Course detail

Master's Degree Thesis

FSI-SDD-AAcad. year: 2025/2026

The master thesis is an independent, extensive work done under the guidance of an advisor within the discipline. Candidates are relatively free to choose topic for their thesis, but it needs to be approved by the study coordinator. A thesis can be either applied, related to a company or an agency/governmental body, or it can be in the form of a theoretical investigation.

Language of instruction

English

Number of ECTS credits

30

Mode of study

Not applicable.

Guarantor

Prof. Arild Hoff

Department

Molde University College (HiMolde)

Entry knowledge

Each candidate must have written a successful proposal. This should be the last course taken within the MSc program. This means that the candidate should have approved 90 ECTS in order to have the master thesis graded.

Rules for evaluation and completion of the course

The master theses are graded with the same letter scale as ordinary courses. An evaluation committee consisting of one internal staff member and one external grader is appointed for each thesis. Internal and external graders for the theses are appointed by the program coordinator after suggestions from the supervisors.

The supervisor and both graders should be present together with the student involved. The format of the oral presentation is as follows:

1. The student presents his/her main findings for approximately 20 minutes.

2. After the presentation, the graders and the supervisor initiate a discussion around the thesis, point out weaknesses and strong points and ask the student to clarify any indistinctness. This session should last up to 30 minutes.

3. When the discussion is finished, the two graders agree about a final grade.


The work progress on the master’s thesis is monitored by the master’s thesis supervisor. 

Aims

The aim is to create space for the work on master’s thesis and related activities (performing experiments, performing computer simulations, etc.). Particular emphasis is placed on the ability of students to accurately formulate a problem and propose a suitable solution.


The student's learning outcomes after completing the course:

Knowledge

  • How to define a problem and determine a research question
  • How to structure and organize a research project
  • Understand the role of theory in research
  • Have updated theoretical knowledge within the research field of the master thesis

Skills

  • Ability to perform an independent research task with a strong professional and methodological basis
  • How to choose an appropriate method for collecting relevant information and data
  • Be able to use theory to analyse key issues within the topic of the master thesis
  • How to write an academic report

General competence

  • How to plan and accomplish a scientific work

Study aids

Not applicable.

Prerequisites and corequisites

Not applicable.

Basic literature

BUI, Yvonne N. How to Write a Master′s Thesis. 3rd Edition. ‎ SAGE Publications, 2013. ISBN 978-1412957106. (EN)
THOMAS, C. George, 2022. Research Methodology and Scientific Writing. 2nd edition. Springer Cham. ISBN 978-3-030-64867-1. (EN)
YONA, Lucky, 2020. Research Methods: Masters and Phd Students Handbook. AuthorHouse UK. ISBN 978-1665582667. (EN)

Recommended reading

FLEMING, Robert S. a Michelle KOWALSKY, 2021. Survival Skills for Thesis and Dissertation Candidates. Springer Cham. ISBN 978-3-030-80938-6. (EN)
NYGAARD, Lynn P. Writing Your Master′s Thesis: From A to Zen. SAGE Publications, 2017. ISBN 978-1473903937. (EN)

Classification of course in study plans

  • Programme N-LAN-A Master's 2 year of study, summer semester, compulsory

Type of course unit

 

Supervision of Master’s thesis

260 hod., optionally

Teacher / Lecturer

Prof. Arild Hoff

Syllabus

Students are obliged to report the progress to their master’s thesis supervisors. The scope and extent of the progress monitoring is determined by the master’s thesis supervisor. Supervision includes all aspects of this process, like giving advice, reading and commenting drafts and similar activities. Students who want to write their thesis off-campus, must get approval from their supervisor.