Admission requirements
This course is only available for Korean studies students who have succesfully completed one of the BA3 Topical Reading courses.
Before the start of the seminar, students are expected to submit a thesis proposal including a research question and 300-word problem statement to their assigned supervisor for the BA thesis, who in most cases doubles as seminar instructor.
Description
Building on earlier exercises in essay-writing and critical analysis, a bachelor’s thesis is the finishing paper of the program. It is a research paper of 10,000 words (± 10% margin), which to a considerable extent is the result of research and writing that is executed independently by the student. As a capstone, the thesis is understandably the most difficult enterprise that most students will embark on during the course of their undergraduate careers.
The aim of the BA Thesis Seminar is to guide students through the process of further refining their research question; collecting and analyzing literature, sources, data, and other materials that are necessary for answering the research question; identifying the proper disciplinary and theoretical framework and applying an appropriate research method, and designing a logical and persuasive thesis structure.
Attendance is mandatory; no thesis can be submitted that has not been written in the context of a thesis seminar. Time management is of the essence for the timely completion of a thesis.
Course objectives
Students are expected to accomplish the following aims of the course:
Work with research techniques that are current in relevant discipline(s);
Comprehend sophisticated academic debates;
Report on studies and research in good written and spoken Dutch/English;
Participate in debates in an active, prepared and informed way; and
Understand fundamental cultural differences and divisions.
The general academic skills covered by these aims are as follows:Select and collate specialised literature using traditional and electronic methods and techniques;
Analyse and evaluate this literature for quality and reliability;
Formulate a well-defined research problem based on this literature;
Set up, under supervision, a study of limited size, taking into consideration the traditional and electronic methods and techniques relevant for the discipline(s) in question;
Formulate reasoned conclusion(s) on the basis of the information gathered; and
Explain those conclusions in a clear and well-argued way, both orally and in writing.
Timetable
The timetables are available through My Timetable.
Mode of instruction
Supervision is provided by staff members in any or a combination of the following formats:
Seminar
1:1 and/or small group meetings
The course is led by a faculty member, who is also responsible for individual supervision (First Reader).
Assessment method
Assessment
The final grade is the aggregate of four elements:
10% for participation in class;
10% for Assignment 1 (proposal);
15% for Assignment 2 (case study or similar); and
65% for Assignment 3 (thesis draft; deadline 25 April 2023).
The maximum number of words for a BA Korean Studies thesis is 10,000 (± 10% margin). The format follows the Chicago Manual of Style (16th or 17th ed., or Chicago Manual of Style Online, which is available via the university library). A style guide summarising the key requirements will be made available.
Weighing
In order for a thesis to be accepted, the grade for the thesis draft itself should minimally be a pass (5.50 or higher). The deadline is always on the date noted at 23:59. For late submissions, 0.5 points per day can be deducted from the grade. The thesis supervisor may add additional penalties, about which information is available in the syllabus.
Resit
Each course is an integrated whole. All categories must be completed in the same academic year. No partial marks can be carried over into following years.
Please note that no thesis can be submitted that has not been written in the context of a thesis seminar. Accordingly, students who receive a fail grade for their final thesis in one year are obliged to take another seminar in the following year. Students must be aware that the amount of supervision is limited, and they should take care to benefit optimally by being well prepared for their individual meetings with the supervisor.
Reading list
Where applicable, readings are listed in the course syllabus, which will be distributed in the period immediately preceding the beginning of the class. There is no required course text.
Registration
Enrolment through My Studymap is mandatory.
Contact
For substantive questions, contact the lecturer listed in the right information bar.
For questions about enrolment, admission, etc, contact the Education Administration Office: Vrieshof
Remarks
None.