MAST301 Planning the Master’s Thesis for Urban and Regional Planning

The course gives an introduction to important aspects of the planning and implementation of the master's thesis within the study program of urban and regional planning. Mast301 will mainly focus on:

-Problem statement of the master's thesis

-How to state a problem and provide its theoretical base within urban and regional planning and urban projects. How to choose methods of investigation and how to develop academic argumentations.

-Search of scientific literature, urban and regional plans and urban projects

-Select appropriate methods (e.g. interviews, surveys, spatial/people observations, GIS analyses and other qualitative and quantitative methods)

-Academic criticism and academic discussion

The aim of the course is to prepare a plan for the completion of the Master's thesis which can be used as a starting point for the start of the Master's thesis. MAST301 is organized in the spring semester with compulsory lectures, seminars, student-led discussions in groups and exercises, while a more individual/seminar-oriented part in the autumn term will be organized by the responsible teacher of MAST301, partly with the supervisors for the master thesis.

Knowledge

• Students will be able to identify all important aspects of the planning and implementation of a master's thesis in the field of urban and regional planning, including requirements and guidelines for a master thesis
• Students will acquire knowledge on research design, problem statement and research questions
• Students will acquire knowledge on which and how methods can address research questions

Skills

• Students will apply knowledge on how to define a problem statement
• Students will apply knowledge on how to design a master thesis
• Students will be able select and employ methods for scientific investigation
• Student will be able to select database and employ methods -supported also by the AI-(see e.g. the use of Keenious) for searching scientific literature, urban and regional plans and urban projects
• Students will be able to identify and consider ethical implications of scientific investigation, (including the use of AI and its limitations)

General competence

• work independently
• plan and complete a master thesis under the main supervision and in line with the research ethics
• apply knowledge and skill to a chosen area of research and or to future practical tasks