Master´s Thesis - The Welfare Society, Power and Governance
The master's thesis in social analysis is an independent research work of a theoretical or empirical nature, which is carried out by the student under supervision. The student can choose topic and research question for the thesis, and will during the second year of the master's degree receive support to develop project descriptions for the master's thesis in collaboration with lecturer and fellow students.
The master's thesis can be based on self-collected empirical material through, for example, interviews, observations or surveys, but may also consist of literature studies or discussions of a theoretical/methodological nature. When relevant, the thesis can be linked to the student's own professional practice. The thesis should demonstrate that the student is able to design an academically interesting and researchable question, and that the student can identify relevant methods and theoretical analytical tools that can address this question in a scientific way. The research and writing of the master's thesis are required to comply with scientific standards, and has to be conducted in accordance with current ethical norms and guidelines.
KNOWLEDGE
The student has:
- advanced knowledge on the design and conduct of social science studies, and specialized insight within a research area of a self-chosen topic.
- in-depth knowledge of some research methods, the guidelines for research ethics, and to the quality requirements related to scientific studies of societies and social processes.
- training in applying social science methods and theory to gain new insight
- experience-based knowledge of the research process, and how research-based approaches can be used to analyze societal issues.
Skills:
The student can:
- Identify, analyze, and relate critically to different sources of information, and apply these to structured and professional reasoning.
- evaluate existing theories, methods, and interpretations within social science disciplines, and use these in independent analytical work.
- design specific research questions, develop a methodological design, and conduct delimited theoretical and/or empirical analyses through scientific procedures.
- carry out an independent and delimited research project, under supervision and in accordance with current norms of research ethics.
COMPETENCE
The student can:
- identify relevant research literature, and carry out smaller research assignments within the domain of social sciences
- evaluate and communicate analytical work. and apply terms and concepts from social sciences.
- evaluate methodological and theoretical approaches for scientific investigations and communicate about social science related issues with specialists and to the general public.
- contribute to novel thinking in innovation processes through the use of research literature and independent analysis
In addition to individual supervision, teaching related to the master's thesis will mainly be organized through the general Master's seminar, which starts in the 1st semester and lasts until the master´s thesis is submitted. Through the seminar, students will work on their project descriptions in the second semester of the master's program where collective guidance is offered. In the seminars, students will have the opportunity to present their project ideas, discuss these with the lecturer and fellow students, and develop their project descriptions. The seminars will also allow for students to link their master's theses to ongoing research projects and specific knowledge needs of stakeholders.
Research Paper
In the 5th and 6th semester of the master's program, the student will participate in master's seminars covering the main topics: literature studies, the use of theory, and the writing process. During the 5th/6th semester, students will submit a short research paper based on existing literature. The research paper must be related to the topic of the master's thesis and may consist of either a delimited literature study or a shorter theoretical work. Content from the research paper may be included in the final master's thesis. Student-to-student assessment is part of the learning activity.
Individual supervision
The students will be assigned an individual supervisor for the master's thesis early in the 5th semester. Supervisors are assigned based on the project descriptions submitted in the 4th semester.
The project descrition must then be approved by the supervisor, who may provide feedback on the need for further revisions. A revised version of the project description is submitted during the 5th semester. Students who have signed a supervision contract are offered up to 13 hours of supervision.
The following coursework requirements must be completed and approved before the student can submit the master's thesis:
- Final project description must be submitted at the start of the 5th semester. The project description must be up to 3000 words. Assessed approved/not approved.
- Research paper (1500-2000 words). Should be a literature study or a theoretical work related to the thesis. Content from the research paper can be included in the master's thesis. Assessed approved/not approved.
Exam: Master thesis and oral defense of the thesis
- Master's thesis: The thesis is primarily written individually. The thesis should be a maximum of 70-90 pages. Notes, references and other attachments are added. In special cases, for example two students involved in a common research/development project, the students can apply to write their thesis in collaboration with another student. In such cases, the thesis must be 50% larger than an individual work. The Master´s thesis is assessed with a temporary grade according to grade rule A-E, Best A, Fail F
- Oral defense: Oral defense of approx. one hour. The final grade for the master's thesis can be adjusted by one grade up or down from the temporary grade.
Overlap refers to a similarity between courses with the same content. Therefore, you will receive the following reduction in credits if you have taken the courses listed below:
SAM5001 - Social Science 3A, 5-10 - 7.5 credits
