Master Project: Research

Admission requirements

For Astronomy master's students in the specialisations Astronomy Research, Astronomy and Cosmology, Astronomy and Data Science or Astronomy and Instrumentation: the Master's Research Project can be started only after successful completion of the First Research Project.

For Astronomy master's students in the Astronomy and Business Studies (BS), Astronomy and Science Communication and Society (SCS) or Astronomy and Education specialisations: the Master's Research Project can be started only after successful registration for the Astronomy master’s programme. Click here for admission and application requirements for the Astronomy master's programme.

The Master's Research Project can only be started in consultation with the Astronomy study advisor. For detailed practical information and procedures, visit the Astronomy master's research projects page on the student's website for more information on duration and deadlines.

Description

The Master's Research Project is an integral and vital part of your training as an Astronomy master's student at Leiden University. During a period covering at least half of the second year, your engage in state-of-the-art research, supervised by a Leiden Observatory scientific staff member. You are free to choose your research topic along the full spectrum of modern astrophysics. Projects may involve observations, theory, simulation and hands-on experimentation. Keep in mind that if you do two projects, the First Research Project and the Master's Research Project must be on different topics. During the Master's Research Project, you are hosted at Leiden Observatory; you will get a desk, a computer, and attend regular meetings within your research group. The Master's Research Project is concluded with a Master's Thesis and a Student Colloquium.

For detailed practical information and procedures, visit the Astronomy master's research projects page on the student's website.

Course objectives

• Gaining experience with academic research

• Translating an astronomy-related problem into a relevant research question

• Drafting an appropriate research plan to investigate your research question

• Performing independent and accurate research, according to methodological and scientific standards

• Discussing the outcomes of your research and linking them with scientific theories

• Indicating the relevance of your own astronomy research for science and society

• Critically reflecting on your own research work

• Comprehensibly reporting research results in writing

• Presenting research research orally in a public presentation

Timetable

The Master's Research Project must be carried out in the first year of the two-year Astronomy master's programme. The project covers 30 EC, which equals 30 x 28 hrs = 840 hrs of research work. The maximum duration in calendar time of the Master's Research Project is 9 months.

For more information on duration and deadlines, visit the Astronomy master's research projects page on the student's website.

In MyTimetable, you can find all course and programme schedules, allowing you to create your personal timetable. Activities for which you have enrolled via MyStudyMap will automatically appear in your timetable.

Additionally, you can easily link MyTimetable to a calendar app on your phone, and schedule changes will be automatically updated in your calendar. You can also choose to receive email notifications about schedule changes. You can enable notifications in Settings after logging in.

Questions? Watch the video, read the instructions, or contact the ISSC helpdesk.

Note: Joint Degree students from Leiden/Delft need to combine information from both the Leiden and Delft MyTimetables to see a complete schedule. This video explains how to do it.

Mode of instruction

Research

Assessment method

• Assessment of research work (25 EC)

• Master's Thesis (5 EC)

• Student Colloquium

See also the Master Research Project Grading Form and the Master Research Project Evaluation Form on the Astronomy master's research projects page on the student's website.

Reading list

• Master's research projects page on the student's website

• Thesis and paper writing tips

• Tips for good academic writing, including prevention of plagiarism

• Tips to enhance your speaking skills

Registration

As a student, you are responsible for enrolling on time through MyStudyMap.

In this short video, you can see step-by-step how to enrol for courses in MyStudyMap.
Extensive information about the operation of MyStudyMap can be found here.

There are two enrolment periods per year:

• Enrolment for the fall opens in July

• Enrolment for the spring opens in December

See this page for more information about deadlines and enrolling for courses and exams.

Note:

• It is mandatory to enrol for all activities of a course that you are going to follow.

• Your enrolment is only complete when you submit your course planning in the ‘Ready for enrolment’ tab by clicking ‘Send’.

• Not being enrolled for an exam/resit means that you are not allowed to participate in the exam/resit.

Contact

• Please visit Astronomy master's research projects page on the student's website.

• For general questions or in case of problems during your research that you would prefer to discuss confidentially, contact Astronomy study advisor.

Remarks

Astronomy master's students in the specialisations Astronomy Research, Astronomy and Cosmology, Astronomy and Data Science, and Astronomy and Instrumentation carry out two astronomy research projects: the First Research Project and the Master’s Research Project. Please note that both projects must be on different topics.

Soft skills
In this course, students will be trained in the following behaviour-oriented skills:

• Problem solving (recognizing and analyzing problems, solution-oriented thinking)

• Analytical skills (analytical thinking, abstraction, evidence)

• Structured thinking (structure, modulated thinking, computational thinking, programming)

• Project management (planning, scope, boundaries, result-orientation)

• Responsibility (ownership, self-discipline, bear mistakes, accountability)

• Motivation (commitment, pro-active attitude, initiative)

• Self-regulation (independence, self-esteem, aware of own goals, motives and capacities)

• Verbal communication (presenting, speaking, listening)

• Written communication (writing skills, reporting, summarizing)

• Collaboration (teamwork, group support, loyalty, attendance)

• Flexibility (adaptability, dealing with change, teachability, eagerness to learn)

• Critical thinking (asking questions, check assumptions)

• Creative thinking (resourcefulness, curiosity, thinking out of the box)

• Integrity (honesty, moral, ethics, personal values)

• Project dependent: Complex ICT-skills (data analysis, programming, simulations, complex ICT applications)

Software
Starting from the 2024/2025 academic year, the Faculty of Science will use the software distribution platform Academic Software. Through this platform, you can access the software needed for specific courses in your studies. For some software, your laptop must meet certain system requirements, which will be specified with the software. It is important to install the software before the start of the course. More information about the laptop requirements can be found on the student website.