MØLBA4900 Master Thesis
- Number of credits30
- Teaching semester2026 Spring, 2026 Autumn, 2027 Spring
- Language of instructionEnglish
- CampusLillehammer
- Required prerequisite knowledge
Prerequisites: Students must pass all required courses in the master’s programme before submitting the thesis.
The master’s thesis is a research report completed at the very end of the programme, and it must comply with ordinary scientific standards. This means that the thesis must be based on clearly defined hypotheses, and the student is expected to make well-reasoned and independent method selections and to identify relevant theories. The thesis topic may address empirical, theoretical or normative issues related to problems under the programme’s main profile. The topic may be defined by the student or it may be contract-based, either as an individual project or as part of a larger programme. The student is personally responsible for choosing a topic, gathering data, and executing the research.
Learning Outcome
Upon completion of the course, the student will have:
- specialized empirical and theoretical knowledge in an area related to problems under the programme’s main profile (k1),
- advanced knowledge of theoretical and methodological approaches that highlight the student’s chosen problem, which is relevant for the main profile (k2) and
- the ability to apply his or her knowledge to new areas within the main profile (k3).
Upon completion of the course, the student can:
- analyse and critically evaluate various sources of information and apply these in structured academic arguments, as well as define precise, researchable problems (s1),
- analyse existing theories, methods and interpretations under the main profile (s2),
- apply relevant methods for research and academic development, enabling him or her to carry out studies in accordance with scientific principles (s3),
- carry out an independent, limited research- or development project in accordance with ethical guidelines for research (s4) and
- reflect on and discuss central theoretical scientific dilemmas (s5).
Upon completion of the course, the student can:
- display familiarity with ethical problems and awareness of the requirements for honesty in scientific work (g1),
- complete a comprehensive research and development project, review scientific work and constructively contribute to discussions in a scientific forum (g2) and
- communicate the problems and results of the master’s thesis both orally and in writing (g3).
Students must pass mandatory course requirements to be allowed to take the exam.
- Submission of a project description
- Attending supervision meetings
- Attending thesis seminars
- A master’s thesis, completed in pairs (or individually).
- Oral defence in pairs. The Oral defence can adjust the grade achieved on the master thesis (A - F) by one grade up or down individually.
| Form of assessment | Grading scale | Grouping | Duration of assessment | Support materials | Proportion | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Written examination with an adjusting oral examination | ECTS - A-F | Group (2 - 2) |
| 100% |