Admission requirements
Course for students enrolled in master program Crisis and Security Management.
Description
In the course ‘Thesis Preparation’ students will be provided with concrete advice and practical tools to conduct their own thesis research. The course starts off with two lectures. During the first lecture, students learn from alumni and lecturers what the possible obstacles are in research on crisis and security management, and how they can be overcome. In the second lecture, students present their own research proposals, which were written during the preceding course ‘Research Design CSM’, and critically assess the proposals of their peers, focusing on potential challenges and the feasibility of the research project. The two lectures are followed by ‘skills labs’: intense workshops during which students gain more insight into a specific research methodology (i.e. interviewing), and a specific skill (i.e. academic writing). This latter part of the course has a modular outline, which means that every student may choose two labs that are relevant for his or her own thesis research. Based on the knowledge that students obtain during ‘Thesis Preparation’, they are required to fine-tune their research proposal, which, at the end of the course has to be approved by both their thesis supervisor and the second reader.
Course objectives
After the course, students have:
Learned to critically discuss and (peer) review research proposals signalling both the strong and weak points of a research design, and practical challenges and limitations in terms of feasibility
Gained profound knowledge in a specific academic skill and a specific professional skill. Both of these skills should be relevant for their individual thesis project.
Fine-tuned their research proposal for their thesis project enabling them to start implementing their research and approved by both their thesis supervisor and their second reader
Timetable
On the Public Administration front page of the E-guide you will find links to the website and timetables, uSis and Blackboard.
Mode of instruction
This course consists of two initial lectures, which are followed by two intense skills labs (which consist of two sessions each). Lectures and skills labs are compulsory.
Course Load
Total study load 140 hours
contact hours: 24 (six sessions of 4 hours)
self-study hours: reading, preparing skills labs, working on thesis proposal, etc: 116
Assessment method
Review research proposal fellow student (10%)
Two assignments that are part of the two skill labs (each assignment counts for 45% of total grade)
Final research proposal (go/no go supervisor and second reader)
Failed partial grades weighing less than 30% should be compensated by a passed partial grade weighing more than 30%. The calculated grade must be at least 5,50 in order to pass the course. A ‘go’ from the supervisor and second reader regarding the final thesis proposal is a prerequisite to pass the course.
You can find more information about assessments and the timetable exams on the website.
Details for submitting papers (deadlines) are posted on Blackboard.
On the Public Administration front page of the E-guide you will find links to the website, uSis and Blackboard.
Resit
Students will be permitted to resit an examination if they have a mark lower than 5.5 or with permission of the Board of Examiners.
Resit written exam
Students that want to take part in a resit for a written exam, are required to register via uSis. Use the activity number that can be found on the ‘timetable exams’.
Blackboard
Blackboard page will be available one week in advance.
Reading list
To be announced on blackboard.
Registration
Use both uSis and Blackboard to register for every course.
Register for every course and workgroup via uSis. Some courses and workgroups have a limited number of participants, so register on time (before the course starts). In uSis you can access your personal schedule and view your results. Registration in uSis is possible from four weeks before the start of the course.
Also register for every course in Blackboard. Important information about the course is posted here.
Contact
a.l.van.leeuwen@fgga.leidenuniv.nl
g.m.van.buuren@fgga.leidenuniv.nl