CONMGNT 7000 - Research Dissertation (M)

North Terrace Campus - Semester 2 - 2025

To develop a proposal for an independent research study or project which addresses a question or topic relevant to the management of building or civil engineering projects. Students will find and refine a research topic, which is based on extensive literature review. A research proposal will be submitted to document these research ideas as well as a preliminary research design.

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Course Details

Course Code	CONMGNT 7000
Course	Research Dissertation (M)
Coordinating Unit	Construction Management
Term	Semester 2
Level	Postgraduate Coursework
Location/s	North Terrace Campus
Units	6
Contact	Up to 6 hours per week
Available for Study Abroad and Exchange	Y
Prerequisites	ARCH 7042
Assessment	Literature review, final research proposal

Course Staff

Course Coordinator: Dr Ruidong Chang

Course Timetable

The full timetable of all activities for this course can be accessed from Course Planner.

Refer to MyUni for more information.

Course Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this course students will be able to:
1. Demonstrate advanced understanding of principles of academic research.
2. Locate, evaluate and critique existing studies.
3. Identify the gap within the existing body of knowledge and research questions.
4. Demonstrate advanced understanding of common research methods and tools for construction and civil projects related studies.
5. Develop a research proposal.

University Graduate Attributes

This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attribute(s) specified below:

University Graduate Attribute	Course Learning Outcome(s)
Attribute 1: Deep discipline knowledge and intellectual breadth Graduates have comprehensive knowledge and understanding of their subject area, the ability to engage with different traditions of thought, and the ability to apply their knowledge in practice including in multi-disciplinary or multi-professional contexts.	1,2,3
Attribute 2: Creative and critical thinking, and problem solving Graduates are effective problems-solvers, able to apply critical, creative and evidence-based thinking to conceive innovative responses to future challenges.	2,3,4,5
Attribute 3: Teamwork and communication skills Graduates convey ideas and information effectively to a range of audiences for a variety of purposes and contribute in a positive and collaborative manner to achieving common goals.	5
Attribute 4: Professionalism and leadership readiness Graduates engage in professional behaviour and have the potential to be entrepreneurial and take leadership roles in their chosen occupations or careers and communities.	1,2,3,5
Attribute 5: Intercultural and ethical competency Graduates are responsible and effective global citizens whose personal values and practices are consistent with their roles as responsible members of society.	2,3,5
Attribute 8: Self-awareness and emotional intelligence Graduates are self-aware and reflective; they are flexible and resilient and have the capacity to accept and give constructive feedback; they act with integrity and take responsibility for their actions.	3,5

Learning Resources

Recommended Resources

Books:
Fellows, R. F., & Liu, A. M. (2015). Research methods for construction. John Wiley & Sons.
Bryman, A., & Bell, E. (2015). Business research methods. Oxford University Press, USA.
Yin, R. K. (2013). Case study research: Design and methods. Sage publications.
Fowler Jr, F. J. (2013). Survey research methods. Sage publications.
Chen, H. X. (2012). Approaches to quantitative research: A guide for dissertation students. Oak Tree Press.
Denicolo, P., & Becker, L. (2012). Developing research proposals. Sage.
Biggam, J. (2015). Succeeding with your master's dissertation: a step-by-step handbook. McGraw-Hill Education (UK).
Naoum, S. G. (2012). Dissertation research and writing for construction students. Routledge.

Journals:
Journal of Cleaner Production
Journal of Construction Engineering and Management
Journal of Management in Engineering
Building and Environment
International Journal of Project Management
Energy and Buildings
Applied Energy
Project Management Journal
Construction Management and Economics
Facilities
Journal of Green Building
Energy Policy
Journal of Green Building
International Journal of Construction Management

Online Learning

University Email:
The school uses the University email system to get in touch with the students. So it is imperative that you check your email regularly and keep up to date with any new announcements.

MyUni:
MyUni is an essential online tool which will be used to communicate information regarding the course including details of assignments and interim grades. There are many other learning resources and assessment pieces that rely on the MyUni system for delivery. Therefore it is recommended that you familiarise yourself with the various functions of MyUni and employ it to its fullest extent.
https://myuni.adelaide.edu.au

Lecture Recording:
In certain cases the recording of the lectures is made available in electronic format for students to listen through on their own time and make notes, and is provided through the MyUni system. However, this service is only available for lectures with essential course content and may not include guest lectures. Furthermore, where the presentation content is subject to copyright or the guest speaker is uncomfortable with the recording of the content, the lecture recording will not be made available online. So students should not rely solely on this mode of learning and arrange to attend or get lecture content from peers.
Learning & Teaching Activities

Learning & Teaching Modes

This course consists of two components. The first 6 weeks involve a series of lectures and studios to help students refresh their research skills, especially in the context of construction management. The one-hour Lectures are designed to provide the common theories and models used in construction management research. This is followed by studios which provide students opportunities to practice their research skills in purpose-designed activities.

Students will then undertake their research in the second half of semester, under the guidance of supervisor. Students are expected to meet with the supervisor weekly to present their progresses in week 7-12.

Workload

The information below is provided as a guide to assist students in engaging appropriately with the course requirements.

The University expects full-time students (i.e. those taking 12 units per semester) to devote at least 48 hours per week to their studies. Accordingly, students undertaking a 3 unit course are expected to devote 12 hours per week to contact activities and self-guided studies.

Based on this framework here are some figures that might assist workload management:

For a 6 unit course:
Total workload hours: 24 Hrs per week x 13 weeks = 312 Hrs
Total contact hours: 6 Hrs per week x 12 weeks = 72 Hrs
Total self-guided study: 312 Hrs – 72 Hrs = 240 Hrs

These 240 hours should be used towards preparation of weekly tasks and for completion of the various assignments associated with the course, including development of various skills required to complete the same. Please organise your time wisely.

This is a 6 unit course. Recommended study commitments are meant to be hours of full time study, not just sitting thinking about the subject! The communication skills developed by regularly and actively participating in discussions are considered to be most important by the School and are highly regarded by employers and professional bodies.

Learning Activities Summary

Lectures, studios and consultations are designed to further develop students’ research skills particularly for construction management related research fields. The approach to learning is progressive, building upon fundamental concepts and knowledge acquisition culminating in this course which tests students ability to apply the research approaches outlined in this course. Regular meetings with the allocated supervisor aim to ensure that students are clear in defining their research question/ aim and make appropriate choice of research methods. The attendance and participation is designed to monitor progress as well as provide progressive feedback to students.

Specific Course Requirements

Students are expected to listen to the weekly lecture prior to attending the weekly face-to-face/online studio session as the knowledge delivered through the lecture would assist in completing the activities done during studios.

The University's policy on Assessment for Coursework Programs is based on the following four principles:

Assessment must encourage and reinforce learning.
Assessment must enable robust and fair judgements about student performance.
Assessment practices must be fair and equitable to students and give them the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned.
Assessment must maintain academic standards.

Assessment Summary

Assessment Task	Task Type	Weighting	Word Count / Time	Due	Learning Outcome
Weekly activities	Individual	30%	Studio sessions and supervisor meetings	Over semester	1,4
Interim research proposal	Individual	25%	2000 words (plus the literature review form)	Mid semester	1,2,3
Final research proposal	Individual	45%	6000 words	End of semester	1,2,3,4,5
Total		100%

Assessment Detail

Weekly activities: Students should submit weekly activities.

Interim research proposal: Students must submit an individual written proposal that outlines the research field, states the research topic and justifies the research problem. An indication of the current state of knowledge of the chosen research topic derived from academic literature review is expected, though this may not need to be comprehensive.

Final research proposal: Students must submit an individual written final research proposal that outlines the research field, states the research topic, aim/ question and outlines the methodological approach to be used to address the stated aim/question.

Submission

Submission format
All submissions for this course will be electronically through MyUni.

All submissions must include Student Name and Student ID Number. Submissions without Student Name or ID Number will not be considered for marking, and will receive zero marks in accordance with the guidelines.

In addition, all assessments need to have an Assessment Cover Sheet which must be signed and dated by the student before submission. Please attach the cover sheet in front of the document, to the top left hand corner.

Students must not submit work for an assessment that has previously been submitted for this course or any other course without prior approval from the Course Coordinator.

Deadlines
It is essential to meet the deadlines of this course. Note that NO LATE submissions will be accepted.

Extension requests
If you need to request an extension for any of the assessments, you will need to provide justification based on grounds of either medical, compassionate or extenuating circumstances and you need to provide documentary evidence (e.g. form signed by Medical Practitioner - the type of evidence required is indicated on the form) to support your case in line with the Modified Arrangement for Coursework Assessment (MACA) Policy.

The completed ’Application for Assessment Extension’, should be emailed to the Course Coordinator before the assessment deadline for consideration.

Academic Integrity Policy
The Academic Integrity Policy applies to all students, and students are advised to be familiar with the policy. Software (e.g. TurnItIn) may be used to verify the originality of submissions.

Course Grading

Grades for your performance in this course will be awarded in accordance with the following scheme:

M10 (Coursework Mark Scheme)
Grade	Mark	Description
FNS		Fail No Submission
F	1-49	Fail
P	50-64	Pass
C	65-74	Credit
D	75-84	Distinction
HD	85-100	High Distinction
CN		Continuing
NFE		No Formal Examination
RP		Result Pending

Further details of the grades/results can be obtained from Examinations.

Grade Descriptors are available which provide a general guide to the standard of work that is expected at each grade level. More information at Assessment for Coursework Programs.

Final results for this course will be made available through Access Adelaide.

Student Feedback

The University places a high priority on approaches to learning and teaching that enhance the student experience. Feedback is sought from students in a variety of ways including on-going engagement with staff, the use of online discussion boards and the use of Student Experience of Learning and Teaching (SELT) surveys as well as GOS surveys and Program reviews.

SELTs are an important source of information to inform individual teaching practice, decisions about teaching duties, and course and program curriculum design. They enable the University to assess how effectively its learning environments and teaching practices facilitate student engagement and learning outcomes. Under the current SELT Policy (http://www.adelaide.edu.au/policies/101/) course SELTs are mandated and must be conducted at the conclusion of each term/semester/trimester for every course offering. Feedback on issues raised through course SELT surveys is made available to enrolled students through various resources (e.g. MyUni). In addition aggregated course SELT data is available.
Student Support
Policies & Guidelines
This section contains links to relevant assessment-related policies and guidelines - all university policies.
Fraud Awareness

Students are reminded that in order to maintain the academic integrity of all programs and courses, the university has a zero-tolerance approach to students offering money or significant value goods or services to any staff member who is involved in their teaching or assessment. Students offering lecturers or tutors or professional staff anything more than a small token of appreciation is totally unacceptable, in any circumstances. Staff members are obliged to report all such incidents to their supervisor/manager, who will refer them for action under the university's student’s disciplinary procedures.

The University of Adelaide is committed to regular reviews of the courses and programs it offers to students. The University of Adelaide therefore reserves the right to discontinue or vary programs and courses without notice. Please read the important information contained in the disclaimer.

Authorised by:	Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President (Academic)
Maintained by:	Course Outlines Administrator