SMUA5900 Master thesis Course description

The master's thesis takes the form of an independent, supervised research or development work in one of the key subject areas of the program and constitutes further specialization in either smart mobility or urban analytics. The thesis addresses relevant topics and challenges in research and practice.  The master's thesis is a written report based on well-established and internationally acknowledged research principles and methods.

The master's thesis must take a scientific approach, and the results must contain novel elements in applied methods, application and knowledge gain.  Each student or group of students will be assigned an internal supervisor, who will ensure that the project complies with research ethics principles and help students to formulate the research question and ensure quality in the collection and analysis of data.

The master's thesis builds on all the courses taught in the previous semesters. Students must have passed all their first-year exams before they are entitled to supervision on the work on their master's thesis.

After completing the master's thesis, the student is expected to have achieved the following learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills and general competence:

Knowledge:

The student:

• has in-depth knowledge in the field of smart mobility or urban analytics and specialized knowledge in the topic of the master thesis

• has in-depth knowledge of theories and methods of relevance to the topic of the master's thesis

• has knowledge of new solutions, technologies or processes in the field

Skills:

The student:

• is capable of critically analyzing different sources of information and using them to structure and formulate scientific arguments

• is capable of employing existing theories, methods and solutions as well as working independently in a practical and theoretical problem-solving fashion

• is capable of using relevant methods in research and for developing the thesis in an independent manner

• is capable of carrying out an independent, delimited research or development project under supervision and in accordance with applicable research ethical standards.

General competence:

The student:

• is capable of applying his/her knowledge and skills to new fields for the purpose of carrying out advanced tasks and projects

• is capable of communicating extensive independent work and masters the forms of expression used in the field

• is capable of communicating on issues, analyses and solutions in the field of smart mobility and urban analytics, both with specialists and with the general public

• is capable of contributing to new ideas and innovative processes

The master's thesis is an independent piece of work carried out by a student or a group of students under supervision. Group work is encouraged if the master's thesis is related to a large-scale industrial or research project. The thesis shall take the form of a written report prepared in a scholarly format, and an oral presentation of the thesis. The report must describe the research question and the work carried out and explain the result.

If the thesis is written in cooperation with an external partner, the student(s) shall be assigned an external supervisor in addition to their internal supervisor.

The theses will be presented and discussed at seminars with fellow students and supervisors.

The following required coursework must be approved before a student can take the exam:

A minimum of two milestone meetings between the student and supervisor.

The master's thesis consists of an individual written report that demonstrates the knowledge, skills and general competence described above, and an oral presentation at a plenary session. The thesis should be written in English. The oral presentation of the thesis and questioning by the examiner will take place in English. Prototypes and/or other products that the student has developed can be included as part of the thesis.

Students must be awarded an E or better on their thesis to be permitted to give the presentation. The master's thesis and the presentation will be assessed as a whole, but if there is doubt about the grading of the thesis, the grade can be adjusted up or down by one grade on the basis of the quality of the presentation and pertaining questioning.

Students can appeal against the grade awarded for the written thesis in accordance with Section 5-3 of the Act relating to Universities and University Colleges. If the grade is changed due to a re-assessment, the student must take the oral exam again. The oral exam grade cannot be appealed.

Graded scale A-F.

Two examiners, one internal and one external.