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Language of instruction
Duration
Identical coursesMaster’s Thesis Social Data Science (B-KUL-S0K15A)
Cannot be taken as part of a credit contract
N. Aims
Upon completion of this course, students have achieved the following learning outcomes:
- Students can independently search for relevant sources, select them, critically assess them and use them to formulate and answer a research question;
- Students can select a suitable process to collect data, they can scientifically substantiate this choice, and they can explain the limitations of their choice;
- Students can convert a problem into research questions, prepare a research design and go through a full (empirical) cycle to answer these research questions;
- Students reflect on the scientific value of their research findings;
- Students can carry out sociological research accurately and in a scientific manner and report on this in writing and orally;
These objectives are communicated to the students at the start of the academic year.
The timely submission of a start report is a condition for being allowed to submit the Master's thesis and to be admitted to the defence. You can find more information about the deadline and required size of the starting memorandum in the Master's thesis regulations.
Previous knowledge
Students are expected to be able to work independently and apply their knowledge to the analysis of structures and processes.
Students who still need to acquire more than 12 credits of the study programme which precedes the Master’s programme (i.e. Bachelor’s programme, preparatory programme, bridging programme), are strongly advised to refrain from combining the complete Master’s programme with the preceding study programme. More specifically, it is recommended that students who combine a Bachelor’s, preparatory or bridging programme with the Master’s, do not take on the Master’s thesis in their study programme. Students can discuss this with the person responsible for their ISP or the study career counselor.
Is included in these courses of study
- Master of Sociology (Leuven) (Quantitative Analysis and Social Data Science (QASS)) 60 ects.
Activities
18 ects. Master’s Thesis Social Data Science (B-KUL-S0K15a)
Content
The Master’s thesis is an independent research project that rounds up the Master of Sociology. In the Master’s thesis the student reports on his/her own research on a chosen topic. It reflects the critical sense and the reflective attitude, as well as the scientific research skills of the student.
Course material
- Students have to use all the knowledge and skills from the other courses.
- A topic list, information on the content, Master’s thesis regulation, a schedule with relevant deadlines, etc. is made available on the website of the Faculty of Social Sciences.
Format: more information
Writing a Master’s thesis includes different activities (non-exhaustive list):
- formulating a problem and a research questions
- literature review
- development of a suited research design
- data collection, data processing
- data analysis
- critical reflection on the methodology, literature, data and research results
Students choose their topic from a list of research topics made available at latest at the start of the academic year. After consulting the relevant supervisor, they submit their preference for their thesis topic. More info about this procedure and the deadline for topic submission will be communicated.
At the end of the first terms, students are required to hand in their starting memorandum, including a plagiarism certificate. The timely submission of a start report is a condition for being allowed to submit the Master's thesis and to be admitted to the defence. You can find more information about the deadline and required size of the starting memorandum in the Master's thesis regulations.
Evaluation
Evaluation: Master’s Thesis Social Data Science (B-KUL-S2K15a)
Explanation
Evaluation characteristics
The evaluation consists of two parts: a written report on a research project and an oral defence of the research.
Determination of the final result
The course is evaluated by the jury, as communicated in the examination regulations and in the Master's thesis regulations. of the Faculty of Social Sciences. The final grade is expressed as a mark out of 20 (rounded to a whole number). The evaluation form including all the relevant criteria are available on the faculty website. When students fail to meet the deadlines for the submission of either the starting memorandum or the final thesis, the final grade will be marked as NA (not attempted).
Submitting the starting memorandum and the plagiarism certificate on time is compulsory, since it ranks as prerequisite for being allowed to submit and defend the final Master’s thesis. The plagiarism certificate can be acquired by completing the online plagiarism course made available by the University Library through Toledo, More information on both the starting memorandum and the plagiarism certificate can be found in the Master’s thesis regulations.
a. Students who would like to defend their Master’s thesis in the first examination period (January) are requested to submit a start report to the Faculty’s Education and Student Administration no later than the ISP-deadline of the first semester.
b. Students who would like to defend their Master’s thesis in the second examination period (June) are requested to submit a start report to the Faculty’s Education and Student Administration no later than the last Thursday before the Christmas holidays.
c. Students who would like to defend their Master’s thesis in the third examination period (September) are requested to submit a start report to the Faculty’s Education and Student Administration no later than the last Thursday before the Easter holidays.
The minimal word count for a Master’s thesis is 15.000 words, and the maximum is 25.000 words. The table of content, bibliography and appendices are not included in this word count, but introductions are. The word count needs to be included on the cover page of the thesis.
The deadline for submission is communicated through the student calendar on the website of the faculty of Social Sciences. The thesis needs to conform to lay-out regulations as set out in the Master’s thesis regulations (available on the faculty website).
Students need to register online on the faculty website for the defence of their thesis. Guidance, rules and regulations concerning the defence are available on the faculty website. The schedule of the defences will be made available in due course on the website of the faculty.
Students are responsible for the submission of a thesis that consists of their own work and is free of fraud and plagiarism. They should therefore consult the necessary plagiarism regulations available on the university website (www.kuleuven.be/plagiaat).
Second examination opportunity
The evaluation criteria and the determination of the final grade of the second examination opportunity are similar to those of the first examination opportunity, as expressed above. Students need to register online with the Faculty if they wish to defend in the second examination opportunity.