B15-LI Bachelor's Thesis

Credits (ECTS):15

Course responsible:Kristin Marie Berg

Campus / Online:Taught campus Ås

Teaching language:Norsk

Course frequency:Annually and mandatory from spring 2019.

Nominal workload:375 hours: From this students should decide the following: 2-6 hours joint seminar, 3 hours library courses, 2-4 hours individual instruction, 1 hour orally presentation of thesis.

Teaching and exam period:Primary January block and Spring parallel

About this course

The bachelor's thesis must be an in-depth project within the landscape engineers study. Students are encouraged to write the assigment together in groups of two.

The process leading up to the submitted assignment consists of: Choice of topic, assigned supervisor, make schedule and agreement guidance, sign contract, designing problem, planning method and method of implementation, acquire/familiarize yourself with relevant theory and empirical data, possibly carry out field surveys/field inspections/own studies, process, present and discuss own data against theory/empirical data as well as complete and submit written assignments.

The approach and task implementation may depend on the topic and method selection. It can be based on science (soil, plant subjects, biology, ecology), technical subjects (civil engineering, materials theory, construction, stormwater problems) or social sciences/management (operational, strategic or political level). The thesis can also be angled locally, regionally, nationally or internationally.

The thesis may be based solely on literature, but will often include a survey where the student collects, processes and produces data. Usually, most tasks of this type will have such a structure: - introduction with presentation of research question(s) - briefly on approach and method - presentation of theory and empirical data in the field - describe methodology and results of own field surveys / field inspections and / or literature surveys - discuss the findings in light of theory / empirical data - summarize/summarize and design conclusion - literature list, references. Finally, summaries and prefaces are written.

Learning outcome

The bachelor's thesis will give the students practice in independent work by carrying out an assignment/preparing a report in which the students theyself has defined, planned, carried out and completed the work within the set time frame. The students should be able to acquire relevant information to give answers to a defined problem. The students will develop independent skills in written academic dissemination within a chosen topic.

Through the bachelor's thesis, the students should have achieved the following learning objectives defined as knowledge, skills and general competence:

The students should have knowledge:

  • on key topics and current issues in research and development work within the chosen topic
  • about identifying problem(s) and formulating problem(s)
  • about theories, issues and methods in the field
  • about role understanding in academic discussions, processes and projects
  • on the social meaning of the topic, including interaction with other disciplines

The students should have skills in:

  • apply professional knowledge of methods and tools
  • collect, process and present literature-based information or own data
  • use relevant academic language and professional tools, techniques and illustrative forms of expression
  • carry out systematic and targeted investigative work
  • prepare and present a written report with appropriate structure
  • be able to justify their conclusions
  • oral presentation of own work

The students should have acquired general competence in:

  • manage their own learning work and progress with independence
  • make an update of one's own knowledge in the field
  • have a critical look at one's own work and be able to reflect on counter-arguments and other perspectives
  • Self-programming work. This includes:

    • Independence and personal effort (based on framework conditions and guidance process)
    • Structure, presentation ways and layout
    • Issue and method description
    • Data collection and/or literature survey
    • Data processing and presentation
    • Discussion of collected data or other information, ability to find and learn from literature/ research from others, understanding roles and contexts
    • Linguistic precision, both terminology of subject and in general.
    • Oral presentation and answers to questions from sensors (structure, precision, understanding literature and own surveys)
  • Supervision of the assigned main supervisor. In addition, two start-up seminars are organised where the topic and angle of the thesis are discussed by several supervisors/students. The student group is intendes as a support group for each other's thesis. Courses in literature search and citations are offered at the NMBU library.
  • The student must have approved all compulsory courses included in the landscape engineering programme - up to and including 2.5 years of study.
  • Written assignment with the following oral presentation, assessed by an external examiner in collaboration with internal examiner. Rating: A-E = Pass / Fail = F.
  • External examiners in collaboration with internal examiners assess the thesis individually.
  • A contract form with the supervisor must be signed by both student and supervisor and delivered to the faculty administration within the set deadline.

    The thesis must be presented orally on Graduate day in June. Exceptionally, exemption may be granted, for instance by sick leave. The candidate must deliver a written application.

  • It is expected that the students will contact the supervisor immediately after the award and sign a contract. The students must initiate courses in literature search and citations from nmbu library. The course is under development, changes may therefore occur.
  • Seminars and tutorials.
  • B-LI
  • Letter grades