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Compulsory Course(4 Credits)
An Introduction of Chinese History and Culture
Basic Chinese
Specialized Course(16 Credits)
Global Construction Engineering and Management Practices
Frontier in International Construction
Corporate and Project Finance
Real Estate Market
Legal and Contractual Issues
Project Delivery
Professionalism,Ethics,Leadership&Anti-Corrption
International Business Management in Construction
Research method and thesis writing Course(6 Credits)
Analytical theories,techniques and tools
Research Methodology in Construction Management
Literature Review and Proposal
home > Module Catalogue > Research Methodology in Construction Management

module details

Module Code
Module Title Problem Analysis and Solution Design
Module provider Department of Construction Management
Module Co-ordinator Nan Li
Level Master
Numbers of Credits 2

module availability

Spring Semester

Assessment pattern

Students will be graded per the following criteria

Class attendance 10%
Discussion participation 25%
Assignments 25%
Final proposal 40%

Module overview

Research methodology, which refers to the way research is conducted, may be conceived of in terms of the research philosophy subscribed to, the research strategy employed and so the research instruments developed and/or utilized in the pursuit of research objectives. Research methodology is a fundamental training graduate students should go through in order to get prepared to perform rigorous research activities and deliver high-quality research outcomes, and acquire critical skills for problem analysis and solution design that will be repeatedly used during their career. 


Throughout the semester, the students will have frequent opportunities to share the ideas and design of their research work in their respective areas with the rest of the class, and receive comments and advice from the instructor as well as their peers. Distinguished guest speakers from both areas of project management and real estate will be invited to the class to share their experiences and tips about conducting successful research. In addition, the students will have the opportunity to witness a proposal defense and a thesis defense, given by PhD students in the department, and provide their comments and critiques based on topics taught in this course. 


All students enrolled in this course are expected to develop individually high-quality proposals related to their own areas of research. Each proposal should clearly specify a problem, describe a specific, credible, relevant outcome, crisply differentiate the proposed contribution from prior work, explain how the research challenges will be addressed, and make the case to a non-expert. Students are encouraged to discuss with the instructor and their peers during the process of developing their proposals.

prerequisites/co-requisites

N/A

Module Aims

This course covers most of the important steps in conducting successful research and performing problem resolution, including choosing problems, defining objectives, questions and hypotheses, conducting bibliographic research, selecting or designing research methods, and validating findings. While different domains share these methodological steps in commons, this course does have a particular focus on two areas, namely project management and real estate, to which most explanatory and demonstrative examples used in lectures and directed in-class discussions are linked. Course discussions, assignments and guest lectures are also arranged around these focused areas. 


This course also covers several important topics qualified researchers and problem solvers should be familiar with, including technical writing strategies, the peer-review system, human subject research, and, last but not least, academic integrity. A particular emphasis is given to the cultural differences that have shaped diverse and sometimes conflicting perspectives in viewing these important issues.

Learning outcomes

1)Students will learn the norms and best practice in every step towards achieving academic accomplishments;

2)Students will go through the process of developing a high-quality proposal;

3)Students will learn how to effectiveness communicate with their peers and present their research, and how to appreciate and critique others’ work.

Module content

1)Problem Statement

2)Research objectives, questions and hypotheses

3)Bibliographic research

4)Qualitative methods

5)Quantitative metods

6)Mixed methods

7)Research validation

8)Technical writing strategies

9)Peer review systems

10)Human subject research

11)Academic integrity

methods of teaching learing

A combination of lectures, case studies, peer-to-peer learning and discussions will be employed in this course. Additional out of class time will be required for directed self-learning, reviewing relevant materials, and completing assignments and proposals.

Module hours

32 sessions (45 min per session)

reading list

Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches. J.W. Creswell, Sage Publications

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