Admission requirements
This course is only available for Korean studies students who obtained the propaedeutic diploma, successfully completed all courses of BA2 and one BA3 Topical Readings course.
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, who doubles as seminar instructor.
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 thesis seminars 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:
work with research techniques that are current in relevant discipline(s);
comprehend sophisticated academic debates;
report on studies and research in good written Dutch/English;
report on studies and research in good spoken Dutch/English;
participate in debates in an active, prepared and informed way; and
understand fundamental cultural differences and divisions.
The general academic skills covered by these aims are:
collect and select specialised literature using traditional and electronic methods and techniques;
analyse and evaluate this in terms of quality and reliability;
formulate a well-defined research problem based on this;
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 on the basis of this; and
explain research findings in a clear and well-argued way, both orally and in writing.
Timetable
See the Timetable for more information.
Mode of instruction
Seminar
Course Load
Total workload: 140 hours
Assessment method
The final grade is the aggregate of four elements: 10% for participation in class; 10% for Assignment 1 (e.g. the research question and plan); 15% for Assignment 2 (case study or similar), and 65% for Assignment 3 (thesis draft; deadline 25 April 2020). In order for a thesis to be accepted, the 65% 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 have additional penalties available in the syllabus.
Students who receive a fail grade for their final thesis are obliged to take another seminar in the following year (theses can only be submitted in the context of a thesis seminar).
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.
The maximum number of words for a BA Korean Studies thesis is 10,000 (including bibliography and notes, +/- 10% margin). The format follows the Chicago Manual of Style (16th ed., long note form), Calibri or Gentium Plus font, size 11 or 12, standard margins of 1” and where applicable, Revised McCune-Reischauer (RMCR) romanization. Note that the Chicago Manual of Style offers further guidelines regarding margins, orthography, and other style and formatting issues. Students should first consult the manual before making enquiries.
Supervision is provided by staff members in any or a combination of the following formats: a) classroom context (the thesis seminar), b) individually, and c) in smaller groups. The seminar is led by a faculty member, who is also responsible for the individual supervision (First Reader).
Note that no thesis can be submitted that has not been written in the context of a thesis seminar. 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.
Blackboard
This course uses Blackboard in addition to other modes of communication in order to disseminate critical information. Seminar syllabus will be available on Blackboard; students are expected to check Blackboard frequently.
Reading list
See the syllabus for a full list of course readings.
Registration
Enrolment through uSis is mandatory.
General information about uSis