MASYK5950 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 a monograph or as a scientific article.

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 and can identify clinical issues to clarify the need for research and professional development
• has in-depth knowledge of the research process

Skills

The student is capable of

• analysing clinical issues in order to initiate a research or development project
• using relevant research methods 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 research or development project in accordance with applicable standards of research ethics

Competence

The student is capable of

• disseminating relevant issues, analyses and conclusions from their own research or development project 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, two master's seminars and an offer of 10 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 parts 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 take the exam:

• Two 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 an article.

Scope: Monograph: When two write together:  15,000 words (+/- 25 %).

When writing alone: 15,000 words (+/- 10%)

Scope: Article(s) (publishable manuscript with a scope and design suited to the chosen journal).

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 ten hours' supervision.

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.