Admission requirements
This course is only available for students in the BA International Studies who have successfully completed a Thematic Seminar course, or the second or third year elective course and who have passed courses of the first two years of the International Studies programme worth a total of 100 EC.
The student writes the thesis in the area of specialisation.
Description
The theme of this seminar is the international relations of Russia and Eurasian – primarily post-Soviet – states, and the historical, cultural, political and economic dynamics that have shaped them. Students are expected to select a research topic from within this wider field, which will serve as the basis for their bachelor’s thesis. Examples of potential research topics include Russian foreign and security policy, the international economic relations of Russia and the post-Soviet region, international migration in former USSR, or Central Asian economic integration. Students will receive supervision both on content and research design, with a particular focus on qualitative and interpretive methodologies.
Building on earlier exercises in essay-writing, in particular the essay for the second year’s Thematic Seminar course, a bachelor’s thesis is the finishing paper of the programme. It is a research paper of 10,000 words (± 10%, excluding bibliography and notes), which to a considerable extent should be the result of research and writing that is independently done.
Collective supervision is provided in thesis seminars. The aim of the thesis seminar is to guide students through the process of designing a research question; collecting literature, sources, data, and other materials that are necessary for answering the question; bringing logic and persuasive order in the material and in the arguments supported by it; and designing appropriate research methods.
Each seminar meeting will include discussion of a select group of readings related to the states and international relations of the former USSR, as well as themes underpinning their current trajectory. Using these readings, as well as methodological references, students will be guided through the development of their own thesis hypothesis, research question and plan, and literature review. These assignments and others will structure the course over the semester.
Apart from collective seminar supervision, students will receive individual supervision, specifically focused on the subject of their research. The thesis seminar leader is also the one who provides this individual supervision. Students will have four individual meetings with their supervisor during the semester.
Course objectives
Based on the knowledge and skills acquired, students will be able to:
work with research techniques that are current in the discipline(s) applied by them;
comprehend sophisticated academic debates;
report on their studies and research in good written English;
work and write successfully under deadlines;
participate in debates in an active, prepared and informed way, respecting other people’s convictions and emotions;
understand fundamental cultural differences and divisions.
The general academic skills covered by these aims are:
collect and select specialized literature using traditional and electronic methods and techniques;
analyze and evaluate literature in terms of quality and reliability;
formulate a well-defined research problem;
set up, under supervision, a study of limited size, taking into consideration the traditional and electronic methods and techniques relevant for the discipline;
formulate a reasoned conclusion;
explain research findings in writing, in a clear and well-argued way.
Timetable
The timetables are available through My Timetable.
Mode of instruction
Six seminar class meetings of two hours, spread over the semester; four individual meetings with supervisor (30 min. on average).
Attendance
Attending a seminar is mandatory; no thesis can be submitted that has not been written in the context of a thesis seminar. If you are unable to attend a session, please inform your lecturer in advance. If you are absent at two or more class meetings or more than one individual meeting, the lecturer may have you disenrolled from the seminar.
Assessment method
Assessment
Submission of the following assignments is prerequisite for submitting your thesis:
Research question and research plan (1200-1500 words);
Literature review (3000-4000 words);
Draft version of the Thesis.
End Grade
The grade for the thesis seminar is determined by the thesis grade.
To successfully complete this course, the grade for the thesis needs to be a 6.0 or higher.
Resit
Students who score an insufficient grade for the thesis (below 6.0) are allowed to resubmit a reworked version of their thesis. The deadline for resubmission of the thesis is 10 working days after receiving the grade for the thesis and subsequent feedback.
In case of resubmission of the thesis the grade will be lowered as a consequence of the longer process of completion.
Students who fail to hand in their thesis on or before the original deadline, but still within 5 working days of that deadline, will receive a grade and feedback on their thesis. This will be considered a first submission of the thesis, however, the grade will be lowered as a consequence of the longer process of completion.
Students who fail to hand in their thesis on or before the original deadline, and also fail to hand in their thesis within 5 working days of that deadline, get 10 working days, counting from the original deadline, to hand in a first version of their thesis. However, this first version will count as a resubmitted thesis with consequential lowering of the grade, and there will be no option of handing in a reworked version based on feedback from the supervisor.
Reading list
Not applicable.
Registration
Registration occurs via survey only. Registration opens 17 December 2021:
1) On 17 December 2021 you will receive a message with a link to the survey.
2) Indicate there which Thesis Seminar has your preference, and your reasons for this preference.
3) Based on preferences indicated by 3 January 2022 the Thesis Coordinator will assign you to a specific Thesis Seminar by 24 January 2022.
4) Students will then be enrolled for the specific groups by the Administration Office.
5) All students are required to enrol for their group in Brightspace to access all course information.
Students cannot register in uSis for the Thesis Seminar, or be allowed into a Thesis Seminar in any other way.
Contact
For substantive questions, contact the lecturer listed in the right information bar.
For questions about enrolment, admission, etc, contact the Education Administration Office: Student Affairs Office for BA International Studies
Remarks
No thesis can be submitted that has not been written in the context of a thesis seminar.
There are four important due dates during the seminar: in the Fall semester, students are to submit a research question on 4 March 2022; a literature review on 25 March 2022; a draft version of the thesis on 6 May 2022; and the definitive version on 10 June 2022.
The due dates are not negotiable.
Since both the number of individual meetings with the supervisor, and their duration is limited, it is important that students go to them well-prepared.
Consult the Thesis Seminar Guidelines.