Ku leuven wetenschappen thesis writing

Aims

By writing their master’s thesis, the students acquire the following knowledge, skills and attitudes:

• Students recognize the importance of an empirical foundation for knowledge acquisition
• Students can find, select, critically assess and use correct references for relevant and complex resources.
• Students can identify and use the methods and tools for doing research in European politics and policies.
• Students can identify and apply the different phases of scientific research and know the opportunities and limits of each of them.
• Students can independently complete empirical cycle to formulate an answer for each research question.
• Students can analyse, study a research question, relevant in the domain of European politics and policies and formulate a critical answer to it.
• Students can write a dissertation of publishable quality.
• Students can show they have acquainted themselves with the contents of specific course components in the Master’;s programme.
• Students can approach the field of public administration analytically and critically as enthusiast comparativists
• Students can independently plan an assignment, execute it, meet deadlines.
• Students can communicate, clearly and unambiguously, their analysis and rationale underpinning these, by giving an oral presentation.

These aims are communicated to the students at the beginning of the semester.

Previous knowledge

Given the general MEPP requirements, the students have already achieved the following learning goals before the start of this course:

• Students have a basic understanding of either public administration and policy, or of European organizations and politics.
• Students have sufficient proficiency in the English language

Other requirements for students are:

• Students understand social reality, its problems, values ​​and standards systems
• Students have general and applied academic skills, such as writing papers, learning reasoning, abstracting, reasoning, communicating, analyzing data, designing research
• Students can critically deal with conceptual frameworks
• Students can sufficiently work independently
• Students have basic knowledge on methodology

Is included in these courses of study

Content

Supported by the methodological introduction in the Research Seminar, a dissertation should be written on a relevant subject in the field of European Public Policy, Public Management or Public Administration to make a contribution to theory and practice. The topic has to be approved by the POC and guided by one of the staff members. The dissertation should have the potential of becoming an article in a professional journal.

Course material

Format: more information

The dissertation begins with a research question and may be examined in several ways.

• In the context of the literature study, students must conduct research work in the library, databases. The student independently gathers an overview of the current state-of-the-art with regard to their chosen subject, to formulate a research question.
• To investigate the research question, students can use a quantitative or qualitative research design by using cases, (in-depth) interviews, surveys, data analysis, etc.
• Students bring their own ideas into the research process and show their own vision in the dissertation and do not present a mere summary of existing texts.
• Students regularly make an appointment with their supervisor for feedback and advice.

Type. Continuous assessment without exam during the examination period

Description of evaluation. Paper/Project, Presentation

Explanation

Characteristics of the evaluation

The evaluation for the Master’s thesis consists of a dissertation that is concluded with an oral defence. The length of the dissertation should be no more than 15.000 words, exclusive of appendices and references. Precise guidelines on the format and defence can be found on the student portal (soc.kuleuven.be/fsw/studentenportaal/english/masters/MasterMEPP )

Determination of the end result

The evaluation is conducted by the jury which is composed by the supervisor ( assessor), a second reader and a chairperson. The result is calculated and expressed as a round number out of 20.

The main criteria define the final score and are fine-tuned by the secondary criteria.

• To what degree does the issue addressed lead to a clear, theoretically sound and relevant research question?
• Did the student use the methodology that is best suited to tackle the issue and did he apply it correctly?
• Is the Master’;s thesis well-organised and logically structured?
• Are the sources relevant and the references correct?
• What is the student’s personal input?
• Are the conclusions clear, relevant and correct?

• Did the student pay attention to grammar, spelling, and lay-out?
• Does the student have a good track record in developing the research project and compiling the Master’;s thesis? How did the student present his Master’;s thesis?
• How did the student present his Master’s thesis?

The deadline for submission must be respected. If the deadline is not met, the student receives a ‘not taken’ (NA) for the whole course. If a student is unable to comply with it for valid reasons, the student should contact the ombudsperson.

A timely submission of the start report ranks as prerequisite for being allowed to submit and defend the final Master’s thesis. More information on deadlines and required length can be found in the Master’s thesis regulations (soc.kuleuven.be/fsw/studentenportaal/english/masterthesis/regulations ).

Plagiarism (kuleuven.be/plagiarism /) is a form of examination fraud that consists of the action of copying the work (ideas, texts, structures, images, plans, ) of someone else without adequate acknowledgement, in an identical form or slightly changed. For the application of these regulations the copying of one’s own work without adequate acknowledgement is considered examination fraud. Plagiarism will be sanctioned with the sanctions mentioned in the University’s Regulations on Education and Examinations (kuleuven.be/education/regulations/ ).

Aims

Writing their master’s thesis, the students acquire the following knowledge, skills and attitudes:

• Students can find, select, critically assess and use correct references for relevant and complex resources.
• Students can identify and use the methods and tools for doing research in public management and public policy.
• Students can identify and apply the different stages of scientific research and know the opportunities and limits of each of them.
• Students can show they have acquainted themselves with the contents of specific course components in the Master’;s programme.
• Students can independently complete empirical cycle to formulate a critical answer for each research question.
• Students can independently plan an assignment, execute it, meet deadlines.
• Students can communicate, clearly and unambiguously, their analysis and rationale underpinning these, by giving an oral presentation.
• Students can reflect upon their own work critically.

Previous knowledge

The students have already achieved the following learning goals before the start of this course:

• The student understands social reality and its problems, values and normative systems.
• The student can deal critically with conceptual frameworks.
• The student can name the basic characteristics and structures of the public sector
• The student masters the basic academic skills that allow him/her to make a thorough and truthful argument, report and presentation.

Students who still need to complete more than 12 credits of their previous degree (bachelor or preparatory programme), are not advised to combine the entire master programme with their dissertation.

Is included in these courses of study

Content

The master’;s thesis is the capstone project of the master degree and ensures that the students integrate the three roles of the programme: the practically-oriented theorist, the reflective practitioner, and the policy oriented researcher.

The subject of the master’;s thesis is largely determined by the student, in discussions with the promotor. The subject of the master thesis should relate to the domain of public administration, public management or public policy.

The research question must be relevant in the discipline of public management, public policy and/or public administration and must be explored in a methodologically correct manner and within a suitable theoretical framework.

The student is also given the opportunity to do an internship in an organisation relevant to the master’;s thesis. The master’;s thesis is in this case more than an internship report as it inscribes itself into current research, which should be scientifically proven in the thesis. The internship may come in different shapes: interviews, collaboration in projects within the organisation, participating in meetings etc. The internship is hence to be part of the methodology which aims for finding an aswer to the research question(s).

Course material

Language of instruction: more information

Format: more information

The dissertation starts off with a research question and may be examined in several ways.

• In the context of the literature study, students must conduct research work in the library, databases. The student independently gathers an overview of the current state-of-the-art with regard to their chosen subject, to formulate a research question.
• To investigate the research question, students can use a quantitative or qualitative research design by using cases, (in-depth) interviews, surveys, data analysis, etc.
• Students bring their own ideas into the research process and show their own vision in the dissertation and do not present a mere summary of existing texts.
• Students regularly make an appointment with their supervisor for feedback and advice.

Students are supervised through a seminar. Eight sessions will provide the students with practical guidelines and assistance to give their master’;s thesis form.

In addition, students are given the opportunity to do an internship connected to their thesis. This internship has the folllowing aims:

• confront interested students with the practice of their field;
• contribute to the development of the answer to the research question(s).

Type. Continuous assessment without exam during the examination period

Description of evaluation. Paper/Project, Presentation

Explanation

The evaluation is done on the basis of the end product, the process and the defense. Three aspects are of importance when it comes to assigning the final result of the Master’;s thesis.

1. Start report. the start report is a short paper in which the student present the research plan of his/her Master’;s thesis, on the basis of literature research and in close consultation with the supervisor. In the start report students also actively link their Master’;s thesis research to the insights gained during the seminar, by means of short relfection notes. It is a prerequisite for the submission of the Master’;s thesis and the permission to defend the thesis to submit the starting note in time.

• Students who add the Master’;s thesis for the first time to their ISP and wish to defend the Master’;s thesis during the examination period in June, are to submit a starting note in the Faculty’;s student administration the last Thursday before the Christmas break at the latest.
• Students who add the Master’;s thesis for the first time to their ISP and wish to defend the Master’;s thesis during the examination period in September, are to submit a starting note in the Faculty’;s student administration the last Thursday before the Easter break at the latest. Students who submitted their starting note the last Thursday before the Christmas break at the latest are not required to submit a new starting note.
• Students who add the Master’;s thesis for the second or third time to their ISP and wish to defend the Master’;s thesis during the examination period in July, are to submit a starting note in the Faculty’;s student administration, even if they submitted a starting note the previous academic year, and should do so on the ISP-deadline of the first semester in case they wish to defend the Master’;s thesis during the examination period in January or ISP-deadline of the second semester in case they wish to defend the Master’;s thesis during the examination period in June or September

A timely submission of the start report ranks as prerequisite for being allowed to submit and defend the final Master’s thesis. More information on deadlines and required length can be found in the Master’s thesis regulations (soc.kuleuven.be/fsw/studentenportaal/english/masterthesis/regulations ).

2. Master’;s thesis. The Master’;s thesis should count a minimum of 10.000 and a maximum of 15.000 words. The Master’;s thesis is to be submitted in May (for the examination period in June) or in August (for the examination period in September).

3. Defense: The Master’;s thesis is to be defended orally. The jury or Master’;s thesis committee consists of the promotor, possibly an assessor, a reporter and a chairman. The defense normally takes no more than half an hour. The student is to give an explanation of eight minutes, after which the promotor (and the assessor) and the reporter will ask a few questions.

Determination of end result

The criteria for the determination of the final result of the Master’;s thesis may be divided in primary and secondary criteria. The primary criteria are fundamental for the final result; the secondary ones are corrective.

• To what extent does the problem lead to a clear, theoretically-underpinned and relevant research question?
• Did the student use an appropriate methodology and did he or she do so correctly?
• Does the thesis have a logical and conveniently arranged structure?
• Are the sources relevant and the references correct?
• What exactly is the student’;s personal input?
• Are the conclusions clear, relevant and correct?

• Which are the formal qualities of the thesis?
• How was the process of writing the thesis carried out?
• How did the defense go?

For more details on the formal requirements and the procedures of the thesis, see the Faculty’;s website (soc.kuleuven.be/fsw/studentenportaal/english/masterthesis ).

Plagiarism (kuleuven.be/plagiarism/ ) is a form of examination fraud that consists of the action of copying the work (ideas, texts, structures, images, plans, ) of someone else without adequate acknowledgement, in an identical form or slightly changed. For the application of these regulations the copying of one’s own work without adequate acknowledgement is considered examination fraud. Plagiarism will be sanctioned with the sanctions mentioned in the University’s Regulations on Education and Examinations (kuleuven.be/education/regulations /).

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