SSA5910 Master's thesis in Social Work Course description

The master’s thesis is an independent, analytical work with a scope of 40 ECTC credits of relevance to the subject areas in the programme. The students must choose a topic to be elucidated through systematic use of qualitative and/or quantitative methods. The research question can be of a theoretical or an empirical nature. The master’s thesis can be submitted as a monograph or as an article-based thesis (article manuscript and introductory chapter (kappe)). 

The language of instruction is Norwegian.

Students must have passed all courses in the master’s degree programme before they can submit their master’s thesis for assessment.

In the second semester, the student will prepare a project outline for their master’s thesis. This work is carried out as part of the course’s compulsory kick-off seminar. A supervisor is assigned at the end of the second semester based on the project outline, and a supervision agreement must be signed. The kick-off seminar and supervision agreement are compulsory coursework requirements. A research market (Mastertorg) and midway seminar are also organised as part of the course.

Number of hours of supervision

For individual master’s theses: a total of 10 hours of supervision, which can take place individually or in groups.

For master’s theses written by two students together: a total of 15 hours of supervision. 

The kick-off seminar takes place in the second semester and consists of two gatherings (one at the beginning and one towards the end of the semester. Each gathering lasts for one day.) The purpose of the seminar is to offer support to individual students as they start working on their master’s thesis, including the preparation of a project outline for the master’s thesis.

The kick-off seminar consists of various activities and forms of learning. At the first gathering, students are given an introduction to the research process, how to develop a research question, research ethics and privacy considerations. Information will also be provided on how to search for relevant literature and about the university library’s services. The supervision agreement, obligations and rights in the supervisor-student relationship will also be covered. At the second gathering, students are given feedback on their project outline in groups, and the planned master’s projects are discussed in groups. The students are assigned their supervisors after the second seminar.

The Mastertorg research market takes place at the beginning of the second semester. At this event, ongoing research projects they can apply to be affiliated to are presented to the students.

Supervision agreement: Once a supervisor has been appointed, the student and the supervisor must review the content of and sign a supervision agreement by a given deadline. This agreement governs the relationship between the supervisor and the student and the rights and obligations in the student-supervisor relationship.

The midway seminar is held at the beginning of the fourth semester for full-time students and in the sixth semester for part-time students. For the seminar, the student must submit a limited number of pages of text that is to be included in the master’s thesis. The text will be presented for discussion and input in groups consisting of fellow students and a lecturer. 

To be eligible to submit the master's thesis, the student must have the following approved mandatory activities and course work requirements:

1. Mandatory participation: Kick-off seminar, day 1 and day 2 (a total of 2 days). 
2. Work requirement: A 2-page project outline of the student's own master's project is to be submitted to the appointed supervisor within the specified deadline. A specific template must be followed. If the project outline is not approved by the supervisor, the student is allowed to submit an improved version once within the specified deadline.
3. Mandatory participation: Midway seminar, 1 day at the beginning of the fourth/sixth semester.

Mandatory activities and work requirements must be completed and approved for the student to be eligible to sit for the exam. In case of absence from one or more of the seminars, a compensatory work requirement is given. The compensatory work requirement must be completed and approved within the specified deadline.

The exam consists of two parts: the master’s thesis and an oral exam. Students must have been awarded a pass grade for their thesis before they can take the oral exam. The oral exams starts with the student(s) giving a presentation on the master’s thesis in the form of a lecture (30 minutes, 45 minutes if co-written). The student will then have an individual oral exam (approximately 45 minutes).

The student can be informed of the grade awarded for the master’s thesis before the oral presentation of the master’s thesis (lecture) starts.

The oral presentation (lecture) and the subsequent individual oral exam can adjust the grade awarded for the master’s thesis. The final grade is then set. The final grade is entered on the diploma.

When two students write a thesis together, they will be awarded the same grade for the written thesis. Each student will present their part of the thesis in the form of a lecture and then take an individual oral exam. The lecture and the oral exam will be considered as the individual student’s contribution and be used to adjust the final grade, if relevant.

Students are allowed to submit a new or revised master’s thesis once if they fail. The student is then offered three hours of additional supervision before re-submission. A student will not be allowed to submit a new master’s thesis in the same programme if a pass grade has already been awarded.

In order for the master's thesis to be published and made publicly available, the student must approve a publication agreement prior to submission. Subject to the student's approval, passed and non-claused master's theses will be published in ODA, the university's digital knowledge archive.