Master´s Thesis - 2024/2025 (2024)

Thesis Models

Thesis – classic format

A thesis of maximum 60 pages with the following maincomponents:

• An introduction giving an account of the theory and methodsemployed, outlining the academic background for the study and itsrelevance for the context of Global Development.
• Main section in which the empirical material is analyzed withrespect to the selected theories and relevant contexts.
• A conclusion.

Internship based thesis

A thesis of maximum 60 pages. The thesis must include thefollowing main components, the order and scope of each to bedecided in collaboration with the supervisor:

• An introduction giving an account of the theory and methodsemployed; outlining the academic background for the study and itsrelevance for the context of Global Development.
• A consultancy report primarily addressed to an external party,in which a problem from the project-oriented work (internship) isanalyzed. This report is to be supplemented by a briefintroduction, in which the format defining the consultancy reportis justified.
• A paper, in which a theme or challenge relevant to theproject-oriented work (internship) is discussed, targeted for anacademic audience.
• A paper on methods and ethics, giving an account of amethodological and/or an ethical problem that is especiallysignificant for the fieldwork and the project

Academic article

A thesis of maximum 60 pages with the following maincomponents:

• An introduction giving an account of the theory and method(s)employed, outlining the academic background for the study and itsrelevance for the context of Global Development.
• One article. The article must be targeted for a specificscientific journal. Students must enclose guidelines for the chosenjournal.
• A policy brief aimed at a relevant target audience (ministry,company, NGO, research institution, think tank).

A paper on methods and ethics, giving an account of themethod(s) chosen and one or several ethical problem that isespecially significant for the project.

The Head of Studies must approve the student's choice oftopic for the MSc thesis and set a deadline for its submission, seeUniversity Programme Order.

Thesis students must comply with the rules on confidentialityand collaboration with third parties as well as confidentiality asspecified by the Faculty of Social Sciences. Furthermore,students must comply with regulation regarding the collection andhandling of data. If students use data collected as part of thecourse “Thesis Data Collection”, this must be clearly andunambiguously mentioned in the method section of their MSc thesis.
If a student is doing fieldwork abroad, the student must informher/his supervisor about the field work, the location of the fieldwork, the duration of the field work and any possible ethicalconsiderations or relevant risk assessments related to the fieldwork. The student is expected to follow the Danish Ministry ofForeign Affairs travel advice before undertaking a fieldworkabroad.

Registration deadline for the master thesis follows the rulesdescribed in the section on master thesis registration in theCurricula’s Common Part.

Spelling and writing skills are considered in the overallassessment of the thesis, but the academic content is given thehighest weight, see the Examination Order. The University (Board ofStudies) may grant exemptions from this provision for students whoare able to document a relevant and specific impairment, unlessspelling and writing skills are significant objectives of theexamination.

The thesis must include a summary. The summary is included inthe overall assessment of the thesis. The summary must be writtenin English or Danish.

If the deadline for the master thesis is not met the student canapply for a second exam attempt (and eventually a third attempt)following the rules described in the section on second and thirdexam attempts of the master thesis in the Curricula’s CommonPart.

A thesis at Global Development can be done as a group work. Themaximum group size is 4 people. In case of a group thesis the rulesand regulations for group work apply (see theCurricula´s Common Part section 4.6)

Objectives for the MSc thesis:

Formulating, defining and operationalising a social scienceissue in relation to global development in a broad sense. Thethesis is prepared on the basis of the courses and other teachingactivities (including courses merited from other study programmes)covered by the MSc in Global Development programme.
The thesis can be based either on primary or secondary empiricaldata.

Knowledge

• Understand how to set up clear research questions andobjectives and perform systematic and logical research on globaldevelopment.
• Display comprehensive knowledge of the thesis topic andrelevant theory and methods.

Skills

• Identify and process primary or secondary empirical material ofrelevance to the analysis.
• Critically select, discuss and apply relevant methodologicalapproaches as well as relevant theoretical concepts in an analysisof global development.
• Ability to connect empirical analysis to theoreticalinsights.
• Set up clear research questions and objectives, and carry outsystematic, independent and research-based answers to thesequestions within one or more core areas of the programme.
• Communicate specialised knowledge at a high academic level inEnglish.

Competences

• Ability to analyse and critically reflect upon challenges andpossible solutions related to global development.
• Ability to identify the contribution and generalizability ofone´s own work in relation to a larger research field.
• Critically evaluate one’s own work by reflecting upon thestrengths and weaknesses of the applied methods andtheories.

• Category
• Hours
• Guidance
• 4,5
• Exam
• 820,5
• Total
• 825,0

Oral

Individual

Continuous feedback during the course of thesemester

Credit

30 ECTS

Type of assessment

Oral defence

Type of assessment details

See 'Thesis Models'

The thesis is defended in an oral defence of approx. 45 minutes(excl. voting). The student has 5-10 min to make a presentation.The defence can be individual or group based and is based on theentire thesis + its components. In case of a collective oraldefence, there are 15 minutes extra per additional student (theoral defence is approx. 60 minutes for 2 students and 75 minutesfor 3 students, excl. voting).

In connection with the oral defence, the student must demonstrate acommand of the methodologies applied in connection with thepreparation of the thesis, and must be able to account for theresults of the thesis in a clear, well-argued and comprehensiblemanner.
The final assessment of the thesis is based on an overallassessment of the thesis´ written part as well as the oral defence.

The maximum length of Thesis is 60 pages for one student. Forgroups of students writing together, the maximum length of theThesis is extended by 10 extra pages for each additional student.

Formal requirements for written assignments and exams are describedin section 4.5 in Curricula’s Common Part.

Marking scale

7-point grading scale

Censorship form

External censorship

Criteria for exam assesment

See 'Learning Outcomes'