MSL5900 Master's Thesis in Public Management Course description

The master's thesis is worth 30 credits, which constitutes a part-time workload over two semesters or full-time workload of about five months. The master's thesis is an independent scientific work. Students will choose and elucidate a topic from the subject areas covered by the programme through systematic use of social science methods. The research question may be linked to the student's own experiences.

To be able to start on the master's thesis, the student must have passed MSL4200 Research Methods and Theory of Science.

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

Knowledge

The student has

• advanced knowledge of a specialised field of public management, primarily in the public sector
• in-depth knowledge of theories relevant to the topic of the master's thesis
• in-depth insight into a topic or phenomenon from several different perspectives
• insight into academic requirements for analysis and written work

Skills

The student is capable of

• carrying out a limited research project under supervision and in accordance with applicable standards of research ethics
• using relevant methods in report work and evaluations
• writing a text with the strucure and content required of a master¿s thesis

General competence

The student is capable of

• reading research literature in a critical and reflective manner
• evaluating the use of methods in and results of studies and evaluations
• communicating knowledge and own research results orally and in writing
• applying knowledge and skills in obtaining and using relevant sources, literature and other information, masters reference and quotation techniques, and is capable of defining what constitutes plagiarism and cheating

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), and must attend at least four supervision sessions and joint supervision seminars. 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 method seminar in the autumn semester and an test trial oral examination, including assessment of a fellow student, in the spring semester (potentially in the autumn semester depending on the candidate submits the master's thesis). 
• Coursework 3: Four of the individual supervision hours are compulsatory. 

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.

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

Grade scale A-F

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

Agnete Vabø