MSL5900 Master's Thesis in Public Management Course description

The course requires prior practical and theoretical knowledge that is developed over the 1st and 2nd year of study. A passing grade in the subjects (Non-fiction storytelling) and (The Art of the Story), or an equivalent level of knowledge, is a prerequisite for taking this course.

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

Knowledge:

The student has a solid understanding/knowledge of:

• Sound and images as key components of audiovisual storytelling

• Dramaturgy, storytelling structure and storytelling techniques (particularly as they pertain to the students medium of choice i.e. video or audio)

• Documentary film and documentary sound theory

• The genres within their field of focus (video or audio)

Skills

The student can:

• Develop creative, technically advanced projects of a professional quality

• Devise, plan and produce a documentary film or audio project from idea to final product.

• Employ different dramaturgical storytelling techniques in their productions

• Analyze documentary video and audio content

General Competence

The student can:

• Work collaboratively in a team to produce a creative, fact-based, narrative documentary project

• Successfully demonstrate the ability to carry out various production roles such as (for video) producer, cinematographer, editor, director, sound engineer, etc. (for audio) producer, director, narrator, editor, etc.

Lectures

Workshops

Group work

Feedback sessions

The teaching takes place in person, on campus.

The students are encouraged to select a topic and research question early in the course of the programme and to use the options available in connection with courses and written works to prepare for the master's thesis. The topic, research question and methodological approach to the study can be presented at a seminar dedicated to work on the master's thesis early in the first semester.

Supervision

Each student will be appointed a supervisor. The students have a right to up to eight hours of individual supervision (if relevant two students together). Supervision is not normally given for more than one year after normal study progress.

When a supervisor has been appointed, the student and supervisor must review the content of and sign the supervision agreement during the first supervision hour. This regulates the relationship between supervisor and student, rights and obligations in the supervision relationship.

The following coursework requirements must have been approved in order for the student to take the exam:

• Coursework 1: A project plan of 3 - 5 pages must be approved before work on the master's thesis begins. The project plan must include the research question and plans for the thesis.
• Coursework 2: Participation in a test trial oral examination, including giving feedback to a fellow student, in the spring semester (potentially in the autumn semester depending on when the candidate submits the master's thesis).

All required coursework must be completed and approved by the given deadline in order for the student to take the exam.

The exam in the course is submission of the master's thesis and an oral exam. The master's thesis can be submitted individually or students can work and submit the thesis in pairs.

The master's thesis must have a scope of 16,000 words +/- 10 %. Font and font size: Arial / Calibri 12 points. Line spacing: 1.5. The table of contents, foreword, abstract, reference list and appendixes come in addition to this. When students work in pairs, the students must submit a written declaration on submission describing the division of work between them.

Oral exam If the master's thesis is considered passed, an oral exam is conducted. In the oral examination, the candidate(s) receive a thorough oral feedback on the master's thesis, and otherwise the oral examination consists of a professional conversation about the thesis. The length of the oral exam varies, but usually lasts 30-40 minutes.

The oral exam provides an opportunity for adjusting the grade of the master's thesis up or down one grade. The final grade will be included on the Diploma. When two students write together, they also have a joint oral presentation and oral exam. It is expected that the two students contribute equally in the oral exam.

Students are allowed to submit a new or revised master's thesis once if they are awarded a fail grade. A reworked version of the thesis must be submitted within the given deadline. The student has a right to one additional supervision session before the new 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.

If the student appeals against the grade, a new committee will be appointed and the master's thesis will be re-assessed. If the grade is changed, a new oral exam will be held.

The exam papers are assessed by one internal and one external examiner. At least 25% of the exam papers will be assessed by two examiners. The grades awarded for the papers assessed by two examiners form the basis for determining the level for all the exam papers.

Grade scale A-F

All master's theses are assessed by one internal and one external examiner, including the oral exam.

Agnete Vabø