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Research Design (MIRD): Thesis Lab I

Vak
2021-2022

Admission requirements

MSc International Relations and Diplomacy students.

Description

This course helps students to enter into an ongoing scholarly conversation on a research topic. It prepares students to ask good research questions and to write a proposal that includes all the necessary elements. It covers the first key steps: choosing a topic; formulating a research question; locating the right sources; completing a comprehensive literature review; applying the relevant theory and using research concepts. Issues such as feasibility; academic and social relevance; applying theory to empirical problems; and how to source the correct literature will be covered on this course.

Course objectives

By the end of this course, students will have:

  • identified the research topic for their thesis;

  • formulated a research question and described its social and academic relevance;

  • identified the relevant theory and concepts under investigation;

  • developed testable hypotheses, expectations, or a research puzzle to investigate;

  • written the first half of their thesis proposal up to the methods section.

Timetable

On the right-hand side of the programme front page of the E-Prospectus you will find a link to the online timetables.

Mode of instruction

Lectures, class discussion, self-study (including assignments).

Study load: 140 hours

Assessment method

  1. Critical Review Essay (30%)
  2. Individual (1-on-1) Meetings with instructors (20%)
  3. Thesis Proposal (50%)

Details for submitting papers (deadlines) are posted on Brightspace.
Resit information for this course will be announced before the startup of the course

Failed partial grades or components should be compensated by passed partial grades or components. The calculated grade must be at least 5,5 to pass the course. It is not possible to re-sit a partial grade or component once you have passed the course.

Partial grades will remain valid for one academic year.

Reading list

Academic articles announced before the lectures.

Registration

Use Brightspace to register for every course. The programme will register the students in Usis based on the group division.

Contact

TBA

Remarks