ITI53020 Master's Thesis (Autumn 2023–Spring 2025)

Knowledge

The student has

• knowledge and expertise required for challenging jobs in research and development in the field
• knowledge about literature and methods related to the subjects that are part of the master thesis

Skills

The student is able to

• work independently with a complex problem over a longer period of time
• analyse a situation, describe a problem and plan its solution
• collect and analyse relevant information with an ethically sound and critical approach
• present research and results in a clear and comprehensive written thesis
• communicate knowledge clearly and precisely, orally and in writing
• express own and others reflections and solutions in the chosen area of research

General competence

The student has

• obtained a relation to scientific literature and methods
• developed academic curiosity
• gained consciousness towards values such as openness, precision and ability to discriminate between knowledge and opinions
• the ability to think critically about central ethical, philosophical and scientific problems in his/her field

The student must :

• attend a mandatory seminar in academic writing and a library course.
• deliver a written report (individually or in groups of two people) which includes a thorough literature study, a clearly defined problem statement, research questions, and a detailed project plan.
• present their project mid-way for supervisors and students within the same specialisation.

Coursework requirements must be accepted to qualify for the exam.

Master thesis and oral exam

The assessment is based on the master thesis (individually or in groups of two people) and an individual oral exam. At the oral examination the candidate first holds a presentation of the master thesis (approx. 30 min). Then the candidate defends his/her thesis (approx 30 min). The oral examination is public.

The master thesis must be passed before the oral exam can be carried out

The thesis is graded on the A - F grading scale. It is given a tentative grade of the thesis. This grade can be adjusted up to 2 stages at the oral exam.

If the student decides to challenge the assessment, the thesis must be re-assessed. If the new assessment affects the tentative grading of the thesis, a new oral exam will be arranged.

Plagiarism control/cheating

Master's theses are subject to electronic plagiarism control. Exam papers that are partly or entirely identical will not be approved and will be regarded as cheating. For further information please see Exam regulations for Østfold University College.

Upon re-examination, both parts of the examination must be retaken.

If the student wishes to improve a passed result of his/her master thesis, the thesis must be rewritten with a new problem statement. In this case, the student is not entitled to receive new academic supervision.

This course is evaluated by a

• Mid-term evaluation (compulsory)

The responsible for the course compiles a report based on the feedback from the students and his/her own experience with the course. The report is discussed by the study quality committee of the faculty of Computer Sciences.