MASYK5900 Master's Thesis Course description

Under supervision, the students will conduct an independent empirical research or development project, or a literature study. Students will write a master's thesis on a common topic, preferably in pairs of students. Within the chosen topic, different research questions can be developed and the topic can be elucidated from various theoretical and methodological approaches. If two students work on the master's thesis together, each student's contributions must be documented. The thesis can be written as (1) a monograph or (2) a scientific article on a specialised topic in addition to a thematic assignment.

Work on developing a project plan in preparation for the master's thesis begins and runs alongside the method courses in the spring semester, before the master's course itself starts in the autumn semester.

All other compulsory and elective courses in the programme must be passed before the student can submit their master's thesis for assessment.

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

Knowledge

The student

• has advanced knowledge of nursing as a discipline and a science and can analyse clinical issues to identify a need for research and professional development

• has in-depth knowledge of the research process

Skills

The student is capable of

• analysing relevant theories and clinical issues to initiate a research or development project

• using relevant methods for research or development work in their own work

• analysing and taking a critical approach to different sources of information and using them in professional argumentation in their own research or development project

• carrying out an independent, limited research or development project in accordance with applicable standards of research ethics

Competence

The student is capable of

• communicating relevant issues, analyses and conclusions from their own research or development work to both the general public and academia

• developing patient care by implementing research and engaging in professional development

The work and teaching methods used include self-study, three master's seminars with presentations, and an offer of 20 hours' supervision.

The seminars are an arena for sharing experience from all stages of the project work. Students will take part in academic discussion and practise structuring and wording academic argumentation and communicating constructive criticism. Presenting their work, giving feedback to fellow students and receiving feedback from lecturers are important aspects of the seminars. The project plan has a scope of 3,000 words (+/- 10%) and must be approved by the student's supervisor.

The following must have been approved in order for a student to be permitted to submit the master's thesis:

• Three oral presentations (up to 20 minutes) at the master's seminars

Written master's thesis, preferably written in pairs of students.

The master's thesis can be written as a monograph or as an article/articles on a specialised topic.

Scope: Monograph:  When two write together: 35,000 words (+/- 25 %)  When writing alone: 35,000 words (+/- 10%) 

Scope: Article(s) (publishable manuscript with a scope and design suited to the chosen journal) and a specialised topic: When two write together: 7,000 words (+/- 25 %) When writing alone: 7,000 words (+/- 10%)

The thesis must be in accordance with the guidelines for work on the master's thesis in Nursing - Clinical Research and Professional Development.

Students are offered twenty hours' supervision.

Supervision agreement signed by students and supervisor at the start of the supervision.

The literature selected by the student in connection with the master¿s thesis must comprise approx. 4,000 pages. The literature must be relevant to the research question and method(s) used in the master¿s thesis.

In the appendix to the thesis follows an overview of what the individual has contributed when two students write together.

All aids are permitted, as long as the rules for source referencing are complied with.

Grade scale A-F.

All answer papers are assessed by two examiners. One examiner must be external. A supervisor is not allowed to be an examiner for the theses of students he or she has supervised.