Master's Degree Dissertation
Code: 43663 ECTS Credits: 9| Degree | Type | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Social Policy and Community Action | TFE | 1 |
Contact
- Name:
- Carolina Alejandra Muņoz Mendoza
- Email:
- carolina.munoz@uab.cat
Teaching groups languages
You can view this information at the end of this document.
Prerequisites
The prerequisite for taking the Master's Final Project Module is having previously completed Assisgantura 4 "Methods and Techniques of Social Research."
Objectives and Contextualisation
The objective of the Master's Thesis (TFM) is for students to put into practice the various learnings acquired during the Master's program by developing their own, unpublished social research project that contributes to the debate and knowledge of social policies and community actions.
Learning Outcomes
- CA15 (Competence) Formulate own methodological and technical resources, and areas of personal improvement necessary to develop the social research project of the TFM.
- CA16 (Competence) Justify an investigative behaviour governed by an ethical framework that respects the environments and actors participating in the research, protecting their relationship and respectful treatment with them.
- CA17 (Competence) Adequately communicate, in written and oral form, the results of the social research project developed in the TFM.
- KA15 (Knowledge) Define the main theoretical answers to the research problem prioritised for the TFM.
- KA16 (Knowledge) Conceptually and empirically distinguish the relevant methodological tools for the development of the TFM research project.
- SA15 (Skill) Apply methodological design tools for the elaboration of a social research project.
- SA16 (Skill) Apply the information collection and analysis tools required for the social research project of the TFM.
- SA17 (Skill) Compare the theoretical and empirical findings of research, proposing well-founded conclusions, plausible recommendations and future lines of research.
Content
The objective of the Master's Thesis (TFM) is to put into practice the knowledge acquired in the Master's program, allowing students to develop a research project based on a specific experience or case study that addresses some of the content covered in the Master's program.
To this end, students will conduct a research project or intervention proposal, based on a detailed study of one of the case visits, or based on a topic chosen by them regarding social policies or community actions. They will conduct a real-life approach to the topic and conduct fieldwork for the research.
More specifically, the topics will be:
1. Design and planning of social research.
2. Application of previously defined social research methods and techniques.
3. Writing and preparing social research reports.
4. Management and evaluation of the social research process.
5. Presentation and defense of the research before an academic panel.
6. Feedback and dissemination of social research results.
Activities and Methodology
| Title | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type: Directed | |||
| Master classes, practical exercises, debates and tutoring sessions. | 22.5 | 0.9 | CA15, CA16, CA17, KA15, KA16, SA15, SA16, SA17, CA15 |
| Type: Supervised | |||
| Supervision and support for the design and execution of the research, and the drafting of the final report. | 32.5 | 1.3 | CA15, CA16, CA17, KA15, KA16, SA15, SA16, SA17, CA15 |
| Type: Autonomous | |||
| Bibliographical review, readings, personal study, organization and application of field work of research, elaboration of field notes, Systematization and analysis of information, Writing, among others. | 70 | 2.8 | CA15, CA16, CA17, KA15, KA16, SA15, SA16, SA17, CA15 |
The Master's Thesis is completed individually and must be unpublished research, authored by each student. The methodology for this subject focuses on the mentoring of each Master's Thesis, which will be led by a professor specializing in research methodology. There will also be a complementary session, aimed at the entire group of students, to reinforce methodology and manage social research. This session will be conducted by the professor in charge.
Prior to the start of the mentoring sessions, a consultation will be held to identify the topics each student wishes to research. Based on this, students will be assigned a mentor professor, who will support them throughout the Master's Thesis preparation process, between January and June.
The mentoring sessions will initially be based on the "Master's Thesis Research Pre-design," which the students completed as their final project for the course "Methods and Techniques of Social Research."
Tutors will monitor, accompany, and supervise each student's research, review their written progress, and provide feedback and suggestions for improvement. Submitting written progress reports to the tutors is mandatory for students, and they will need to plan the dates for these sessions together.
Tutoring sessions may be in person or online, depending on the needs identified by the tutor. Depending on the needs identified by the tutor, these sessions may be individual or in groups with other students in the same class.
To complete the process, students must submit a Final Draft of their Master's Thesis to their tutor, who must validate it. Once the document has been validated, the student must present the Final Thesis Report and defend it orally before the corresponding committee. If the work is not validated, the student will not be able to present it to the committee and will receive a grade of "Not Assessable" and will have to repeat the course.
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.
Assessment
Continous Assessment Activities
| Title | Weighting | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Court Evaluation: Final Report and Oral Defense | 60% | 50 | 2 | CA15, CA16, CA17, KA15, KA16, SA15, SA16, SA17 |
| Tutor teacher evaluation: Research process and Final report | 40% | 50 | 2 | CA15, CA16, CA17, KA15, KA16, SA15, SA16, SA17 |
The work is graded as follows:
The written report for the Master's Thesis will be assessed taking into account the following criteria:
- Objectives and hypotheses, questions, or contributions of new knowledge: timeliness of the topic, originality, statement of objectives and hypotheses, questions, or contributions of new knowledge.
- Methodology and sources: adequate and extensive bibliography, accurate data collection.
- Content: rigorous data analysis, adequate theoretical framework, contribution and innovation of the work, importance of the results.
- Formal aspects: careful writing, correct presentation, footnotes, bibliographical references in accordance with the standards.
- Process followed by the student in its preparation: work capacity and resolution of difficulties, planning and punctuality in submitting assignments.
An oral defense of the work must also be given before a panel, which will assess the written work and the student's ability to present and communicate the work, taking into account the following criteria:
- The structure of the presentation and speech.
- Use of resources.
- Orality and empathy, appropriate responses to questions.
- Demonstration of knowledge and mastery of the topic being studied.
- Time management.
- The appropriateness and timeliness of the topic.
Bibliography
- Della Porta and Keating (eds.) (2008) Approaches and Methodologies in the Social Sciences. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, particularment les pàgines 296-315
- Yin, R. (2003) Case Study Research. Design and Methods. Londres: Sage. Especialment, les pàgines 1-56
Software
No software is required.
Groups and Languages
| Name | Group | Language | Semester | Turn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (TE) Theory | 1 | Catalan/Spanish | second semester | morning-mixed |