This module will develop your skills in both research and technical writing in the area of applying and/or evaluating sustainable smart cities applications/approaches to a specific urban environmental or sustainability issue. You will implement the research proposal which you produced as part of your Research Methods and Project Planning module. This will involve further research into the relevant background and context of your chosen project topic, implementation and evaluation of appropriate methods for collecting and analysing your data, observations and information, the ability to present your findings clearly and concisely, interpret them appropriately and appreciate their significance in relation to the smart city and sustainable urban management agendas. Your research should be at the forefront of sustainable smart cities research and be at a level similar to that required for acceptance and presentation at a national level conference or symposium on smart and sustainable cities. For students in relevant employment, projects may be carried out in their place of work subject to discussions between the employer, student and project supervisor.

A. An 8,500 word project report (80%) - to assess outcomes 1 – 7

B. Either an A1 sized poster or a set of slides and accompanying script for a 15 minute presentation of project findings suitable to be presented at the annual Sustainable Smart Cities Symposium, or equivalent event (20%) - to assess outcomes 1, 4, 5 & 6

Formative feedback will be via on-line tutorial discussions and submission of draft sections of the project prior to final submission.

The project occupies a maximum of 16 weeks. You will be encouraged to complete and submit a draft of your project work to your project tutor within 12 weeks of starting the module for some formative feedback. You will then have 4 weeks to work on producing and submitting the final versions of the work Regular interim progress report meetings between the student and supervisor form an integral part of the project management process and enable both the student and supervisor to monitor progress. These meetings (arranged between supervisor and student) will occupy ~6 hours in total (fortnightly meetings). On completion of your project you will have the opportunity to present your research findings at the annual Sustainable Smart Cities Symposium organised by the University of Alabama at Birmingham, or an equivalent event (in poster format or orally and by virtual or actual attendance at the event).

All required teaching and learning material is either housed or directly accessible from within the module VLE. You are expected to access other supporting texts and peer reviewed journals/e-journals, as appropriate, in relation to your project topic. Some of the following general texts on research methods will also be useful:

Bryman, A. (2012) Social Research Methods (4th edition) OUP Oxford. (ebook edition)

Czarniawska, B. (2014) Social Science Research: From Field to Desk. Sage . (ebook edition)

Fahy, F. & Rau, H. (2013) Methods of Sustainability Research in the Social Sciences. Sage. (ebook edition)

Kuniavsky, M. et al. (2012) Observing the User Experience: A Practitioner’s Guide to User Research. Morgan Kaufmann (ebook edition)

Portigal, S. (2013) Interviewing Users: How to Uncover Compelling Insights. Rosenfeld Media. (ebook edition)

Price, S. et al. (2013) The SAGE Handbook of Digital Technology Research. Sage (ebook edition)

Ward, K. (2013) Researching the city: a guide for students. Sage (ebook edition)

Access to the VLE used for delivering the module, access to e-library resources provided by Staffordshire University and the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

Completion of the PgCert and PgD levels of the Award.