EPN-V2

MAVIT4070 Research Design and Project Description Course description

Course name in Norwegian
Forskningsdesign og prosjektbeskrivelse
Weight
10.0 ECTS
Year of study
2023/2024
Course history
Curriculum
FALL 2023
SPRING 2024
Schedule
Programme description

  • Introduction

    Language of instruction: English (Norwegian if no English-speaking students have registered for the course)

    This course covers the research process from the planning phase until completion of the master’s thesis, including literary searches and referencing, formulation of research questions/hypotheses/issues, choice of research method and development of a project description, as well as ethical assessments relating to the student’s own work. Formal requirements for the project description are also covered to enable the student to complete the project description for their master’s thesis by the end of the course.

  • Recommended preliminary courses

    MAVIT4050 Theory of Science and Research Methods, 10 ECTS credits or equivalent.              MAVIT4060 Qualitative and Quantitative Research Methodology, 10 ECTS credits.

  • Required preliminary courses

    The student must have been admitted to the Master’s Programme in Health Sciences.

  • Learning outcomes

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

    Knowledge

    The student

    • can develop a research question for their master’s thesis
    • can independently describe relevant academic frame of reference and/or context as a foundation for a project plan for the master’s thesis

    Skills

    The student

    • can plan a research project and write a project description in a precise scientific format and language
    • can carry out extensive and systematic literature searches relating to their own project description, summarise and discuss the findings of others, and cite sources correctly
    • can reflect upon ethical issues related to the project

    General competence

    The student

    • can analyse and deal critically with various sources of data and use them in scholarly arguments
    • can critically assess relevant ethical norms and values related to the chosen method in the project plan
    • can assess whether a research project requires various forms of registration or approval in accordance with the applicable legislation

  • Teaching and learning methods

    The course will use varied, student-active work methods. The teaching will mainly be digital, in addition to blended learning with seminars on campus during the course. Work and teaching methods include digital lectures, individual literature studies and written work, oral presentations, group discussions and supervision. Up to two hours of guidance is given on the project description.

  • Course requirements

    The following must have been approved in order for the student to take the examination: 

    • compulsory attendance and participation at seminar days
    • presentation of the student’s project plan for the master’s thesis with subsequent discussion in a plenary session
    • the student must give written and oral feedback to a fellow student’s project plan (peer assessment/opponent)

  • Assessment

    A project examination in the form of a project description for the student's master’s thesis, individual or in groups, depending on whether the thesis will be written individually or in a group. Scope: 3,000 words (+/- 20%). For group assignments, one overall grade is awarded for the whole group.

    Resit examination: If the student fails the assignment, he/she will be given one (1) opportunity to submit a reworked version.

    If the course is taught in English, students can also choose to write/conduct the examination in a Scandinavian language (Norwegian, Swedish or Danish).

  • Permitted exam materials and equipment

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

  • Grading scale

    Pass/fail.

  • Examiners

    All examination papers are assessed by two internal examiners. An external programme supervisor will evaluate the form of assessment.

  • Overlapping courses

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