General provisions

The course is given as a part of the Master's Programme in Social Science with Sociology as the main field. The course may be given in English.

Entry requirements

Sociology C, Sociology with Orientation towards Work, Organisation and Human Resource Management C, Social Psychology C or the equivalent, and at least 15 credits within the Master's Programme in Social Sciences.

Learning outcomes

The course aims to deepen the students´ knowledge and further their skills required to autonomously, critically, and scientifically plan, conduct, present and defend a comprehensive academic research project in sociology.

Upon completion of the course, students shall be able to

• account for and critically interrogate sociological research questions using different sociological perspectives, theories and concepts
• account for and critically reflect over chosen qualitative and quantitative methods in terms of their specific conditions, limitations and potentials, as well as through application of these methods critically discuss and motivate choices of methods and design in relation to particular research questions
• conduct and present a sociological study in the form of a scientific thesis
• in a clear and challenging way communicate and discuss sociologically relevant information, problems and conclusions from their research in writing and speech
• gather and collect information from different sources and in relation to specific research questions within the field of sociology, critically analyse and assess this information and in an academic way use and present it
• conduct a critical, reflexive and constructive academic opposition on a scientific thesis
• autonomously initiate, limit, design and conduct a sociological study that is well-grounded in relevant sociological theory and methods
• autonomously gather and evaluate different forms of information
• apply their knowledge in order to make autonomous and critical evaluations and analysis of various social problems based on relevant scientific, societal and ethical considerations
• actively and autonomously contribute to an academic seminar

Content

The completion of the Master's thesis is done autonomously and consists of a sustained study of a specific research question grounded in sociologically relevant theory and method. The thesis is presented in written form and defended at an academic seminar. In the initial stages of the course the student writes an outlines of his or her project and is assigned a supervisor.

Instruction

The course consists of seminars and individual supervision. Supervision is offered during the semester that the thesis student is registered (the first time) for the course.

Assessment

The thesis is examined through an oral seminar. In the course the grades offered are Fail (U), Pass (G) and Pass with Distinction (VG). The grade evaluation is made primarily on the basis of the completed thesis. Attendance and active participation in seminars, as well as acting as opponent at the thesis defence of another student, are required to pass the course.

If there are special reasons for doing so, an examiner may make an exception from the method of assessment indicated and allow a student to be assessed by another method. An example of special reasons might be a certificate regarding special pedagogical support from the University's disability coordinator.

Other directives

Sociology and Sociology with Orientation towards Work, Organisation and Human Resource Management are not considered as different subjects and neither of them can be included in a Degree of Master together with Social Psychology (this does not apply for students who began their studies before autumn 1998).