Master's Degree Dissertation
Code: 44261 ECTS Credits: 15| Degree | Type | Year | Semester |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4317118 Global East Asian Studies | OB | 0 | A |
Contact
- Name:
- David Saurí Pujol
- Email:
- david.sauri@uab.cat
Teaching groups languages
You can check it through this link. To consult the language you will need to enter the CODE of the subject. Please note that this information is provisional until 30 November 2023.
Prerequisites
None.
Objectives and Contextualisation
The aim of this subject is to evaluate the integration of the competences acquired in the master's degree by completing a Master's Degree Dissertation (Final Master's Thesis, TFM). The TFM is an individual piece of academic work carried out autonomously and in accordance with the principles of scientific research and supervised by tutors. The student must demonstrate that they have sufficient command of the appropriate theoretical and methodological knowledge to carry out their own, specialised analysis on a topic of their choosing, which is relevant to the contents of the master. The theme of the TFM can be both theoretical and methodological, with the application, in either case, of a research methodology that can be complemented by an institutional approach, if the thesis is developed in collaboration with an entity in the field of East Asia with which the UAB has an agreement. In all cases, the TFM must show that the student dominates the theoretical-conceptual contents and the methodological tools well enough to be able to carry out a rigorous investigation on the subject matter, and demonstrate that they have acquired the knowledge and skills necessary to undertake further research according to a criteria of scientific quality and academic rigour in subsequent projects.
Learning Outcomes
- CA20 (Competence) Formulate research questions, the objectives to be developed and the hypothesis to be verified in an original way the in the Master's degree dissertation, taking into account the specificity of the field of study analysed, as well as its interrelation with the whole of the contents of the Master's degree.
- CA21 (Competence) Be able to write and publicly defend the Master's degree dissertation, communicating the results of the research in an academically sound manner in the learning context of the Master's degree.
- CA22 (Competence) Be able to communicate clearly and systematically the global relevance of East Asia in the field of study selected for the Master's degree dissertation project, considering a diversity of interlocutors and registers.
- CA23 (Competence) To be able to use skills to consult specialised academic sources, apply theoretical paradigms and advanced analysis techniques, and produce original research results that guarantee their ability to tackle new training projects with guarantees in the production of the Master's degree dissertation.
- KA15 (Knowledge) Choose the theoretical and methodological tools appropriate to the research field of the Master's degree dissertation that make it possible to carry it out based on the criteria of scientific quality and academic rigour.
- KA16 (Knowledge) Identify the knowledge and practices in the research field of the Master's degree dissertation that can contribute to the construction of a sustainable and diverse society, respectful of the principles of social, cultural and gender equality.
- SA25 (Skill) Competently apply the appropriate theoretical-conceptual developments to research and produce original academic results in the field of study of the Master's degree dissertation.
- SA26 (Skill) Effectively use the methodology, analytical techniques and specialised resources for autonomous research in the completion of the Master's degree dissertation.
- SA27 (Skill) Analyse the characteristics and transformations derived from the global redefinition of East Asia in the field of study of the Master's degree dissertation, articulating a discourse characterised by rigour and the capacity for critical analysis.
Content
The TFM is an individual piece of academic work carried out autonomously by the student in accordance with the principles of scientific research and supervised by tutors. The theme of the TFM can be both theoretical and methodological, with the application, in either case, of a research methodology that can be complemented with an institutional approach if it is developed in collaboration with an entity from the East Asian area with which the UAB has an agreement. The aim of the TFM is for the student to incorporate the necessary knowledge and skills to carry out specialized research in the field of the master's degree in accordance with the principles of scientific quality and academic rigour. For this, the student must undertake an original piece of work that addresses the approach and development of the research questions, hypotheses and research objectives, current state of the issue, theoretical framework and methodological approach to the research. The follow-up of the TFM will be carried out through periodic supervision tutorials with the relevant tutor, who will be assigned by the coordinators of the master's degree, taking into account the themes of the TFM. In the first semester, the tutorials will focus on an initiation into research through the methodological approach and the development of the research project, and will help the student acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to approach a research project in the field of master's studies. The second semester tutorials will focus on monitoring the theoretical, methodological and analytical development of the work, in order to guarantee its research progress at all times in accordance with a criteria of quality and academic excellence.
Methodology
- Tutorial work
- Participation in complementary activities
- Talks
- Essays writing
- Individual study
- Readings papers/specialized reports
- Seminars
Annotation: Within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.
Activities
| Title | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type: Supervised | |||
| Tutorial work, participation in complementary activities, seminars, talks | 9 | 0.36 | CA20, CA21, CA22, CA23, KA15, KA16, SA25, SA26, SA27 |
| Type: Autonomous | |||
| Essays writing, readings papers/specialized reports, individual study | 366 | 14.64 | CA20, CA21, CA22, CA23, KA15, KA16, SA25, SA26, SA27 |
Assessment
Article 54 of the UAB’s Academic Regulations establishes that “The master’s should conclude with the production and public defence of a Final Master’s Thesis”. In this regard, the final result of the TFM must demonstrate that the student has sufficient command of the conceptual-theoretical content and methodological tools to carry out rigorous, independent research in the field of the master’s studies, and thereby demonstrate that they have acquired the knowledge and capacity needed to carry out further research in subsequent projects, in accordance with criteria of scientific quality and academic rigour. For this the student should: a) Submit the written report on the research project undertaken; and b) Undertake the defence of said report before the assessment committee.
The assessment committee will comprise three members of the masters’ doctorate-holding teaching staff, one of them being the coordinator of the TFM subject. In its assessment, the committee will take into consideration the suitability of the contributions and the results (35%), the academic soundness of the arguments and critical analysis (30%), the structure and systematisation of the thesis (15%), the linguistic accuracy (10%) and the inclusion of a bibliography (10%). For the TFM final mark, the assessment weighting will be distributed as follows: oral defence (20%), written work (80%).
The duration of the TFM defence will be no longer than 45 minutes. The student will have 20 minutes to present the main results of their TFM. Then, the teaching staff assessment committee member will formulate the questions or comments they deem appropriate, which must be responded to as individual or groups of questions. Finally a numeric mark will be awarded that has been agreed upon mutually among the members of the aforementioned committee.
Assessment Activities
| Title | Weighting | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oral defence of the thesis | 20% | 0 | 0 | CA20, CA21, CA22, CA23, KA15, KA16, SA25, SA26, SA27 |
| Thesis submission | 80% | 0 | 0 | CA20, CA21, CA22, CA23, KA15, KA16, SA25, SA26, SA27 |
Bibliography
Since each TFM has a specific theme, the bibliography will be equally specific for each project. The student and the tutor will decide this bibliography in the first stages of the preparation of the research.
Software
We will not use specific sotfware.