Course code Ekon4103

Credit points 15

Bachelor Thesis

Total Hours in Course405

Independent study hours405

Date of course confirmation19.06.2019

Responsible UnitInstitute of Business and Management Science

Course developer

author prof.

Aina Dobele

Dr. oec.

Course abstract

A bachelor thesis is a research work for acquiring a Bachelor’s degree of social sciences in economics. In the course of writing a bachelor thesis, the student’s theoretical and practical knowledge is systemised, reinforced and extended, which allows assessing the depth and breadth of the student’s knowledge, the skill to find and use information sources and materials, the ability to analyse and critically assess the research works produced by other authors, the ability to formulate conclusions on the research results and to make proposals derived from the findings by exploiting the knowledge gained during the studies.

Learning outcomes and their assessment

KNOWLEDGE
1. Students will be able to: demonstrate the knowledge of economic theories and critically assess the processes occurring and the causal regularities observed in the national economy, comprehend the role of the bioeconomy in rational and sustainable use of resources - bachelor thesis, a review of the bachelor thesis, defence of the bachelor thesis.
2. Demonstrate the knowledge of the legal framework regulating economic processes in the economy - bachelor thesis, a review of the bachelor thesis, defence of the bachelor thesis.
SKILLS
1. Argue the urgency of the topic and problems researched - bachelor thesis, discussion during the defence of the bachelor thesis.
2. Apply proper research methods according to the research aim - bachelor thesis.
3. Critically analyse information sources and make a scientific discussion on the topic - bachelor thesis, discussion during the defence of the bachelor thesis.
4. Independently identify quantitative and qualitative indicators in various databases, perform an initial analysis of the indicators and interpret the results - bachelor thesis.
5. Communicate with managers (employees) of enterprises (institutions, organisations) to acquire the data and information needed for the bachelor thesis - bachelor thesis.
6. Defend the research results and argue the opinion in public as well as answer the questions asked - defence of the bachelor thesis.
COMPETENCE
1. Professionally communicate, provide argumentation and attractively report on economic matters, ensuring their competitiveness in the labour market – either doing a job individually or in a team or managing other employees - bachelor thesis, discussion during the defence of the bachelor thesis.

2. Independently do research, make economically reasonably decisions to solve problems - bachelor thesis, a review of the bachelor thesis, defence of the bachelor thesis.

Course Content(Calendar)

1. Choice and approval of a topic for the bachelor thesis. Familiarisation with the guidelines for writing and defending a bachelor thesis
2. Data acquisition and literature studies
3. Data acquisition and literature studies
4. Processing of the information and data acquired
5. Production of a bachelor thesis
6. Production of a bachelor thesis
7. Pre-defence of the bachelor thesis
8. Enhancement of the bachelor thesis
9. Submission of the bachelor thesis to the institute and the reviewing of it

10. Defence of the bachelor thesis

Requirements for awarding credit points

A bachelor thesis is written and defended at the specialization direction profiling institute and defended at an open meeting of the State Examination Commission

Description of the organization and tasks of students’ independent work

A student writes the bachelor thesis (computer typeset, 50-55 pages in size without annexes) according to the topic chosen independently, consulting the supervisor of the student. A successfully pre-defended, fully formatted and supervisor-signed bachelor thesis is submitted by the student to the specialization direction profiling institute at least 10 days prior the day the defence meeting is held. The procedure of production, supervision, submission, pre-defence and defence of a bachelor thesis is regulated by the Guidelines for Writing and Defending a Bachelor Thesis. An instructional aid for students of the academic bachelor study programme “Economics” of the Faculty of Economics and Social Development. Jelgava, 2018

Criteria for Evaluating Learning Outcomes

The bachelor thesis is defended at an open meeting of the State Examination Commission. Criteria for the evaluation of the bachelor thesis are as follows: relevance of the topic; achievement of the aim and the execution of the tasks; application of the methods; structure and layout of the bachelor thesis; bibliography; presentation skills.
Criteria for a reviewer of the bachelor thesis are defined in the review form (available in the Guidelines for Writing and Defending a Bachelor Thesis. An instructional aid for students of the academic bachelor study programme “Economics” of the Faculty of Economics and Social Development. Jelgava, 2018).
The mark of the bachelor thesis is calculated as an average of the reviewer’s mark and the marks given by State Examination Commission members.
A student has failed to defend his/her bachelor thesis if the State Examination Commission has given a mark of lower than 4 (almost satisfactory).

Compulsory reading

1. Metodiskie norādījumi bakalaura darbu izstrādāšanai un aizstāvēšanai. Mācību palīglīdzeklis Ekonomikas un sabiedrības attīstības fakultātes akadēmiskā bakalaura studiju programmas „Ekonomika” studentiem [tiešsaiste]. Pieejams: http://www.esaf.llu.lv/lv/studiju-un-reglamentejosie-dokumenti
2. LLU Studiju nolikums [tiešsaiste]. Pieejams: http://www.llu.lv/lv/studiju-un-reglamentejosie-dokumenti

3. Latvijas Lauksaimniecības universitātes Nolikums par studiju noslēguma pārbaudījumiem [tiešsaiste]. Pieejams: https://www.llu.lv/sites/default/files/2018-10/Studiju_nosleguma_parbaudijumi_2014_2018.pdf

Further reading

1. Hakim C. Research Design: Successful for Social and Economic Research. 2nd ed. New York: Routledge, 2000. 256 p. ISBN: 0-415-22313-X
2. Ievads pētniecībā: stratēģijas, dizaini, metodes. Sast. K. Mārtinsone. Rīga: RaKa, 2011. 284 lpp.
3. Kristapsone S. Zinātniskā pētniecība studiju procesā: Mācību grāmata augstskolu sociālo zinātņu studiju programmu studentiem. Rīga: Biznesa augstskola Turība, 2008. 352 lpp.
4. Kroplijs A., Raščevska M. Kvalitatīvās pētniecības metodes sociālajās zinātnēs. Rīga: RaKa, 2004. 178 lpp.
5. Mishan E.J. Elements of Cost-Benefit Analysis: George Allen and Unwin LTD. 2011. 151 p. ISBN 978-1-138-85247-1
6. Paura L., Arhipova I. Neparametriskas metodes: SPSS datorprogramma: Mācību līdzeklis. Jelgava: LLKC, 2002. 148 p.
7. Pētījumu metodes ekonomikā un biznesā: Mācību līdzeklis Ekonomikas un Vadības fakultāšu studentiem. Sast. V. Kozlinskis. Jelgava: Dizains poligrāfija, 2005. 97 lpp.
8. Rubene Z. Kritiskā domāšana studiju procesā. Otrais papildinātais izdevums. Rīga: LU Akadēmiskais apgāds, 2008. 215 lpp.
9. Sekaran U., Bougie R. Research Methods for Business: A Skill – Building Approach. 5th ed. Chichester: John Wiley & Sons. 2010. 468 p.
10. Vasermanis E., Šķiltere D., Krasts J. Prognozēšanas metodes. 2. izd. Rīga: LU, 2003. 129 lpp.
11. Wolf C., Joye D., Smith T.W., Fu Yang-chih. The Sage Handbook of Survey Methodology. Croydon: Sage Publications Ltd, 2016. 716 p. ISBN; 978-1-4462-8266-3

12. Zinātniskā rakstīšana un pētījumu rezultātu izplatīšana. K. Mārtinsones un A.Piperes zinātniskajā redakcijā. Rīga: RSU, 2018. 301 lpp.

Periodicals and other sources

1. Scopus datubāze [tiešsaiste]. Pieejams: https://www.scopus.com
2. Web of Science datubāzes [tiešsaiste]. Pieejams: https://apps.webofknowledge.com
3. ScienceDirect Freedom Collection datubāze [tiešsaiste]. Pieejams: https://www.sciencedirect.com
4. EBSCO eBook Academic Collection datubāze [tiešsaiste]. Pieejams: http://web.b.ebscohost.com/ehost/search/advanced?vid=0&sid=5b9d8f4e-5779-40cd-9b4b-5e20f3d1432b%40pdc-v-sessmgr02
5. EBSCOhost datubāzes [tiešsaiste]. Pieejams: http://search.ebscohost.com/
6. Wiley Online Journals datubāze [tiešsaiste]. Pieejams: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/
7. Dienas Bizness: nedēļas laikraksts: Latvijas Biznesa avīze. Rīga: Diena: Dagens Industri, 1992. ISSN 1407-2041
8. Forbes. 2016, Rīga: SK Media. ISSN 1691-6018
9. Diena. Rīga: Diena, 1990. ISSN 1407-1290
10. The Economist. London: Economist Newspaper Ltd. ISSN 0013-0613. Pieejams: http://www.economist.com/?sa_campaign=econsubs/europe/subspage/imglink

11. Latvijas Vēstnesis. Latvijas Republikas oficiālais izdevums [tiešsaiste]. Pieejams: https://www.vestnesis.lv/

Notes

The final paper for the ESAF academic Bachelor study programme “Economics”