This version of the course guide is provisional until the period for editing the new course guides ends.

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Master's Degree Dissertation I

Code: 44724 ECTS Credits: 3
2025/2026
Degree Type Year
General Health Psychology OB 1

Contact

Name:
Juan Vicente Luciano Devis
Email:
juanvicente.luciano@uab.cat

Teachers

Albert Fornieles Deu
Antonio Sanz Ruíz
Juan Vicente Luciano Devis

Teaching groups languages

You can view this information at the end of this document.


Prerequisites

There are no prerequisites.


Objectives and Contextualisation

The philosophy of the Master Dissertation (MD) is to confront the student with a real research problem related to general health psychology, either by joining a research team to contribute to an already started line, or by identifying, with the help from the tutor/s, a health need, problem or lack of interest. To achieve this purpose, the TFM places the student in a position to deploy and combine all the skills developed so far in order to 1) solve the problem or question addressed and thereby 2) demonstrate that they possess the capacity for which the MUPGS will accredit you: that of using your knowledge and skills to solve real problems.
During the TFM I subject, the student will, in agreement with the person(s) who tutor their work, carry out the feasibility report of their MD, including the search for information that allows the definition of research problem, a preliminary version of the MD introduction and the choice of methodology. This report becomes the master's dissertation planning, which will be executed later in the subject DM-II.


Competences

  • Acquire, develop and put into practice a concept of integral health, including all its biopsychosocial components, in line with WHO guidelines.
  • Apply the principles of bioethics and the deliberation method to professional practice, in line with Law 44/2003, of 21 November, on organisation of the healthcare professions.
  • Continue the learning process, to a large extent autonomously
  • Critically analyse and use clinical information sources.
  • Formulate working hypotheses in research and critically assess information for problem-solving, using the scientific method.
  • Integrate knowledge and use it to make judgements in complex situations, with incomplete information, while keeping in mind social and ethical responsibilities.
  • Solve problems in new or little-known situations within broader (or multidisciplinary) contexts related to the field of study.
  • Use acquired knowledge as a basis for originality in the application of ideas, often in a research context.

Learning Outcomes

  1. Carry out a multidimensional-multilevel analysis of health-illness processes.
  2. Continue the learning process, to a large extent autonomously
  3. Formulate research questions, objectives and hypotheses appropriately to solve problems in the context of the master's dissertation.
  4. Integrate knowledge and use it to make judgements in complex situations, with incomplete information, while keeping in mind social and ethical responsibilities.
  5. Integrate perspectives and approaches in health-illness processes.
  6. Justify the sources of clinical information used (evaluation tests, clinical guidelines, informants, programmes of treatment, etc.) for the master's dissertation.
  7. Know and apply quality criteria to the selected documentary sources and clinical material.
  8. Plan and carry out a systematic documentary search that unearths scientific evidence.
  9. Recognise and describe the factors determining health from a biopsychosocial perspective.
  10. Solve problems in new or little-known situations within broader (or multidisciplinary) contexts related to the field of study.
  11. Use acquired knowledge as a basis for originality in the application of ideas, often in a research context.
  12. Use documentary and bibliographic databases to obtain information relevant to the objective of the master's dissertation and to professional practice.
  13. Write the master's dissertation in accordance with regulations on ethical professional practice and research in the field.

Content

The student can choose one of the following options depending on his/her interests and the interests or proposals allowed by the tutor supervising their work:

A. Systematic Review following PRISMA Guidelines

B. Empirical Research

C. Development of a new tool for Health Psychology practice: therapy programmes, health guidelines, e-health project, assessment procedures....

 


Activities and Methodology

Title Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Type: Supervised      
Follow-up sessions with the academic tutor 6 0.24 7, 1, 3, 5, 6, 8, 10, 4, 2, 9, 13, 11, 12
Type: Autonomous      
Developing MD feasibility report 68.5 2.74 7, 1, 3, 5, 6, 8, 10, 4, 2, 9, 13, 11, 12

The Master's thesis I has several characteristics that distinguish it from other subjects:

1) It is eminently autonomous, that is to say, the student must undertake most of the hours involved in his master's thesis project.

2) The master's thesis teaching is non-directed and is based on tutorial action. The student does not attend class but is assisted by his/her tutor(s) and has contact with the rest of the students through the virtual classroom.

3) To do this, the student is expected to deploy, develop and integrate a large number of previously developed skills (during the degree, the rest of the master subjects and contact with tutors). The master's thesis must be the proof that the student can integrate what he has learned and put it to the service of addressing a complex reality, solve problems, and show that he can continue with his self-taught training.

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
Delivery of the DM feasibility report 100 0.5 0.02 7, 1, 3, 5, 6, 8, 10, 4, 2, 9, 13, 11, 12

  • The evaluation of MD-I is based on a single evidence, consisting of the elaboration of the feasibility report of the DM (EV1). This evidence will be presented in the second half of June 2025 and it will be delivered through the space enabled in the virtual classroom.
  • To pass the MD-I, the student must achieve a minimum score of 4,85.
  • Link to the avaluation rules of the Faculty  (https://www.uab.cat/web/estudiar/graus/graus/avaluacions-1345722525858.html)
  • This subject does not provide for the single assessment system.
  • This subject does not include a synthesis test for second-year students.

Feedback

Type of feedback

EV and TYPE

WEEK

Written (rubric)

 EV1: Feasibility report  W19/21

Digital tool

   

In the classroom

   

Tutorial

   

Not assessable: If the student does not submit EV1 in the corresponding space on the virtual classroom by the deadline of20/06/2025, it will be considered "not assessable".

 

Use of AI
By default, in the TFM-I course, the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies is permitted solely as a support tool for tasks such as information retrieval, language correction, style improvement, or text translation. In all cases, the use of AI must be previously agreed upon with the supervisor(s). In addition, the student must clearly identify which parts of the work were generated with the help of such technology, specify the tools used, and include a critical reflection on how these tools influenced the work process and the final outcome. Lack of transparency in the use of AI in the only assessable activity —the feasibility report— will be considered a breach of academic integrity and may result in a partial or full penalty on the activity’s grade, or even more serious sanctions depending on the severity of the case.


Bibliography

www.prisma-statement.org

http://www.apastyle.org

www.coneixement.accio.gencat.cat/eines


Software

In this subject no specific software is served

Groups and Languages

Please note that this information is provisional until 30 November 2025. You can check it through this link. To consult the language you will need to enter the CODE of the subject.