Master's Thesis in Business Administration I, 15 Credits

Contents

The objective of the Master’s thesis is to develop the student’s knowledge of scientific work and to provide students with the understanding of how to plan, conduct, and present their work independently. A further aim is to develop skills for the critical examination of investigations and research reports and to provide the student with the opportunity for a deeper level of theoretical study within a chosen area.

Module 1. Side-opposition, 0 credits
The aim of this module is to develop the student’s ability to examine investigations and reports from a critical and scientific point of view. This module of the thesis work requires the student to submit a written critical analysis on antother Master’s thesis and attend the seminar where the thesis is presented. This is an individual assignment.

Module 2. Master's thesis, 15 credits
Thesis work should prove the student’s ability to apply a scientific approach in independently treatment of theories. In addition, the thesis should be characterized by relevance and topicality. The methodology discussions must be very clearly connected to the problem area and the different parts of the theses must be well integrated into a harmonized unity. The thesis should aim to deliver a theoretical contribution to the area.

Module 3. Main opposition, 0 credits
In this module, the aim is to document the student’s critical abilities through the performance of an individual written as well as an oral major critical analysis of another Master’s thesis.

Expected learning outcomes

After completing this course, the student should be able to:

• demonstrate a good understanding of the chosen research question, the area of research, and related methodological issues
• Independently process theories with a scientific mindset
• apply a scientific perspective in using theory and prior literature and discuss how the study contributes or is related to previous research in the research field
• convincingly argue for the choice of research method
• collect a relevant empirical (or equivalent) material
• analyse and discuss the empirical material by relevant analyses methods.
• discuss societal and/or ethical issues of relevance for the thesis
• communicate the main arguments, contents and results of the study in a scholarly manner
• defend the thesis at a scientific seminar
• critically examine other student theses both orally and in writing

Required Knowledge

90 credits with a minimum of 75 credits in Business Administration. At Basic level (A-level) and Intermediate level (B-level) a minimum of 60 credits and at the C-level (Bachelor), a minimum 15 credits. Courses in Business Administration at the Master/advanced level, a minimum of 30 credits. Previously completed courses must include studies of scientific methodology within business/social sciences corresponding to at least 7.5 credits, including both qualitative and quantitative methodology.

Proficiency in English equivalent to Swedish upper secondary course English B, English/6.

Form of instruction

The author’s independence and responsibility is emphasized in the conducting of thesis work. Thus the supervisor’s influence and control is reduced in order to create the necessary conditions for individual autonomy, creativity, and personal responsibility. Normally, the student can be expected to take active part in in-progress seminars organised by the supervisor. It is understood that the ongoing Master’s thesis work is presented to the supervisor on at least three occasions during the thesis process. Supervision is only guaranteed during the semester when the student is firstly registered on the thesis course.

Examination modes

Examinations takes place during set exam periods within the semester.

Module 1. Side-opposition, 0 credits
The module is examined through written ‘side-opposition’, i.e. critical analyses, of one other one-year master theses (or Swedish ‘Magister’ theses, but not Bachelor’s theses). Written side-opposition is always individual. In addition participation in each of the thesis seminars is required. Side-opposition is graded as pass or fail
 
Module 2. Master's thesis, 15 credits
The module is examined through authoring and defending an independent work. The grades used are: pass with distinction, pass or fail. The thesis is evaluated and graded by a grading teacher and an examiner, whereas the individual effort in the defence is graded at the seminar.
In case the Master’s Thesis is not accepted as is, it may be revised with instructions given by the supervisor (or the grader), or subject of a new effort. In cases of revision, the new version should be completed and delivered to the grading teacher within four weeks after the final seminar/or the date the revision was presented.

Module 3. Main opposition, 0 credits
The module is examined through an individual written as well as an oral main opposition (critical examination where the student is responsible for leading the seminar) on another one-year Master’s thesis (or a ‘Magister’ thesis). The oral main opposition can be conducted in collaboration with your co-author on your thesis. The main opposition is graded as pass or fail. For the course as a whole, the following grading system is used: Pass with distinction (Väl godkänd, VG), Pass (Godkänd, G) and Fail (Underkänd, U).

Rules and regulations concerning the production of academic texts and correct referencing will be applicable to all written assignments.

Grades on the course are awarded when students have passed all examinations and compulsory course elements.
 

Other regulations

Academic credit transfers are according to the University credit transfer regulations.

When a thesis has been written in English, the seminar should as a general rule also be held in English, unless all seminar participants (including side opponents and seminar leader) are Swedish speaking. The written main- and side-oppositions may be in Swedish provided that the seminar leader is Swedish speaking.

Supervision is only guaranteed during the semester when the student is firstly registered on the thesis course, regardless of how
much supervision that has been utilized

The thesis should normally be jointly written by two authors. It is not possible for two students who jointly write a thesis, to be registered for different types of theses (e.g. one student writing a 1st year Master’s thesis and the other a 2nd year Master’s thesis).

The thesis course is a campus course, which implies personal presence for supervision, participation in seminars, and collaboration with a thesis partner.

For students following a master’s program, the subject for the thesis should be within the scope of the master’s program. For further information, see descriptions for awarding degrees (in Marketing, Management etc.).

As a rule of thumb, the scope of the thesis should be approximately 40-60 pages.

The empirical material that is utilized in the thesis should on request be available for supervisor, main opponents and the graders in its original form (raw-data)

When the grade has been set, archive copies of the completed thesis shall as soon as possible, and within 4 weeks, be submitted in both paper and digital form. For details, see http://www.usbe.umu.se/english/dept/fek/for-our-students/theses/printing-and-archiving/