Work-Based Learning Dissertation:
Information Factsheet
The purpose of this factsheet is to answer some of the questions that you might have about the Work-Based Learning Dissertation [WBLD] and to help you prepare for it effectively.
1. What is the Work-Based Learning Dissertation?
The WBLD is an initiative taken by the Department of Politics as part of our ‘Business in the Community’ (BIC) Project, which aims to give students a broader experience of research and the study of politics than is possible on standard modules.
In essence, the purpose of the WBLD is to offer students the possibility to collaborate with an outside organisation (be it an NGO, business, political party etc.) to undertake a piece of research specific to that organisation’s needs. It is worth stressing that the WBLD does not necessarily require the student to undertake a placement, series of placements, or internship with the collaborative organisation. The nature of the collaboration between the student and the organisation and the level of support that is required will differ for each project.
2. How does it differ from a normal dissertation?
In the sense that you will still be expected to produce a piece of academic work in the shape of a dissertation which engages with the academic literature on a given subject, it hardly differs at all. For example, if you are working with a political party to produce an election strategy, you will still need to review the relevant academic literature.
However, where the WBLD does differ is in that it incorporates your own original research into a unique topic, specially tailored to the organisation with whom you are working. There are also slight differences in the way the dissertation should be presented and in how the module is organised. Furthermore, a WBLD is slightly shorter in word length than a standard dissertation. It will also include a learning agreement and a reflective learning log, neither of which should be included in the word count. Students should consult the module guide for further details of these differences.
3. What are some examples of appropriate WBLD?
The WBLD requires that you work with an outside organisation, and negotiate with them to come up with a project that is realistically feasible, and which has some value to them.
So, for example, you could work with a homeless charity in Edinburgh, Paris or Mumbai, undertake a series of short placements with them to build relationships and an understanding of the issues that they have to deal with, and then write a dissertation about the politics of housing provision in that country, or perhaps a general analysis of the effectiveness of that nation’s homeless policy with a special critique of your organisation’s strategy.
An equally viable project would be working with a local political party. Your dissertation might look at some of the general problems facing, say, the Australian Labor Party, the Green Party [UK] or the Democratic Party of Japan with a more focused analysis of the difficulties encountered at a local level. How do national politics help or hinder their local strategy?
Clearly, it is also quite acceptable to collaborate with an overseas organisation. If you are an overseas student who has good links in your home country, there is no reason why you cannot work with a government department or an NGO at home. If students are interested in pursuing this possibility they must discuss it at the earliest possible opportunity with the module convenor (currently Dr. Nasos Roussias) as it may give rise to specific ethical, organisation and other considerations.
4. What are some examples of an inappropriate WBLD?
Principally, WBLD proposals which are not suitable are those which have no outside organisation-backing, are either too ambitious, unethical, or deal with ‘big issues’ which would be better suited to a standard dissertation.
The most important thing to do early on is find an organisation (and a good contact within it) which is prepared to commit to a collaboration with you, and offer you a placement or another method of completing the necessary work with which to undertake your WBLD. This is essential. It is no use coming up with an idea that you ‘think Organisation X might be interested in’ and going ahead without their consent. The WBLD is something that must be negotiated between you and the organisation, and tailored to their needs.
A project that is just too ambitious for a dissertation will also not be feasible. There are certain organisations which, unfortunately, will simply not be interested in having a student undertake a piece of research for them. For example, the International Monetary Fund (based in Washington DC) will probably not be too amenable to consider what you have to say about its corporate strategy, however valid your critique may be. Or, given the sensitivity of the issues with which it is concerned, a country Defence Bureau will certainly not want a student exploring its archives and writing an analysis of its arms policy!
Likewise, significant ethical issues arise when dealing with organisations which operate in a grey area of legality. While the department will encourage interesting and original WBLDs, any which may compromise your safety or have serious ethical questions (such as working with radical militant organisations or young children) will not be approved.
Finally, there are some issues that are just ‘too big’ for a WBLD and only really lend themselves to a standard dissertation. Issues such as arms control or foreign policy are good examples, simply because it will be very hard for you to secure a collaboration with anyone in the arms industry or the relevant bureau. Of course, you could find a smaller organisation (such as a refugee group, or an NGO working for landmine eradication) which has to deal with the impact of different policies at the sharp end. However, if you simply want to write a critique of a country’s foreign policy then you should stick to the standard dissertation.
5. Is there an application process for the WBLD?
Yes there is. A WBLD demands strong organisational and analytical skills, as well as the maturity, initiative and independence to establish and develop a successful collaborative relationship with an external organisation. Students will also be ambassadors for the Department, representing it to the outside world. The Department therefore needs to ensure that only appropriate students are enrolled on the module.
At Undergraduate Level: the application process takes place in the second semester of level 2. Students are required to complete a short application form which sets out their proposed research topic, lists potential external collaborative organisations, and explains why they want to undertake a WBL dissertation. The application forms are then considered by the module convenor who will inform the students’ of his or her decision towards the end of the semester. Students must also have received an overall average of 60% or higher in the majority of their modules at levels 1 and 2 and have a good attendance record, both of which will be checked by the module convenor. The module convenor’s decision as to whether a student will be admitted to the module is final.
At MA Level: the application process takes place in the first semester. Students are required to submit an application form to undertake a WBLD by the end of Week 12 in semester one. The form will require a research project title, a detailed project proposal, and a plan. Crucially, students will also be required to have already contacted and established a collaborative agreement with an external organisation. Students who are interested in doing a WBLD are encouraged to meet with the module convenor as soon as possible in the first semester to discuss their ideas. It is also a requirement of being admitted to the module that students received 60% or higher for their two modules undertaken in the Autumn semester alongside an exemplary attendance record. Academic members of the Graduate School will then consider all application forms and students will be informed of their decision in the initial weeks of semester two and their decision is final.
6. What is the timeframe for completion of the WBLD?
The WBLD and the nature of each student’s collaboration will depend largely on the needs of his/her organisation and the way they have chosen to tailor their research and study through negotiation. However, the timeframe of a WBLD is largely similar to that of a standard dissertation, though there are a few extra meetings that students must attend and deadlines that need to be observed. Details of these can be found in the module course guide. The deadline for submission of the WBLD is identical to that for a standard dissertation.
7. How does it work, logistically speaking?
Given the original and diverse nature of the WBLD, this will largely depend on the nature of the project, and the organisation with which the student is working.
The department takes an open-minded and progressive approach to the WBLD and as such will, in principle, support proposals that are original, interesting and unusual. The only caveat here is that the project must be feasible and that students show, in their proposal, that they appreciate the unique logistical difficulties that their project may encounter and that they have some idea of how to overcome them.
For example, some projects will lend themselves to a straightforward month’s placement with an organisation, or perhaps a series of short meetings (one afternoon a week) during which time all of the necessary research will be accomplished, with the writing of the project taking place gradually over this time.
However, logistical constraints may mean the project is more complex. For example, a student may be working with an overseas organisation and need to gather all of the material during a summer placement before the start of the year in which the dissertation will be undertaken, and use electronic means to remain in contact once back in Sheffield. Or, due to limitations at the organisation’s end, you may not be able to undertake any placement time until late in the academic year and as such, you will spend the initial part of the project first semester doing all of the necessary background reading and writing. Other projects will require no placement at all, with the collaboration undertaken in an entirely different and original way.
The essential point is that the we appreciate that each project will throw up unique problems to surmount, and, providing that you can justify how they will be overcome, and demonstrate good planning and project management, we will be as supportive as possible.
8. What is the role of the outside organisation?
The role of the outside organisation is essentially twofold: to provide the framework for the study and to offer mentoring, guidance and new skills.
In terms of the project framework, once students have located an organisation prepared to accommodate them, they must negotiate in order to give the study some focus. This focus should, ideally, be tailored to the collaborating organisation’s specific needs. So, for example, if they are a struggling local political party, they may want some help with their election strategy and an appraisal of where they are going wrong, and where they could improve their performance. This is the principal benefit to the organisation involved in the WBLD – free research from able university students.
To be involved in the project, the organisation also undertakes to provide students with the necessary mentoring and guidance. The range and nature of such support, again, will depend on the project itself, but, the collaborating organisation should give students access to the necessary resources to complete the project. This includes placement or other contact time, access to any necessary data, and clear guidance on what is expected of the student. Perhaps most importantly, the organisation must also provide the student with some degree of mentoring, in the shape of a contact (or contacts) who will support them personally, oversee the project’s development, and be prepared to meet with the academic supervisor from time to time.
9. How much help will the department give me?
It must be made clear here that the department is not responsible for locating an external organisation with which students can conduct their WBL projects. The onus is entirely on each student to find an organisation and develop the project in tandem with their contact and tailor it to the organisation’s needs.
Students should also be aware that the Department does not make available extra financial resources to assist them in undertaking their WBLD. You must therefore carefully consider the potential financial implications of embarking on a WBLD, particularly if for example, expensive overseas travel costs are involved.
What the department will offer, however, is administrative guidance and advice and academic support. The module convenor is currently Professor Andrew Taylor and he will be contactable by email, telephone or face-to-face, and will offer help and assistance at every step of the process.
Over time, as the WBLD course expands, we do intend to develop a database of contacts and links to help students find their way. We also hope that organisations which have benefited from having a Sheffield student undertake a WBL project with them will approach us to repeat the experience. Furthermore, students with a particular area of interest are more than welcome to approach other academics in the department for initial advice on the sort of organisations to approach in their given field of expertise. However, the essential point remains the same – it is up to motivated, self-starting students who wish to be on the WBL programme to create their project themselves, and the department will give all the support it can.