Master's Thesis in English Literature
About the course
This course is mandatory for students in the MA Programme in English Literature.
This course may not be taken as a single course.
The master's degree thesis is a piece of independent research on a limited topic within English literature.
The topic of research will be decided upon in collaboration with a member of the English section. The thesis could also be written as either, part of a broader research project, or may build on one of the courses taught.
Each semester of registration for ENG-3992, the student is expected to present his or her thesis project and offer feedback on other projects during Works-in-Progress Seminars organized by the English literature section.
Objectives of the course
Students will have gained the following learning results upon satisfactory course completion:
Knowledge
The student has:
- a thorough knowledge of and greater understanding of a defined area of the subject
- knowledge of current ethical requirements and guidelines within the field of research
Skills
The student is able to/can:
- formulate a question of enquiry and prepare a methodical plan for investigating the enquiry of research
- master literature searches and the proper use of research literature
- analyse data from the investigation, and discuss and draw conclusions about the research enquiry.
- write an extensive project where the language is well formulated and correct in usage
Competencies:
- developed the ability to discuss critically and with a theoretical and methodical basis
- become capable of carrying out independent project work, solve problems by preparing, organising and discussing an extensive material based on a suitable set of methods.
Teaching methods
New master's degree students will be assigned a contact person from within the specialist teachers. The contact person will advise on the master's degree requirements and suggest potential supervisors. A supervisor will be assigned once a thesis topic is selected.
Supervision will be given individually and, in certain cases, in small groups.
Full time students have the right to supervision for up to two years. Part time students with a study progression of 50%, have the right to "half" supervision for four years. Supervision beyond this is not given.
Language of instruction and examination
Supervision will be carried out in the language of instruction.
The thesis will be written in English.
Schedule
The schedules are normally finalized and published well in advance of the start of the semester, often a few weeks beforehand. This gives students the opportunity to organize their studies and prepare for upcoming activities.
It is recommended to check the schedule regularly, as changes may occur.
Examination
| Assignment |
Grade: A–E, fail F |
To take an examination, the student must have passed the following coursework requirements
| Project outline | Grade: Approved – not approved |
| Project presentation | Grade: Approved – not approved |
Everything you need to know about before, during, and after the exam; registration, absence, appeals, and diplomas: UiT Exams homepage
More info about the coursework requirements
A project outline including a brief explanation of the research question to be investigated, the type of material the work will build on, what theories and methods will used, how the project will be structured, and how the overall project will be carried out must be submitted at the commencement of the master's degree. The project outline is to be approved by the assigned supervisor.
During the second semester of the project, the candidate will orally present a chapter-in-progress from the thesis. Oral presentations are typically conducted during a seminar that includes several English staff members and other MA students.
More info about the assignment
The thesis should be a theoretically informed work of 70-100 pages in length (about 2000 characters per page). Illustrations, graphs and the like are not normally included, but may be added as appendices. All written work is based on the following standard: Times New Roman, 12, 1,5, 2,5 cm.
The thesis will be evaluated with a grade as a written examination once it has been submitted. In addition to a grade, a written comment from the censors will be given, outlining the positive and less positive aspects of the thesis.