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 may be different than the seminar instructor). This submission is through Brightspace.
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:
Comprehend sophisticated academic debates;
Report on studies and research in good written and spoken English;
Participate in debates in an active, prepared and informed way; and
Identify and work with research techniques that are current in relevant discipline(s).
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 and conduct, under supervision, a study of limited size, taking into consideration the traditional and electronic methods and techniques relevant for the discipline(s);
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 a combination of the following formats:
Seminar
1:1 and/or small group meetings
Assessment method
Assessment
The final grade is the aggregate of four elements:
10% for participation in class, including peer review of the work(s) of others;
10% for Assignment 1 (proposal);
15% for Assignment 2 (chapter draft); and
65% for Assignment 3 (thesis draft; due April 25).
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.
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
There is no required course text. Where applicable, readings are listed in the course syllabus, which will be distributed in the period immediately preceding the beginning of the class.
Registration
Enrolment through MyStudyMap is mandatory.
General information about course and exam enrolment is available on the website
Registration À la carte education, Contract teaching and Exchange
Not applicable.
Contact
For substantive questions, contact the lecturer listed in the right information bar.
For questions about enrolment, admission, etc, contact the Education Administration Office Herta Mohr
Remarks
A strict attendance policy is imposed. Missing more than three sessions during the semester may get you barred from further attending the course and your papers may not be graded. Any absences must be notified in advance. Dispensation from the attendance policy for extenuating circumstances can only be granted by the Board of Examiners after consultation with the teacher.