements:

  • Presentation (15 minutes, individual oral presentation), 20%
  • Final dissertation (4500 words), 80%

Additional assessment information:

  • Re-assessment: Revise and resubmit on 80% component
  • Presentation (20%) is not re-assessable but students with exceptional circumstances / SSP can ask for a re-weight: 100% Final dissertation
  • Compensatable (if overall mark for the module is in the range 30-39

Indicative reassessment

None

Module feedback

Students are provided with individual feedback on the research proposal and presentation.

Indicative reading

Greenlaw, Steven A, Doing Economics: A Guide to Understanding and Carrying Out Economic Research, South-Western College Pub, 2005.

Gujarati D N and D.C. Porter, Basic Econometrics, (5th edn), McGraw-Hill, 2009


The information on this page is indicative of the module that is currently on offer. The University constantly explores ways to enhance and improve its degree programmes and therefore reserves the right to make variations to the content and method of delivery of modules, and to discontinue modules, if such action is reasonably considered to be necessary. In some instances it may be appropriate for the University to notify and consult with affected students about module changes in accordance with the University's policy on the Approval of Modifications to Existing Taught Programmes of Study.