SBV5900 Master's Thesis in Child Welfare Course description

The master's thesis is an independent work worth 45 credits. It is an advantage if students begin to reflect on the topic and research question for their master's thesis as early as possible.

The master's degree thesis should be an independent and analytical work with relevance to the subject areas in the programme. The students must choose a topic that will be highlighted through systematic use of qualitative and/or quantitative methodologies. The research question can be either of a theoretical or an empirical nature.

The master's thesis is submitted in the form of a monograph or an article manuscript.

None.

Knowledge

The student has

• advanced knowledge of a specialised field in the area of child welfare
• 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
• knowledge of academic requirements for analysis and written production

Skills

The student is capable of

• delimiting a large topic or phenomenon and turning it into a research object
• choosing and making use of one or several methods to explore the master's thesis research question
• developing a design for an empirical study
• analysing data material using theoretical perspectives and concepts
• carrying out a systematic and critical analysis, applying key research principles and giving a clear, academic presentation of the results
• evaluating research ethics issues related to his/her own project

Competence

The student is capable of

• reading research literature in a critical and reflective manner
• considering issues relating to academic, professional and research ethics
• communicating knowledge and own research results orally and in writing
• applying research-based knowledge and skills in areas relating to child welfare and the implementation of social policy measures

At the beginning of the second semester, a master's degree fair will be organised where the students will be presented with research projects they can join. In the second semester, the students will develop their own project descriptions, which is a coursework requirement. The project description forms the basis for being assigned a supervisor. The supervisor is assigned at the end of the second semester. In the course Master's Degree Thesis, two thesis seminars, a kick-off seminar and midway seminar, will also be held. The kick-off seminar will take place at the end of the second semester, and the midway seminar at the beginning of the fourth semester (for part-time students, the sixth semester). The midway seminar is compulsory. See the description under the coursework requirements section, and the separate section about the thesis seminars.

In the course Philosophy of Social Science in the third semester, the students will discuss their own master's projects from the perspectives of different research theory traditions.

The student must submit a progress schedule after the first supervision session by a deadline agreed with the supervisor.

Participation in the midway seminar is compulsory. The student must take part in the seminar in order to take the exam (i.e. in order to be able to submit the master¿s thesis and take the oral exam). At the midway seminar, each student will present a written part of the master¿s thesis (15 minutes) with feedback from two student opponents. The written work must be sent to the opponents a week before the presentation at the latest. The presentation and the oral opposition must be completed in order for the participation in the seminar to be approved.

If the student cannot attend the seminar due to illness or other weighty reasons, the text submitted or that should have been submitted for the midway seminar, should be handed in to the supervisor. The text must be presented at a supervision session in the same way as in the midway seminar, and a supervision session is therefore lost.

The kick-off seminar is held at the end of the spring semester in the second semester. The aim is to provide information that can support the individual student in their work on the master¿s thesis. Regular supervision is provided in addition to the seminar.

After the exam commission has decided and registered the grade for the master¿s thesis, the student is entitled to be informed of the grade before he or she presents the thesis in lecture form (30 minutes). The thesis must be passed before the student can present their thesis. The student will then take an individual oral exam. The lecture and the oral exam can adjust the grade awarded for the master¿s thesis. The final grade is then set. The final grade is included on the diploma.

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. 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.

The student must sign a publication agreement in connection with submission to allow the thesis to be published and made publicly available. If the student consents to this, all non-restricted master¿s theses awarded a pass grade will be published in ODA, the university¿s digital knowledge archive.

Alle hjelpemidler er tillatt så lenge regler for kildehenvisning følges.

A grade scale with grades from A to E for pass and F for fail is used.

The exam papers are graded by one internal and one external examiner. The supervisor cannot be an examiner. If the student appeals against the grade, a new committee will be appointed and the master¿s thesis will be re-assessed. If the assessment is changed, a new oral exam will be held.