MARE570 Master's thesis

Contents and structure

The master`s thesis documents the result of academic research and the application of knowledge and skills acquired during the preceding master`s programme courses, as well as students’ previous training and experience. In the thesis research project, the student should demonstrate skills in planning, conducting, analysing and reporting on rehabilitation and ageing in a global perspective research project. The master's thesis can be based on new or existing data or literature. Faculty members supervise students in the process of conducting a thesis research project.

The course starts with work with the project proposal, which builds on previous courses in healthy ageing and rehabilitation as well as on philosophy of science, methodology and methods courses. During the mandatory two intensive week's course, the students get training in presenting and discussing their research proposal, as well as justifying the chosen research design and methods.

The MARE570 course will be divided into two parts. Part A will occur in the last two weeks of August and will lay the foundations for students` thesis work. Part A will be a mandatory two-week intensive session. Part B will occur after MARE540 and MARE550/MARE560 courses and will focus on implementing the project proposal.

Learning Outcome

A student who has completed the thesis should have the following learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills and general competence:

Knowledge:
The student...

• has thorough knowledge on how to plan a research project, write and structure a research proposal/protocol.
• has a thorough knowledge of how to plan, structure and build a master`s thesis.
• has in-depth knowledge of how to define a research problem, pose research questions, set research objectives, and justify selected research methods to answer a research question.
• can use literature and conduct a review.
• has in-depth knowledge of scientific theoretical traditions, and research methods and designs.
• can choose and apply a theoretical framework to the project.
• has advanced knowledge about a substantive theory regarding the research topic.
• has a thorough knowledge of the ethical requirements of research in general, and for the student`s particular project.

Skills:
The student...

• can plan, write a proposal and conduct an independent research project under supervision and by norms for research ethics.
• can collect, evaluate and critically review literature, theory, and data.
• can critically discuss the methodological strengths and weaknesses of the research project.
• can critically integrate and discuss theory and research literature relevant to the research topic.
• can critically analyse data and present empirical material in a clear and structured manner.
• can write an academic document that critical reports on and discusses the research process and findings.
• can present a relevant research problem/question(s) and propose appropriate methodological approaches and data collection and -analysis methods.
• can apply for necessary ethical permissions and conduct a project by research ethics.

General competence:
The student...

• can communicate persuasively, critically and in a context-sensitive way on the importance of own research theme to global healthy ageing and rehabilitation issues to the general public and at policy and academic levels.
• can apply and contribute with own research and area of knowledge to general debates on healthy ageing and rehabilitation both at policy and academic levels.
• can contribute critically and innovatively to healthy ageing and rehabilitation initiatives in a context-sensitive way.
• can communicate and document the research project by research ethics.

Entry requirements

MARE510, MARE520, MARE530, MAMET500, MARE540, and one elective course (either MARE550 or MARE560).

Recommended previous knowledge

None

Teaching methods

Online and on-campus

• Individual work
• Individual supervision and group supervision
• Seminars
• Lectures
• Team work
• Individal presentations related to thesis

Each student has the right to 13 hours supervision of the master's thesis: 5 of the counseling hours are compulsory.

Supervision can be given individually, in groups and in the form of seminars.

The project proposal must be approved by the supervisor before the work on the master`s thesis begins.

Compulsory learning activities

The course requirements must be fulfilled in order to take the exam.

1. Participation during individual and group supervision (five hours are mandatory)
2. Participation during seminars (80% participation)
3. Project proposal, 2000 words (approved)
4. Presentation of project proposal (approved)
5. Presentation of the master`s thesis

Fulfilled course requirements are valid for one subsequent semester.

Assessment

The master’s thesis could be an article-based thesis with a summary chapter, an article-based thesis without a summary chapter or a monograph.

1. Article-based manuscript with summary chapter A Master’s thesis submitted as an article-based manuscript with a summary chapter shall include one article that complies with the authorship guidelines of a relevant scientific journal. The article’s word count shall comply with the limits of the selected journal. The summary chapter shall include a summarising presentation of the scientific result, with a detailed and up-to-date summarising discussion. The summary chapter shall be up to 7500 words. Title page, table of contents, list of references and any appendices come in addition to the 7500 words.
2. Article-based manuscript without a summary chapter A Master's thesis submitted as an article-based manuscript without a summary chapter shall include one article that complies with the authorship guidelines of a relevant scientific journal. The journal shall be chosen in consultation with the supervisor. The article’s word count in the authorship guidelines for the scientific journal is it not necessary to fill in. The article might be a maximum of/up to 7000 words. When the article is on a larger scale, it is expected a more broaden explanation regarding the theoretical perspective and the methodical assessment of which the work is based. Title page, table of content, reference list and eventual attachment are additional.

The article must be ready for submission to the relevant journal in terms of specialist content and format. The exception is the number of words, which must be revised and adjusted before a possible submission. The article must comply with author guidelines for the specific journal.

1. Monograph A Master’s thesis in the form of a monograph shall be up to 25,000 words long. Title page, table of contents, list of references and any appendices come in addition.

Grading scale
The grading scale used is A to F. Grade A is the highest passing grade in the grading scale, grade F is a fail.

New exam
When the grade F (not passed) is given, the student can improve their thesis and hand it in for the new exam. When the new exam is passed, there is no opportunity of delivering a new or revised master`s thesis.

Examination support material

No limitations

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