The main aim of the course is to provide students practical skills in one of two forms of research relevant to the applied aviation environment. The first form is the use of research to review, critique and analyse existing literature to provide solutions to issues in the aviation industry. The second form deals with using primary or secondary data in providing solutions to issues in the aviation industry. These forms will be called Literature Analysis and Applied Research respectively.

It is part of the Masters program design that students be able to take initiative and use their imagination to solve problems in the industry using research- hence the identification and formulation of a research project is strong indication of the students capability of passing the requirements for the Masters course. However for students not in the industry there maybe some problems in selecting an appropriate project and hence there maybe avenues for students to be set projects with the Aviation’s Departments academic staff. (Note that of the 300 students who have done this course, less than 5 students fell into this category). There is more on these aspects later.

This course runs for twelve weeks.
It is delivered entirely in Distance Learning format and is therefore accessible from any location.

The course will be administered through WEBCT Vista

Students need to log in with their student id and unipass to access the course. The course material is there plus any additional material that the author puts there.
Your assignments should be uploaded on to the website and all questions directed through the mail system. The Facilitator will use the course site to make announcements and to mark the assignments and answer questions.

The student can enrol in either Semester 1 or Semester 2, and the work should be completed within that semester. Each semester is a total of 12 weeks. Extensions beyond a single semester are not automatically given, and must be applied for in writing. Failure to meet submission deadlines (without approval) will result in late submission penalties equalling 10% per day, including weekend and public holidays.

Prior to formal enrolment (or if enrolled as soon as practicable), the student should contact the Aviation Department’s AVIA5020 Course Administrator (currently Rodger Robertson) via email outlining their research area of interest. The initial email should only be sent once the student has sufficiently researched the area of interest and ascertained that sufficient data and/or information is available to support the project.

Aviation Department’s AVIA5020 Course Administrator (currently Rodger Robertson) will review the proposed research topic and assign a supervisor within the Department of Aviation who is familiar with the chosen area. The appointed supervisor will provide comments on the proposed research topic, and approve the project and research topic for enrolment to proceed. Course enrolment dates are around mid February (S1) and mid July (S2), therefore proposed research topics should be submitted no earlier than one week prior to commencement to enable feedback and approval.

Once enrolled, the student’s responsibilities are two-fold.

5,000 words plus references.
Discuss with supervisor if limit is unmanageable. The reports style is meant to be similar to a journal article or report to the management of a company or aviation authority.

Official submission date for the final report is midnight on Sunday 31 May for Semester 1 and Sunday 11 October for Semester 2.

Failure to submit a final report by the due date will result in a course failure, unless an extension has been granted prior to the due date. If students are unable to submit their final report by the due date, they must contact the course administrator outlining:**

**Please note, report extensions are not automatically granted and each application will be assessed on its merit. A 10% per day (including weekends and public holidays) late submission penalty will apply to all reports submitted post due date.

The Research Report will be marked by a minimum of two assessors, one of who will be the official supervisor. The Department of Aviation will approve the final mark.

There is no set text for this course. However, two books can be useful for the writing of reports. If you propose to do the Literature review form of report then we recommend:

For the Applied Research reports using data then the following is recommended:

The recommended texts are available for short term loan from the UNSW Library or for purchase from;

The University of New South Wales provides a range of resources to help students develop their skills and to realise their full potential. The Learning Centre, located at the entrance to the Library provides guidance material, which is also available on-line.

In particular, students may wish to access the following:

Note-Taking Skills
The Basics of Essay Writing
Answering Assignment Questions
Report Writing FAQs
The Basics of Studying for Exams
Surviving Exams
Exam Skills
Plagiarism
The American Psychological Association (APA) Referencing System