Prospectus

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Thesis Preparation

Course
2019-2020

Admission requirements

Course for students enrolled in Master’s programme 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 are explained the setup of both the course itself, and the general thesis process. This is concluded with a Q&A with the thesis coordinator. In the second lecture, students present their own research proposals, 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 ‘method labs’: intense workshops during which students gain more insight into specific research methodologies (i.e. interviewing). This latter part of the course has a modular outline, which means that every student have to 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 into the first three chapters of the thesis, which have to be approved by both their thesis supervisor and the second reader before they are granted access to the thesis submission.

Course objectives

After the course, students have:

  1. Learned to critically discuss and (peer) review research proposals, signaling both the strong and weak points of a research design, and practical challenges and limitations in terms of feasibility;
  2. Gained profound knowledge in specific methodological skills, relevant to the thesis project;
  3. Fine-tuned their research proposal for their thesis project enabling them to start implementing their research.

Timetable

On the right-hand side of the programme 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 one introductory class, followed by a set of workshops in the second week, where students present their research proposals. From week three on, the method labs start. These consist of five sessions of two hours each. Students are expected to follow two method labs (which translates to two sessions per week, so four hours per week in total). Participation in lectures, discussions, skills labs and exercises is required in order to obtain a grade. Being absent more than once will lead to expulsion from the course.

Course Load

Total study load 140 hours

  • Contact hours: 26 (one introductory session of two hours, one workshop of four hours, and ten method lab sessions of 2 hours each)

  • Self-study hours: reading, preparing skills labs, working on thesis proposal, etc.: 114

Assessment method

Students need to hand in:

  • Two assignments that are part of the two method labs (each assignment counts for 50% of final grade)

  • Final research proposal (pass/fail supervisor and second reader)

Blackboard

The corresponding Blackboard course will become available one week prior to the first lecture.

Reading list

To be announced on Blackboard.

Registration

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 there.

Contact

Dr. Joery Matthys: j.matthys@fgga.leidenuniv.nl
Turfmarkt 99
2511 DP Den Haag
Room: 4.01
Phone number: +31 (0)71 527 6688