3 ECTS credits
75 u studietijd

Aanbieding 1 met studiegidsnummer 4022164ENR voor alle studenten in het 1e semester met een verdiepend master niveau.

Semester
1e semester
Inschrijving onder examencontract
Niet mogelijk
Beoordelingsvoet
Beoordeling (0 tot 20)
2e zittijd mogelijk
Ja
Onderwijstaal
Engels
Faculteit
Faculteit Sociale Wetensch & SolvayBusinessSchool
Verantwoordelijke vakgroep
Politieke Wetenschappen
Onderwijsteam
Vjosa Musliu (titularis)
Nadège Boels
Onderdelen en contacturen
14 contacturen Hoorcollege
61 contacturen Zelfstudie en externe werkvormen
Inhoud

This course provides a general understanding of the building blocks of writing a master thesis.

The course is designed around research methodology in social and political sciences through the exploration of different phases of a research project: state of the art, formulating research questions, formulating research problems and research hypothesis, data gathering/collection and data interpretation/analysis, theoretical framework. Because the course takes place in the first semester when students have just started exploring the trajectory of a master thesis, special attention to the course (including the course assignment and presentation) will be dedicated to developing research questions; formulating research problems/hypotheses; and understanding the state of the art. The course will also introduce research methods (data gathering/collection and data interpretation/analysis), and a theoretical framework, though students will navigate both of them in consultation with their supervisor throughout the research and writing process.

Studiemateriaal
Handboek (Vereist) : Interpretation and Method, Empirical Research Methods and the Interpretive Turn, Yanow, D. and Shwartz-Shea, P., 2de, Taylor & Francis Ltd, 9780765635402, 2013
Handboek (Vereist) : Bryman's Social Research Methods, Clark - Foster - Sloan - Bryman, 6de, Oxford University Press, 9780198796053, 2021
Handboek (Aanbevolen) : Doing a Literature Review, Releasing the Research Imagination, Hart C., 2nd, Sage Publications Ltd, 9781526419217, 2018
Handboek (Aanbevolen) : Research Methods, Design, and Analysis, Christensen L.B., Burke Johnson R. & Turner L., 12th, Boston: Pearson, 9781292057743, 2014
Digitaal cursusmateriaal (Vereist) : Reading material, slides, audio-visual material, Canvas
Bijkomende info

This is a 3 ECTS course and the idea is to expose the students to the main building blocks of researching and writing a master thesis. Students should keep in mind that writing a master thesis dissertation is in large part conducted through self-learning and regular consultations with your supervisor.

Weekly reading materials will be uploaded on Canvas. They include book chapters and journal articles.

For any questions you might have related to the course, please post your question on Canvas > Discussions. That way my responses can be beneficial for your classmates as well who usually have similar questions. Please note that it takes me 3-4 working days to respond to my emails, so questions related to the course are best addressed on Canvas.

Leerresultaten

General Competences

The course takes place in parallel with the development of students’ MA thesis, for what the main learning outcomes are highly connected with producing an original piece of research:

  • Explore the elements that a research proposal needs to contain and write an own piece.
  • Draw into the iterative nature of the phases that a research project involves.
  • Build relevant research questions and identify the main elements of a research puzzle.
  • Assess the appropriateness of using certain methodologies in each research design.
  • Design research protocols to get primary data for the projects.
  • Present the initial findings and reflect on the whole research process.

 

Beoordelingsinformatie

De beoordeling bestaat uit volgende opdrachtcategorieën:
Examen Schriftelijk bepaalt 70% van het eindcijfer

Examen Andere bepaalt 30% van het eindcijfer

Binnen de categorie Examen Schriftelijk dient men volgende opdrachten af te werken:

  • Assignment met een wegingsfactor 100 en aldus 70% van het totale eindcijfer.

Binnen de categorie Examen Andere dient men volgende opdrachten af te werken:

  • Presentation met een wegingsfactor 100 en aldus 30% van het totale eindcijfer.

Aanvullende info mbt evaluatie

The final grade is composed of the Assignment (70%) and Presentation (30%).

More information on the Assignment and the Presentation will be available in your course syllabus. 

Toegestane onvoldoende
Kijk in het aanvullend OER van je faculteit na of een toegestane onvoldoende mogelijk is voor dit opleidingsonderdeel.

Academische context

Deze aanbieding maakt deel uit van de volgende studieplannen:
Master of Political Science: European and International Governance: Standaard traject (enkel aangeboden in het Engels)