Vår 2021

SPL-3901 Master's Thesis in Nordic Urban Planning Studies - 30 stp

The course is administrated by

Institutt for samfunnsvitenskap

Type of course

This course is obligatory for those students at the Master's Programme in Nordic Urban Planning Studies, who chooses the Tromsø track. The course cannot be taken as a single course.

Course contents

The students chose themselves topic sand research questions for their master thesis, on collaboration with supervisors. The research questions of the study must be approved by the supervisor. Working on the thesis, the student learns to apply scientific theories and methods on a defined, academic and relevant issue, to analyse, categorise, discuss and reflect on a scientific basis, and to select and critically evaluate the sources, literature, theory and methods used. Through the thesis, the student learn to communicate an academic study to peers and demonstrate the competency to initiate, manage and complete a long-term process of academic study and writing.

Objective of the course

The students have the following learning outcomes:

Knowledge

The student has:

Research-based knowledge in selected academic areas, and an understanding of and reflection on the position of the student’s own thesis study in the academic field.
Identification of scientific issues and a critical approach to scientific knowledge.
Knowledge of the academic genre and the academic target group, and an understanding of the overall communication situation of which the thesis is a part.

Skills

The student is able to / can:

Skills in applying and mastering scientific theories and methods in work on a defined, academic and relevant issue.
Skills in analysing, categorising, discussing, arguing, reflecting and evaluating on a scientific basis.
Skills in critically evaluating and selecting sources, literature, theory and methods.
Skills in discussing and participating in academic debate with representatives of the academic discourse community.
Skills in writing in accordance with the applicable standards for academic texts, and for an academic target group.

Competence

The competency to independently initiate, manage and complete a long-term process of academic study and writing.
Competency to take responsibility for one’s own academic and linguistic development and specialisation.

Language of instruction

Language of instructuion and examination is English.

Teaching methods

The teaching will consist of 10 seminars, as well as individual supervision.

Assessment

The exam will consist of:

Combined assessment of the thesis and an individual oral examination. The oral presentation may adjust the grading of the thesis.

The thesis can be written by one or two students. If the thesis is written by one student, the length must be approximately 60 pages. If the thesis is written by two students, the length must be approx. 90 pages.

The exam will be assessed on an A-F grades scale. Grades are A-E for passed and F for failed.