| Learning objectives |
- Demonstrate the ability to independently produce a qualified
piece of research that applies relevant methods and theories and
fulfills standards of academic writing
- Document in-depth knowledge of the subject of the thesis,
including the conditions and circumstances in which it is
embedded
- Formulate a research question that has relevance to the
programme and steers the research process
- Motivate the choice of theory and/or other prior literature
used to address answer the research question
- Motivate the choice of methodology used to address the research
question
- Document the analysis through the selection and processing of
primary and secondary sources and/or the development of
instantiations of a problem solution
- Discuss the quality of the analyzed sources or solutions,
including their appropriateness in terms of providing answers to
the research question
- Explain and evaluate the overall coherence between: the
research question, the selection and use of theory, the applied
method, the analysis, the conclusion, and the generalizability of
the findings
- Discuss the findings of the thesis in the overall perspective
of a theoretical science perspective
|
| Examination |
|
Master's
Thesis:
|
| Exam
ECTS |
30 |
| Examination form |
Oral exam based on written product
In order to participate in the oral exam, the written product
must be handed in before the oral exam; by the set deadline. The
grade is based on an overall assessment of the written product and
the individual oral performance. |
| Individual or group exam |
Oral group exam based on written group
product |
| Number of people in the group |
2-3 |
| Size of written product |
Max. 120 pages |
|
The Master's Thesis should be written in
groups of two or three students.
The Master's thesis may also be written individually without
the need for a dispensation (individual contract).
- If the thesis is written by one student, the length is max. 80
pages.
- If the thesis is written by two students, the length is max. 120
pages.
- If the thesis is written by three students, the length is max.
160 pages.
The abstract is always max. 1 page. |
| Assignment type |
Master's thesis |
| Duration |
Written product to be submitted on specified date and
time.
75 min. per group, including examiners' discussion of grade,
and informing plus explaining the grade |
| Grading scale |
7-point grading scale
The student’s spelling and writing skills are taken into
consideration in the overall assessment of the examination
performance, but the academic content is given the highest
weight. |
| Regulations regarding the summary |
The summary is in English and is a part of the assessment.
For rules regarding individual exams, see your programme
regulations and my.cbs.dk.
. |
| Examiner(s) |
Internal examiner and external examiner |
| Exam period |
Summer |
| Make-up exam/re-exam |
Same examination form as the ordinary exam
If the student has submitted their
thesis, but is ill at the oral defense, a new defense will be
arranged as soon as possible based on the thesis already submitted.
If the student receives a non-passing grade at the regular exam,
they have used an exam attempt. It is then a requirement that the
Master’s Thesis contract is renewed, i.e. the student must further
clarify their original topic delimitation, which must then be
approved by the thesis coordinator.
|
Description of the exam
procedure
The exam form is an oral group exam.
Students may request to defend their thesis individually, even
if they have written in a group, by writing to the master
thesis office no later than 6 weeks before the submission
deadline.
The examination time includes time for the examiner to discuss
and inform the student about their grades and it depends on the
number of students:
- If the thesis is written by one student, the oral exam is 45
minutes.
- If the thesis is written by two students, the oral exam is 75
minutes.
- If the thesis is written by three students, the oral exam is 90
minutes.
Students are expected to bring their thesis to the exam. Also, they
are allowed to bring notes and presentation material to the
exam.
The exam begins with a presentation by the students (max. 10
minutes for one student, 15 minutes for two students, 20
minutes for three students) followed by a discussion between the
students and the examiners.
The grade awarded will reflect a holistic assessment of the
academic content of the thesis, formal aspects (e.g., correct
spelling and referencing), and the oral performance. Emphasis will
be placed on the academic content of the thesis (see learning
objectives).
|
|
| Course content, structure and pedagogical
approach |
|
The master’s thesis is the final assignment required to complete
the Cand.merc.(it) study programme. The subject of the thesis must
be within the programme profile’s particular academic identity and
theoretical field(s).
The thesis is to be motivated by a problem with relevance to the
contents of the study program. This problem is to be addressed
through acknowledged research methods including, but not limited
to, the use of empirical research methods and/or design-oriented
methods.
Students identify a potential topic and develop their research
approach under the guidance of a supervisor. Finding a supervisor
is in the responsibility of the students (see
my.cbs.dk). Students embark on independent research activities
over multiple months in which they also successively write up their
work.
The supervisor can be used to give feedback at multiple
stages of this process, for example, on the topic delimitation,
planned methodology, thesis structure, as well as on drafts of
individual chapters of the thesis. Supervisors are not supposed to
review drafts of results and conclusion sections of the thesis
before the final hand-in deadline.
Article-based master's thesis:
In special cases, the research conducted in the master’s thesis
may lend itself to a format that is suitable for presentation to an
academic audience. In these cases, students are allowed to agree
with the supervisor to write a master thesis that takes the format
of a research article. When writing an article-based master’s
thesis, the thesis appendix is to be used more extensively than
normal to document details of the literature review, methodology,
analysis, and any other information that is relevant to understand
the results described in the article sections.
|
| Description of the teaching methods |
An introductory event (the "Master's
thesis bazaar") will be held in September - October.
The supervision process is described in the supervision plan, which
is agreed between the student(s) and the supervisor prior to the
commencement of the thesis project. |
| Feedback during the teaching period |
| Students receive continuous feedback from their
supervisor at supervision meetings (in person or online). During
these meetings, the supervisor will, to the extent possible,
discuss the student's performance to this point and possible
ways to improve her/his efforts. The frequency of meetings and
their content are agreed upon between students and their
supervisor. Students also receive feedback from their supervisor
after the oral exam. |
| Student workload |
| Supervision, literature review, data collection, report
writing |
800 hours |
| Exam preparation and exam |
24 hours |
|
| Further Information |
|
Main Category of the Course:
- Information Systems
- Business economics
- Organizational theory
|
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