Dissertation examples

Listed below are some of the best examples of research projects and dissertations from undergraduate and taught postgraduate students at the University of Leeds

We have not been able to gather examples from all schools.

The module requirements for research projects may have changed since these examples were written. Refer to your module guidelines to make sure that you address all of the current assessment criteria.

Some of the examples below are only available to access on campus.

Undergraduate examples
Taught Masters examples


Institute of Psychological Sciences These dissertations achieved a mark of 80 or higher: An investigation into the relationship between early exposure and brand loyalty The relationship between sustained and divided attentional abilities and Autistic Spectrum Disorder traits Experiences of parents of people with anorexia nervosa: an interpretative phenomenological analysis Autonomous motivation: the key to employee performance and workplace success?
Leeds University Business School LUBS3305 The following two examples have been annotated with academic comments. This is to help you understand why they achieved a good 2:1 mark but also, more importantly, how the marks could have been improved. Please read about the annotations (PDF) to help you make the most of the two examples. To what extent should Costa Rica's tourism strategy be imitated by Nicaragua? (PDF) (Mark 68) An Investigative Study into the Effects of Price and Non-Price Oriented TV Advertising on Generation Z Consumers’ Purchase Intentions. (PDF) (Mark 66) These final year projects achieved a mark of a high first: Electric Cars: Investigation into consumer attitudes in the UK car industry (PDF) Exploring Social Perceptions of Women Leaders at Work: How does the Double Bind of Appearance and Personality Impact Women’s Opportunities to make it to the Top? (PDF) Studying the relationship between online behaviour and learning preferences, using the Internet Addiction Test and the Index of Learning Styles (PDF) Dressed to Disrupt: Motivations Behind Millennial Women Consuming Feminist Fashion (PDF) Is thin no longer ‘in’? A study exploring the difference between marketeers’ and non-marketeers’ opinions of model size on advertising effectiveness, brand perceptions and purchase intentions (PDF) A Critical Discourse Analysis of How Women in Top Business and Leadership Roles Were Represented Within The Times and The New York Times During March 2013 (PDF) For students undertaking a New Venture Creation (NVC) approach, please see the following Masters level examples: New Venture Opportunity for Implementing M-health in Myanmar (PDF) Recycling venture in Thailand (PDF) Healthy pharmacy venture in Thailand (PDF) LUBS3320/21 (International Business) Determinants of patent innovation of Central and Eastern Europe knowledge intensive firms: the roles of R&D expenditure and internationalisation (PDF) The Impact of FDI and Remittances on Economic Growth in South Asia: A Panel Data Study (PDF) An Exploratory Study of Consumer Animosity in the United Kingdom (PDF) The Impact of Resources on International Entrepreneurship: An Exploratory Study (PDF) LUBS3345 The gig-economy and the impact on the millennial generation (PDF) Generation Y in the Accounting Industry: An Exploration into Their Work Values and the Impact of These on Individual Outcomes (PDF) A Marketing Enigma: Consumer Brand Engagement with Health and Fitness Brands on Instagram (PDF) Examining motivational factors and challenges of ethnic female entrepreneurs: Lessons learnt from the UK (PDF) Alternative Asset Investment Criteria, with a focus on Private Equity (PDF) Financial Stress, Coping Mechanisms and Job Withdrawal Behaviours among Young Financial Workers (PDF)
Lifelong Learning Centre An evaluation following the introduction of restorative practice in comparative school settings The transition experience: Are we getting it right? What influences effective intervention in parenting support? An investigation in to best practice. Where does partnership with parents begin? A study to explore nursery home visits from different perspectives.
School of Chemical and Process Engineering Electrochemical characterisation of gallium alloys for use as a phospholipid monolayer support Image processing and analysis of porous materials The mechanism of formation of porous calcite composite crystals through thermal decompositio RecA-based patterning of DNA scaffolds
School of Computer Science Projects which attained grades of over 70 or between 60 and 69 are indicated on the lists (accessible only by students and staff registered with School of Computer Science, when on campus). School of Computer Science examples
School of Electronic and Electrical Engineering These are good quality reports but they are not perfect. You may be able to identify areas for improvement (for example, structure, content, clarity, standard of written English, referencing or presentation quality). The design of a FMCW microwave radar range detector Fabrication and measurement of two dimensional electron gas and one dimensional electron gas samples
School of English An exploration of female and male homosocial bonds in D. H. Lawrence's 'serious English novels' Faith, Selfhood and the Blues in the Lyrics of Nick Cave
School of Law The following examples all achieved a mark of 81 or above: An Analysis of the Extent to Which the Clinical Guidelines pertaining to Gender Dysphoria Sufficiently Promote Autonomy An Analysis of the Role of the Law in Cases of Prolonged Disorders of Consciousness: Are Patients Adequately Protected? A Criticial Evaluation of Limited Liability and Separate Legal Personality and Their Role in Facilitating and Perpetuating Corporate Irresponsibility 'Together with the police and the army the family is considered as one of the most violent social organizations in society' Does the Law do Enough to Tackle Domestic Abuse in England and Wales? Autonomy and Capacity in Healthcare: What Do They Mean and to What Extent Are Interpretive Limitations Failing Those Who Lack Them? Freedom of Expression in the Workplace and Beyond: Should Employers Be Able To Dismiss Their Employees For Their Social Media Use? How Effective is International Law in Preventing the Use of Force in the Israel-Palestine Conflict? A Legal Analysis of Israel’s Response to the Hamas Attacks on October 7th 2023
School of Mathematics Symmetry in Escher’s Drawings Maximising the Competitive Edge in Formula 1 Racing through Particle Swarm Optimisation The Dynamics of Accretion Discs Separating chaos from noise Egyptian Fractions
School of Media and Communication School of Media and Communication examples of good dissertations.
School of Physics and Astronomy Quantum effects in biology Melting point of a PVdF polymer gel electrolyte with changing PC:EC ratio Herbig Ae/Be star accretion rates and the Hertzsprung Russell diagram Raman spectroscopy and its reliability in the study of bone quality and composition Solitons: Propagation of solitary waves through blood
School of Politics and International Studies The following outstanding dissertation example PDFs have their marks denoted in brackets. PIED3760 Cornwall and England: When is Regionalism Nationalism? (Mark 78) Does Economic Limitarianism Provide a Solution to the Climate Crisis? (Mark 72) The One Health framework and its implementation in global health governance through public-private partnerships (Mark 75) PIED3750 A decade on from the ‘National Apology’: The threat of another ‘Stolen Generation’ of Indigenous Australians (Mark 91) The Framing of Citizenship Deprivation: An analysis of the UK mainstream media’s framing of the citizenship deprivation of Shamima Begum (Mark 85) The Rise of the Snow Dragon: Assessing the impact of China’s increasing role in the Arctic on the future development of its regional governance regimes (Mark 85) The Justification of Violent Revolution (Mark 85) Making the stones speak: exploring the motivations of queer street artists in the United States (Mark 91) PIED3759 An empirical analysis of cooperative creation, survival compared to capitalist firms and survival between different co-op types in the United Kingdom (Mark 85) A quantitative analysis of the country level factors influencing female representation in national legislatures of electoral democracies (Mark 75)
School of Sociology and Social Policy This dissertation achieved a mark of 84: Sporting Masculinities: A Comparison of Gramscian and Foucauldian concepts of power.

Institute of Psychological Sciences

These dissertations achieved a mark of 80 or higher:

An investigation into the relationship between early exposure and brand loyalty

The relationship between sustained and divided attentional abilities and Autistic Spectrum Disorder traits

Experiences of parents of people with anorexia nervosa: an interpretative phenomenological analysis

Autonomous motivation: the key to employee performance and workplace success?

Leeds University Business School

LUBS3305

The following two examples have been annotated with academic comments. This is to help you understand why they achieved a good 2:1 mark but also, more importantly, how the marks could have been improved.

Please read about the annotations (PDF) to help you make the most of the two examples.

To what extent should Costa Rica's tourism strategy be imitated by Nicaragua? (PDF) (Mark 68)

An Investigative Study into the Effects of Price and Non-Price Oriented TV Advertising on Generation Z Consumers’ Purchase Intentions. (PDF) (Mark 66)

These final year projects achieved a mark of a high first:

Electric Cars: Investigation into consumer attitudes in the UK car industry (PDF)

Exploring Social Perceptions of Women Leaders at Work: How does the Double Bind of Appearance and Personality Impact Women’s Opportunities to make it to the Top? (PDF)

Studying the relationship between online behaviour and learning preferences, using the Internet Addiction Test and the Index of Learning Styles (PDF)

Dressed to Disrupt: Motivations Behind Millennial Women Consuming Feminist Fashion (PDF)

Is thin no longer ‘in’? A study exploring the difference between marketeers’ and non-marketeers’ opinions of model size on advertising effectiveness, brand perceptions and purchase intentions (PDF)

A Critical Discourse Analysis of How Women in Top Business and Leadership Roles Were Represented Within The Times and The New York Times During March 2013 (PDF)

For students undertaking a New Venture Creation (NVC) approach, please see the following Masters level examples:

New Venture Opportunity for Implementing M-health in Myanmar (PDF)

Recycling venture in Thailand (PDF)

Healthy pharmacy venture in Thailand (PDF)

School of Computer Science

Projects which attained grades of over 70 or between 60 and 69 are indicated on the lists (accessible only by students and staff registered with School of Computer Science, when on campus).

School of Computer Science examples

School of Electronic and Electrical Engineering

These are good quality reports but they are not perfect. You may be able to identify areas for improvement (for example, structure, content, clarity, standard of written English, referencing or presentation quality).

The design of a FMCW microwave radar range detector

Fabrication and measurement of two dimensional electron gas and one dimensional electron gas samples

School of English

An exploration of female and male homosocial bonds in D. H. Lawrence's 'serious English novels'

Faith, Selfhood and the Blues in the Lyrics of Nick Cave

School of Law

The following examples all achieved a mark of 81 or above:

An Analysis of the Extent to Which the Clinical Guidelines pertaining to Gender Dysphoria Sufficiently Promote Autonomy

An Analysis of the Role of the Law in Cases of Prolonged Disorders of Consciousness: Are Patients Adequately Protected?

A Criticial Evaluation of Limited Liability and Separate Legal Personality and Their Role in Facilitating and Perpetuating Corporate Irresponsibility

'Together with the police and the army the family is considered as one of the most violent social organizations in society' Does the Law do Enough to Tackle Domestic Abuse in England and Wales?

Autonomy and Capacity in Healthcare: What Do They Mean and to What Extent Are Interpretive Limitations Failing Those Who Lack Them?

Freedom of Expression in the Workplace and Beyond: Should Employers Be Able To Dismiss Their Employees For Their Social Media Use?

How Effective is International Law in Preventing the Use of Force in the Israel-Palestine Conflict? A Legal Analysis of Israel’s Response to the Hamas Attacks on October 7th 2023

School of Mathematics

Symmetry in Escher’s Drawings

Maximising the Competitive Edge in Formula 1 Racing through Particle Swarm Optimisation

The Dynamics of Accretion Discs

Separating chaos from noise

Egyptian Fractions

School of Media and Communication

School of Media and Communication examples of good dissertations.

School of Physics and Astronomy

Quantum effects in biology

Melting point of a PVdF polymer gel electrolyte with changing PC:EC ratio

Herbig Ae/Be star accretion rates and the Hertzsprung Russell diagram

Raman spectroscopy and its reliability in the study of bone quality and composition

Solitons: Propagation of solitary waves through blood

School of Politics and International Studies

The following outstanding dissertation example PDFs have their marks denoted in brackets.

PIED3760

Cornwall and England: When is Regionalism Nationalism? (Mark 78)
Does Economic Limitarianism Provide a Solution to the Climate Crisis? (Mark 72)
The One Health framework and its implementation in global health governance through public-private partnerships (Mark 75)

PIED3750

A decade on from the ‘National Apology’: The threat of another ‘Stolen Generation’ of Indigenous Australians (Mark 91)
The Framing of Citizenship Deprivation: An analysis of the UK mainstream media’s framing of the citizenship deprivation of Shamima Begum (Mark 85)
The Rise of the Snow Dragon: Assessing the impact of China’s increasing role in the Arctic on the future development of its regional governance regimes (Mark 85)
The Justification of Violent Revolution (Mark 85)
Making the stones speak: exploring the motivations of queer street artists in the United States (Mark 91)

PIED3759

An empirical analysis of cooperative creation, survival compared to capitalist firms and survival between different co-op types in the United Kingdom (Mark 85)
A quantitative analysis of the country level factors influencing female representation in national legislatures of electoral democracies (Mark 75)

School of Sociology and Social Policy

This dissertation achieved a mark of 84:

Sporting Masculinities: A Comparison of Gramscian and Foucauldian concepts of power.


Leeds University Business School LUBS5530 Enterprise New Venture Opportunity for Implementing M-health in Myanmar (PDF) Recycling venture in Thailand (PDF) Healthy pharmacy venture in Thailand (PDF)
School of Earth and Environment MSc Sustainability Single-use plastic reduction at UK higher learning institutions – Motivations and best practice (PDF)
School of Education Examples are shown with mark denoted in brackets: A qualitative study exploring Hong Kong children’s friendship preferences and experiences after migrating to the UK (85) A qualitative exploration of Chinese schoolteachers’ understanding of workplace bullying (85) Factors influencing teachers' engagement with research in English schools (85) The impact of the UNCRC on children’s participation rights in UK education: A mixed methods survey of teachers’ application of and perspective on children’s participation rights (78)
School of Food Science and Nutrition Hydrolysis of phenolic acid esters by esterase enzymes from Caco-2 cells and rat intestinal tissue Nanostructure of Sorghum Starch Granules as Studied by Small Angle X-Ray Scattering (SAXS)
School of Languages, Cultures and Societies Antoinette's construction of the Self in Wide Sargasso Sea Culture Shock: Reexamining the Concept and the W-curve Model of the Adaptation Process through Sojourner Experiences of International Students Us and Them: Exploring Internationalisation and International Postgraduate Student Identity at the University of Leeds An Investigation into Language and Cultural Planning in the Basque Country La Vida Cotidiana del Migrante Ecuatoriano: A glimpse into the lives of Ecuadorian immigrants in Spain and the United States Für immer fremd German Television Advertisements and the "normalization of ethnicity" Cultural Variations of Democracy: 'Thai-Style Democracy' The extent to which Japanese soft power is effective in Japan-China relations. An Exploration of Intergenerational Hakka Maintenance and Shift in Guangdong Cultural Appropriation: Kimchi Controversy and Culture Wars between China and South Korea Reading for global citizens: A contextual analysis of international children’s literature in translation Race and Teen TV: A New Cycle of Representation?
School of Mathematics Epidemic Modelling Ramsey Theory MATH5871M The Effects of Missing Data on Multiple Linear & Logistic Regression Detecting configurational motifs in protein structures Investigating Methods of Modelling Financial Time Series with Empirical Analysis MATH5872M Significant factors and indicators of NHS providers’ performance in meeting referral to treatment waiting time standards An Analysis of the Statistical Models Developed after the 2001 Foot and Mouth Epidemic Gas Smart Meters and Indicators of Fuel Poverty.
School of Politics and International Studies The following outstanding dissertation example PDFs have their marks denoted in brackets. PIED5800 Women’s Low Labour Participation in Lebanon: Understanding the Intersectional Barriers to Women’s Labour Force Participation (Mark 70) Presentation and Reality of Development: A Discourse Analysis of the Ecuadorian State’s Buen Vivir (Mark 78)