ULMS Electronic Module Catalogue

The information contained in this module specification was correct at the time of publication but may be subject to change, either during the session because of unforeseen circumstances, or following review of the module at the end of the session. Queries about the module should be directed to the member of staff with responsibility for the module.
Title Human Resource Management Research Project
Code ULMS840
Coordinator Dr T Chauhan
Work, Organisation and Management
Trishna.Chauhan@liverpool.ac.uk
Year CATS Level Semester CATS Value
Session 2023-24 Level 7 FHEQ Summer (June-September) 30

Pre-requisites before taking this module (other modules and/or general educational/academic requirements):

 

Modules for which this module is a pre-requisite:

 

Programme(s) (including Year of Study) to which this module is available on a required basis:

 

Programme(s) (including Year of Study) to which this module is available on an optional basis:

 

Teaching Schedule

  Lectures Seminars Tutorials Lab Practicals Fieldwork Placement Other TOTAL
Study Hours 4

6

      4

4

18
Timetable (if known)              
Private Study 282
TOTAL HOURS 300

Assessment

EXAM Duration Timing
(Semester)
% of
final
mark
Resit/resubmission
opportunity
Penalty for late
submission
Notes
             
CONTINUOUS Duration Timing
(Semester)
% of
final
mark
Resit/resubmission
opportunity
Penalty for late
submission
Notes
Individual research proposal. This is not an anonymous assessment         
Dissertation. There is a resit opportunity. Standard UoL penalty applies for late submission. This is not an anonymous assessment.    100       

Aims

This module aims to:

Enable students to develop strategic awareness, business orientation and a concern with adding value through human resource (HR) practice, all linked to HR professional competence;

Support students in researching relevant topics and writing a business report that can persuade key stakeholders in the organisation to change or adopt a particular policy and practice;

Provide students with the skills to demonstrate the ability to diagnose and investigate a contemporary business issue from an HR perspective, to locate the work within the body of academic knowledge, to collect and analyse data, to derive supportable conclusions and to make practical and actionable recommendations for change, improvement or enhancement of current practice. The applied nature of the report requires a critically evaluative approach, empirical investigation and analysis and a combination of academic research and business report writing skills;

Enable students to fu rther develop and embed their conceptual skills, data analytical skills, ethical awareness, critical evaluation skills, as well as their ability to effectively communicate their research findings to both an academic and practitioner audience;

Provide students with an opportunity to reflect on the implications for professional practice from an ethical, professional and continuous professional development standpoint.


Learning Outcomes

(LO1) Students will be able to plan, design, and execute a significant individual research project.

(LO2) Students will be able to identify and justify a HR/business issue that is of strategic relevance to an organisation.

(LO3) Students will be able to search, synthesise, critically analyse and discuss existing literature, contemporary HR policy and practice relevant to the chosen issue.

(LO4) Students will be able to compare and contrast the relative merits of different research methods and their relevance and applicability to different situations.

(LO5) Students will be able to undertake a systematic analysis of quantitative and/or qualitative information and present the results in a clear and consistent format.

(LO6) Students will be able to draw realistic and appropriate conclusions and make recommendations.

(LO7) Students will be able to develop and present a persuasive business report in a coherent and structured manner.

(S1) Adaptability and flexibility
Students will be required to demonstrate flexibility in choosing the best approach to help answer their research questions.

(S2) Problem solving
Research projects must address a specific HR/business issue and apply an appropriate research strategy, design and methodology to address the problem in order to derive clear evidence-based solutions.

(S3) Numeracy
Students who base their dissertation on primary or secondary quantitative data will need to conduct rigorous numerical data analysis.

(S4) Commercial awareness
Students will need to be aware of contemporary HR issues, conduct research on those issues and clearly demonstrate how their research can have a broader impact on organisations or the society.

(S5) Organisation skills
Students will be working under strict deadlines to execute their research project.

(S6) Communication skills
Students will be required to present a coherent and rigorous piece of research which stipulates clear aims, objectives and findings. They will also be expected to clearly communicate the results of their research to an academic audience, as well as derive a set of focused practical recommendations for managers and organisations.

(S7) Critical writing and analysis
Students will be able to demonstrate competence in postgraduate study skills, particularly critical writing and analytical skills.

(S8) Critical reflection skills
Students will develop critical reflection skills through writing a reflective account of what has been learned during the project and how this can be applied in the future.

(S9) Life-long learning
Students will demonstrate their professional development so far and how they plan continuing their development through their personal and reflective statements.

(S10) Ethical awareness
Students will be expected to follow strict ethical guidelines in the conduct of their research project.


Teaching and Learning Strategies

Blended delivery:

2 x 2 hours face-to-face synchronous lectures
Introductory lectures with the key information needed to successfully complete an academic and HR-focused research project.

3 x 2 hours face-to-face seminars
Seminars will provide students with a step-by-step guide to the most important stages of the research process. One of the sessions will be a drop-in session where students will be able to obtain individual formative feedback from module leaders and co-ordinators.

4 hours online asynchronous learning
Recordings will be uploaded onto Canvas for students to listen to before the first and second seminars. The online learning materials will provide students with the key information needed to successfully complete an academic and HR-focused research project.

4 hours supervision
Students will be allocated a dedicated supervisor for their research project, who will provide on-going support throughout the entire project process. The m odule handbook will be designed to incorporate specific guidelines on supervisor and supervisee expectations regarding project supervision. For example, the handbook will include guidance on suggested meeting topics and typical number of meetings required over the duration of the research project. This will ensure a sufficient degree of consistency in the experience of the supervisory process across students.

282 hours self-directed learning
Students will use self-directed learning hours to plan, develop and undertake their independent research project, under the guidance and direction of a project supervisor. Students are expected to be proactive in organising supervisory meetings and will develop a research project plan at the beginning of the process, which will be shared with and agreed by the project supervisor. The research plan will set out key milestones for each stage of the project, such as developing the literature review, confirming the methodology, and writing up project drafts. Depending on individual need, students will typically hold four supervisory meetings with their supervisor over the course of semester three, as well as keeping in regular contact via email and/or other forms of virtual communication.


Syllabus

 

This is a predominantly self-directed module, with introductory lectures, small group seminars, online learning material/content and supervision meetings.


Recommended Texts

Reading lists are managed at readinglists.liverpool.ac.uk. Click here to access the reading lists for this module.