Entry requirements

A Bachelor's degree, and in addition at least 30 credits of courses in biology at Master's level, including courses at Master's level that are necessary for the project. Admission requires a project plan accepted by the department. Proficiency in English equivalent to the Swedish upper secondary course English 6.

Learning outcomes

After passing the course the student should be able to

• demonstrate deep knowledge in an individually chosen field of biology
• search and in a critical way interpret and compile relevant scientific literature
• delimit a scientific question, plan an academic study of the chosen question, choose appropriate methods, carry out the study, interpret and evaluate results, and if applicable, generate testable hypotheses to explain the observations, all within given time frames
• present the results with a correct and relevant language for different target groups both in scientific and in popular form
• give constructive criticism to others' texts in the main field of study
• design a research plan

Content

An individual assignment is carried out, where the knowledge from previously completed courses is applied. The work is carried out under guidance of a supervisor in close connection with ongoing research or development projects.

To achieve the aims, the student should

• under supervision and according to instruction delimit a scientific question and compile a research plan
• examine the research question, interpret and evaluate the results as well as present the work orally and in writing
• search, evaluate and compile information relevant to the chosen research question
• participate actively in seminars and other activities at the workplace where the work is carried out
• comment and give constructive criticism (act as an opponent) on other students' projects

Module 1: Planning 5 credits

Module 2: Midterm report 25 credits

Module 3: Final report 30 credits

Instruction

The teaching is designed individually depending on the specialisation of the project. Supervision is given individually or in groups.

Assessment

Module 1 is assessed by the presentation of a complete research plan to the supervisor. Module 2 is assessed by the presentation of an oral and/or written report, module 3 through oral and written final reports. To pass, a passed oral and written presentation of the degree project is required. The written presentation should consist of a scientific report, a popular summary and a summary in English. To pass, the student should also have acted as an opponent on another degree project in the same main field of study or have participated actively at a research seminar.

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 disability coordinator of the university.