FARMA3900 Bachelor's Thesis Course description

In the bachelor's thesis, the students will plan and carry out a research project based on a chosen research question from the field of pharmacy. The students will gain practical research experience and develop skills within the chosen research method. The thesis should focus on the chosen research question, as well as analysis and discussion of the results from the students own research. The thesis must also include a discussion of the student's results in relation to relevant literature.

Outlined below is the composition of subjects, with credits specified:

• Specific subject area chosen, 13 credits
• Scientific method, 2 credits

Passed the second year of the programme.

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

Knowledge

The student

• has knowledge of research in a selected area in the field of pharmacy
• has basic knowledge of key scientific methods and different research designs
• is familiar with the strengths and weaknesses of the research method applied in his/her own project
• is familiar with research ethics related to his/her own project

Skills

The student is capable of

• making use of research-based knowledge, planning and carrying out a methodological academic project in cooperation with others, in accordance with academic requirements for the completion of the thesis
• obtaining relevant literature and integrating it with his/her own academic knowledge  in his/her own project
• describing, analysing and discussing the topic of the thesis and the research question in relation to other published scientific work
• carrying out independent literature searches and using references in a consistent and correct manner
• oral and written academic/scientific reflection and independent assessment of his/her own bachelor's thesis
• discussing, assessing and arguing for his/her own opinions by taking on the role as both opponent and respondent

General competence

The student

• is capable of combining academic knowledge and relevant results from research in a written thesis

Work and teaching methods include lectures, seminars, group work and group sessions.

The 'flipped classroom' is used to teach part of the course. Digital learning resources will be made available to students in advance and the time they spend at the university will be used for solving assignments and working together in groups.

The lecturers propose various topics for the thesis, and the students choose a topic based on their field of interest. The bachelor's thesis is written in groups of three to six students, and is carried out as supervised group work. The supervisor must approve the project plan. Students are offered up to 12 hours with supervisor per thesis. If the thesis includes laboratory work, more supervision is given to ensure that the activity in the lab is conducted safely.

Internationalisation

It is possible for students to write their bachelor's thesis at a partner institution abroad. FARMA3900 will be taught partly in Norwegian and partly in English, and international students can take the whole course in English if required. The students can decide whether they wish to write their bachelor's theses in English or Norwegian. Exchange students must write the thesis in English if the exchange stay is outside Scandinavia.

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

• a minimum attendance requirement of 80% in the bachelor's thesis start-up week
• a minimum attendance requirement of 80% at concluding seminars with oral presentations

Exam content: The learning outcomes

Exam form:

1) A written thesis in groups of 3-6 students. For groups of 3-4 students, the scope of the thesis should be approx. 10,000 words (+/- 10 %) and approx. 12,000 words (+/- 10 %) for groups of 5-6 students. The thesis can be written in either English or Norwegian.

2) Individual oral exam of up to 30 minutes. Students can take the oral exam in either English or Norwegian.

The written thesis must be awarded a grade of A-E in order for the student to be permitted to take the oral exam. The written thesis is awarded a preliminary grade. The final grade is set after the oral exam. The whole grade scale can be used when the final grade is set.         

Students can appeal the grade awarded for the written part of the exam.

All aids are permitted for the written part of the exam. The student can bring a copy of his/her bachelor's thesis to the oral exam.

Grade scale A-F.

One external and one internal examiner.