Dr Mai Taha and Dr Ayça Çubukçu

The Programme Convenor is responsible for overseeing the Dissertation.

This course is compulsory on the MSc in Human Rights. This course is not available as an outside option.

The dissertation is an extended piece of written work that is your own independent research investigation of a human rights issue or problem, undertaken with the guidance of your dissertation supervisor. In the dissertation, you will critically appraise evidence, arguments and debates to reach a conclusion your research question. The key requirement is that the dissertation should demonstrate a high level of independent critical ability. You must show your ability to organise your material clearly and logically and to sustain a reasoned and cogent argument from beginning to end. Where appropriate you should explain clearly the research method(s) that you have applied and the reasons for your choice of approach. You should show awareness of any shortcomings of your study in relation to methods employed and where relevant, quality or quantity of the data, and disciplinary approach.

2 hours of lectures in the AT. 3 hours of seminars in the WT. 2 hour of seminars in the ST.

There will be one Introductory lecture in AT for all MSc Human Rights students, on the challenges and requirements of doing independent research for dissertation purposes, and different methodologies available for an inter-disciplinary programme. The Introductory session will also cover fieldwork and research ethics. This will be followed by 5 seminars/workshops in smaller groups, in which students present and discuss possible research questions and strategies, along with preparing dissertation proposal and timeline.

There will be two sessions during AT for ALL MSc students based in the Sociology department. These will be offered in conjunction with LSE Life and LSE Library and provide basic guidance about planning your dissertation, such as selecting a suitable topic, designing the research and reviewing the existing literature.

Reading Weeks: Students on this course will have a reading week in AT Week 6 and WT Week 6, in line with departmental policy.

Students are required to submit an annotated bibliography in WT.

Alan Bryman, Social Research Methods (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004)

Clive Seale, The Quality of Qualitative Research (London: Sage, 1999)

Clive Seale (ed), Researching Society and Culture (London: Sage, 2012)

Howard Becker, Writing for Social Scientists (Chicago:  University of Chicago, 1986)

Dissertation (100%, 10000 words) in August.

An electronic copy of the dissertation, to be uploaded to Moodle, no later than 4.00pm on Thursday 14th of August 2025.

Dissertations may be up to and no more than 10,000 words, must be word-processed and be fully referenced using a recognised citation system.

Attendance at all classes and submission of all set coursework is required.