Dissertations
The concept of a degree earned entirely via the submission of a dissertation can correctly be regarded as British or European in origin, and has a distinguished history over several hundred years that continues to this day. As such, it offers a distinct route from the North American concept of the masters or doctoral dissertation as an adjunct to coursework in the wider remit of the field concerned. In the European context, there is no such coursework requirement and the degree rests solely upon the assessment of the thesis.

Programs by Dissertation Assessment
The mature, experienced candidate will often be qualified to pursue a program that rests solely on the assessment of an extended report or inquiry in their field of expertise. This may take the form of a traditional academic dissertation, or instead be an extended project of a creative, artistic or design nature, or a systematic report of a given investigation. In each case the nature of the work to be submitted will be approved by the University at a preliminary stage before submission takes place. The work in question may have been started or completed before enrolment, though it should not have been submitted for another academic award previously.

As an example, a candidate with, say, eight years experience and a recognized university-level diploma may be eligible for a combined Bachelor's and Master's degree program, the former as a dissertation assessment program and the latter by coursework. Through the application of APEL points recognizing the credits that arise from prior study and relevant learning in a professional context, this candidate may only need to complete a dissertation of 8,000 words to earn their bachelor's degree, thus enabling them to then proceed to the master's program much more quickly than would be the case elsewhere.

The student can choose to work under a subject mentor or mentors of their choice and contract with them independently provided the individual(s) in question have been approved by the University. Alternatively, the University can introduce subject mentors in most of the standard academic fields when required.

Candidates whose subject mentor is external to the University have an additional University Mentor assigned for general academic guidance and liaison. The University Mentor does not normally offer tuition or supervision of a subject-specific nature. They are available to assist with such matters as proper structure, format and presentation, and to advise on the academic standards expected by the University.

Dissertations in interdisciplinary and pioneering subjects
A number of dissertation subjects received by the University constitute pioneering or interdisciplinary work outside the mainstream of academia, a position which the University welcomes. In such situations, the student is often sufficiently expert in their chosen area to take charge of their learning process rather than requiring close supervision, and will welcome the opportunity to use their knowledge and resources to complete the project largely on their own under an independent learning contract. The University will assign a University Mentor to the candidate as detailed above, whose role will be generally supportive and pastoral in nature.

The University offers general guidance on the requirements for the thesis both through the University Mentor and its Policies. It will arrange for the thesis to be read and examined by a panel of individuals who, while having previous experience of examination at the doctoral level, will not necessarily be subject experts. The student must therefore ensure that the thesis is intelligible throughout and that technical terms are clearly explained and contextualized.

General guidance
The University offers guidance to the student on structuring the dissertation in its Guidelines for Dissertation and Thesis Preparation, though it recognizes that dissertations in other than the traditional format may take on a different form.

Prospective candidates should also familiarize themselves with the University Regulations.

>>Guidelines for Dissertation and Thesis Preparation