Dissertation and oral exam (MLIMAS)

During the second year of the Masters programme, the students produce an academic thesis based on their own research. In addition to independent work on the thesis, the course includes a research seminar and supervision meetings, both with obligatory attendance. During the year, the students are required to submit a research proposal, regular written work to the supervisor and (together with the thesis) an individual reading list. On the basis of the latter, the students will deliver a test lecture before receiving their mark.

The dissertation is a piece of academic written work, based on individual research, on a topic that has been agreed upon by the student and the supervisor. The topic should normally relate to one of the areas studied in the taught part of the course. With one of the first-year modules as a starting point, the dissertation may build upon perspectives from several areas, such as linguistics, literature, didactics, history or media studies.

The dissertation should consist of 85-115 pages (12-point Times New Roman, 1.5 spacing), not including appendices and large tables. It should follow accepted academic conventions. The topic should be clearly delimited, and the principal objectives and source materials should be defined. The methodology should be adequately described, and the work placed within its context in relation to earlier research. Students are encouraged to base their work on primary data collected by themselves.

The object of the test lecture is to ascertain that the candidate has reached the goals defined for the course. The topic of the lecture is set by the examining committee together with the supervisor, on the basis of an individual reading list handed in by the student together with the thesis. The list should reflect some of the central concerns of their work and consist of a minimum of 750 pages. The topic is given to the student ten working days before the date of the lecture.

The lecture is given as soon as possible after the evaluation of the dissertation by the examining committee. The final mark for the course is based on the dissertation, but may be adjusted up or down (by one grade only) on the basis of the lecture.

Knowledge

The student will gain:

• Understanding of the main theoretical issues relevant for the field of research of her/his Masters thesis
• Knowledge of the central literature and issues of debate within the field of research
• Understanding of basic research ethics, including plagiarism and copyright issues as well as research involving living human participants

Skills

By the end of the course, the student will be able to:

• Apply their knowledge to independent research work
• Develop the practical and methodological skills required for their research work
• Account for the theories and methods current within their field of research and explain their own choice of theoretical framework and methodology
• Develop a line of argument based on their own findings
• Present their findings as an academic thesis, following accepted conventions
• Deliver a lecture based on their reading and findings within the field of research of their Masters thesis

General competence

By the end of the course, the student will be able to:

• Make a realistic and structured project plan
• Work independently on a long-term project
• Communicate their findings clearly and efficiently both in speech and writing
• Present and discuss their work in good academic English

• A project proposal (1500-2500 words), to be handed in by a specific deadline (usually within October)
• A minimum of eight supervision meetings
• Attendance at a thesis writing seminar throughout the year, with no more than 25% absence
• An individual reading list (min. 750 pages), handed in together with the thesis

The obligatory activities must be completed before the thesis may be submitted. The student must have completed all the taught modules (altogether 60 sp) before submitting the thesis. The thesis and individual reading list have to be submitted before the student may give a test lecture.

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The student will put together an individual reading list (min. 750 pages) that reflects some central concerns of their work on the thesis. Once the dissertation has been evaluated, the student will give a lecture on a topic relating to the subject areas represented in the reading list.