The Bacehlor thesis is a first introduction to academic research and is based on an independent work with theory and/or secondary sources. The work is guided by a supervisor and results in a written text of approximately 7000 -  10 000 words. The Bachelor thesis requires substantially more work than a regular term paper. 

The thesis process consists of the choice of topic, allocation of a supervisor, search for literature and secondary sources, analysis of sources, and writing of the thesis. Requirements concerning the format and contents might vary depending on the orientation of your Bachelor-thesis, i.e. if it is based on quantitative or qualitative, social science vs. natural science disciplinary conventions and formats. The set-up of your thesis might vary due to its orientation, choice of topic and your supervisor's advice. Generally, it should have the following structure:

I. Introduction: A brief introduction of the topic and the research question(s).

II. Theory and conceptual framework: A presentation of the literature, theoretical perspectives and conceptual framework you will employ with an explanation of how these will help you address your chosen topic and research question(s).

III. Discussion.  The analysis/discussion is the central part of the thesis where you substantiate your main arguments. Analysis should be based on existing literature and scondary sources. Unless you discuss a purely theoretical issue, you need to draw on one or more concrete examples / cases from existing literature and secondary sources, using them to illustrate your topic and research question(s). In the analysis you use concepts and theoretical perspectives presented in part II to discuss the cases and examples from the chosen literature and secondary sources. 

IV. Conclusion: Summarize the key points made in IV. How do your findings relate to the research question of the paper?

VI. References: A complete list of the references you have used in the text, following an approved academic style.

Tentative time schedule: The work with the thesis is initiated with a start-up  seminar in the end of January / beginning of February. The main themes of the seminar are; how to write a Bachelor thesis, how to delimit a research topic, how to formulate research questions, and how to develop an outline. Allocation of supervisor and the work delimitig a research topic and elaborating a thesis outline should be finalized by the end of February. The main work with the literature / secondary sources search, the elaboration of the analysis and the drafting of the thesis text should take place in the period March - May. Dead-line for thesis submission is 15th May. The student should set up an individual time schedule for the thesis together with her/his supervisor.

Allocation of supervisor and organization of supervision: Ecah year there will be defined a 4 - 5 borad thematic areas, and each Bachelor thesis topic should be within one of these. The student chooses one of the thematic areas, and depending on the choice she/he is allcoated a supervisor. Suprvision can be organized as an individual student - supervisor interaction or as group sessions where several students work together with one supervisor. In the case of individual supervison it is the student's responsibility to request supevision.  

By preparing and writing the Bachelor-thesis, the students will have the chance to use and demonstrate some of the knowledge, skills and understanding acquired through the B-IEDS program. More specifically the students will  demonstrate their ability to

- work independently with a longer academic text

- identify a relevant issue/topic

- find relevant literature, theory and  empirical cases

- critically analyze topic and empirical cases and present the findings

15 hours of supervision.

Writing seminar and support from the NMBU Writing center.

For those writing in the spring semester there will be a start-up seminar in the end of January/beginning of February.

Deadlines:

1.2/15.9 (spring/autumn) deadline for thesis registration and withdrawal in studentweb

15.5/15.12 deadline for submission

Contract for bachelor thesis should be submitted to Fronter in February/September, depending on the semester the student is writing his/her thesis.