M30-IR Master's Thesis

Credits (ECTS):30

Course responsible:Kirsti Stuvøy, Katharina Glaab

Campus / Online:Taught campus Ås

Teaching language:Engelsk

Course frequency:Annually.

Teaching and exam period:Master thesis seminars for International Relations-students are conducted in the spring term.

About this course

Students in the master's in International Relations are required to write a master thesis on a topic within the field, approved by their supervisor. Supervisors are assigned in the spring, one year prior to submission of the thesis (in the second semester of the master's program). Students have the flexibility to choose from a wide range of social scientific methods and theories covered in the master's program to develop and conduct the thesis. The master thesis is an independent academic work.

The length of the master thesis should be a minimum of 20.000 words and a maximum of 28.000 words.

A key part of the work on the master thesis is the independent collection of relevant academic literature, addressing conceptual and theoretical debates, and empirical problems. Guided by their supervisor, students independently search for data to inform their analysis, including peer-reviewed research articles, reports (e.g. government white papers, NGO reports, etc.), speeches, etc. Students may conduct fieldwork, including interviews but this is not required. If students conduct fieldwork, it is required that the supervisor approves the research proposal prior to the travel to the field. In cases where fieldwork includes the collection of personal sensitive data, the student registers the project with the Norwegian Agency for Shared Services in Education and Research (sikt.no). You find additional information on the use of personal data in your master thesis on the NMBU website: www.nmbu.no/en/students/use-personal-data-your-degree-thesis

The case of 60 ECTS thesis: The NMBU study regulation provides students with the possibility of writing a 60ECTS thesis. Students wishing to pursue this opportunity must have approval from their supervisor. This option is only feasible for students who perform particularly well in their coursework (average grade B or better). The length of the work distinguishes it from a 30-credit thesis: A 60-credit thesis can be up to 35000 words and the writing process of the 60-credit thesis extends over two semesters. The thesis should reflect a mastering of the status of research in a particular field.

Learning outcome

A master thesis is a comprehensive working process. When completed, it provides the student with in-depth knowledge of a specific topic and relevant methods and theories. The student will have independently researched and assessed various sources. The student will have gained experience in planning and implementing a project over a period of more than six months. Throughout this process, the student will have gained specific knowledge, skills and competencies:

The student will have experience researching for various sources, including academic literature, reports (from governments, NGOs, think tanks, etc.), media publications, etc, and assessed them in the relation to the specified issue within international relations.
The student will have presented the research topic, including the chosen theoretical approach, methodology, form of data collection, analysis, and reflected on challenges encountered during the process to peers during the thesis seminars for master students in the International Relations program.
Through supervision, the student will have gained insight into the various steps of a research process, including the writing of a research proposal, deciding on form of data collection and identifying relevant sources, conducting analysis and discussion of relevant ethical concerns of the research process.
If the student has conducted fieldwork and gathered primary data, practical experience will have been gained in assessing sources and collecting data in the field, in addition to the analysis and presentation of research results based on unique data.
The student will have gained experience in processing feedback, engaging in discussion with supervisor and peers, and can critically reflect on the results of the research and the working process.

Learning activities
1. Choice of topic and supervisor: During the spring term of the first study year, master's students in International Relations receive information about the master's thesis, including the selection of a topic and a supervisor. Students submit proposals for the topic of their master's thesis and potential supervisors affiliated with the IR program/department in mid-March. This serves as basis for assigning supervisors to the students.
2. Writing research proposal: In the compulsory methods course (EDS312), students learn how to write a research proposal. Developing the thesis project is an independent, student-driven process, and the student discusses research question, approach, methods that inform the project proposal, with the supervisor. In the contract signed between student and supervisor, the project's theme and approach is described.
3. M30-IR thesis seminars: In the fourth and final semester of the master's program (spring parallell) students attend the master thesis seminars. Students present their thesis projects, discuss how to delineate theoretical approaches relevant to the thesis topic, present ideas for the analysis and discuss research methodical and ethical issues pertaining to the master thesis work. Students provide constructive feedback to fellow students, making peer-to-peer feedback key to this seminar. Attendance is therefore required in at least 3/4 of the seminars. The seminars are concentrated to a few weeks in spring (February/March). The exact dates for the master thesis seminars are announced when the time schedule for the spring term is available in Time Edit (to be found under course code M30-IR).
Optional: Students may conduct field work. It is recommended to conduct field work in the autumn semester, i.e. year two of the master degree programme.
Teaching support
Supervision: Students sign a contract with their supervisor. The supervision contract and shared expectations regarding the responsibilities of both the student and the supervisor govern the supervision relationship. In the contract, the student describes the topic and approach chosen for the thesis project. Writing a research proposal is an integral part of the thesis process and is a topic of the supervision process. The student is responsible for maintaining contact with the supervisor. The main supervisor must be employed at the Department of international environment and development studies (Noragric), while the co-supervisor can be from another department at NMBU or at another university, as agreed with the leader of the master's program in International Relations.
Master students are entitled to 30 hours of supervision for a 30 ECTS master thesis and 60 hours for a 60 ECTS thesis.
At the NMBU Library students can request support for their individual search for relevant sources and the use of reference managers such as for example End Note. The NMBU's Learning Centre is available for consultation on academic writing. Information about drop-in hours and sign-up for individual consultation is available at the NMBU Library in the Veterinarybuilding.
Assessment method
REGISTRATION: When signing up for your thesis, NMBU rules and regulations apply. At NMBU there are two registration deadlines: 15 September and 1 February.
SUBMISSION OF THESIS: Prior to submission, the manuscript must be approved by the supervisor. You find instructions about submitting your thesis on the NMBU website. It is mandatory to upload your thesis in "Brage". How to submit your degree thesis at NMBU: ttps://www.nmbu.no/en/students/degree-thesis-nmbu
THESIS DEFENSE & INFORMATION TO EXAMINERS: The master thesis is concluded with an oral examination. The NMBU study regulation stipulates that the oral defense of the thesis shall take place within six weeks after the submission of the thesis. The supervisor selects an external examiner, som godkjennes av fakultetet, and identifies a date for the thesis defence. During the defence, the student gives a 15-20 Minute oral presentation of the thesis. Subsequently the student answers questions from the external and the internal examiner (supervisor) and engages in a discussion of the research, strengths and weaknesses of the thesis. The presentation and the subsequent discussion can result in an adjustment of the final grade for the thesis, yet the written thesis work is the main part of the assessment. The oral presentation of the thesis is not graded separately. The final grade is announced to the student and included on the transcript of grades.

Master thesis Karakterregel: Letter grades Master thesis with oral defence Karakterregel: Letter grades
Examiner scheme
The examination committee comprises an internal examiner (usually the internal supervisor) and an external examiner, approved by the Faculty of Landscape and Society.
Mandatory activity
Research proposal submitted to supervisor by 1st October (third semester of the master program).
Compulsory attendance in M30-IR thesis seminar in spring fourth semester is required in at least 3/4 of the seminars.
Teaching hours
IR Master thesis seminars: 8 master thesis seminars á 2x45 Minutes are conducted in the spring, concentrated in March.
Admission requirements
Only International Relations program students can submit a master thesis in International Relations.