Unit information: MSc Dissertation in 2020/21

Unit name	MSc Dissertation
Unit code	ORDSM0026
Credit points	60
Level of study	M/7
Teaching block(s)	Academic Year (weeks 1 - 52)
Unit director	Professor. Spiteri Staines
Open unit status	Not open
Pre-requisites	Registration as a dentist with General Dental Council
Co-requisites	None
School/department	Bristol Dental School
Faculty	Faculty of Health Sciences

Description including Unit Aims

The aims of the research project are to:

• Give the student guided experience in the planning and execution of projects (either literature review, audit or service evaluation).
• Enable the student to critically evaluate experimental data/ published papers.
• Expose the student to the processes by which scientific results are communicated and debated.

Intended Learning Outcomes

Students successfully completing this module will be able to:

• Undertake a literature search in their field of study within the area of oral pathology/ medicine.
• Design and undertake a project (either literature review, audit or service evaluation).
• Critically analyse data and present findings.

Teaching Information

Teaching:

Students will be required to meet their supervisor within the first six weeks and submit a written proposal to the Unit organiser by week 12. Meetings can be by telephone or Skype as this may be more manageable for students. The proposal should be approved by the Unit Lead.

Progress Monitoring:

Students should contact their supervisors by e-mail every month, meeting via Skype if required. The Unit Lead will track progress by e-mail on a monthly basis. Progress will be assessed against the timetable submitted with their proposal. Students whose progress is deemed unsatisfactory may be required to attend an interview with the Unit Lead and their supervisor.

Assessment Information

• Literature review, audit or service evaluation presented as a dissertation.

Reading and References

References will be relating to each one of the topics of the projects that will be given and students will be guided to this via their individual specific project supervisors.