Required in stage
Optional in stage
First term
Both terms
Not organised
This year
Next year
Alternating years
External
Prerequisites
Identical coursesMaster's Thesis (B-KUL-S0H24A)
English
1 
Second term
Cannot be taken as part of an examination contractCannot be taken as part of a credit contract
N. Aims
By writing their master’s thesis, the students acquire the following knowledge, skills and attitudes:
- Students recognize the importance of an empirical foundation for knowledge acquisition.
- Students can find, select, critically assess and use correct references for relevant and complex resources.
- Students can identify and use the methods and tools for doing research in public sector innovation and eGovernance.
- Students can identify and apply the different phases of scientific research and know the opportunities and limits of each of them.
- Students can independently complete the empirical cycle to formulate an answer to each research question.
- Students can analyse, study a research question, relevant in the domain of public sector innovation and eGovernance, and formulate a critical answer to it.
- Students can show they have acquainted themselves with the contents of specific course components in the Master's programme.
- Students can approach the field of public sector innovation and eGovernance analytically and critically.
- Students can write a dissertation of publishable quality.
- Students can independently plan an assignment, execute it, meet deadlines.
- Students can communicate, clearly and unambiguously, their analysis and rationale underpinning these, by giving an oral presentation.
Previous knowledge
The students have already achieved the following learning goals before the start of this course:
- Students have general and applied academic skills, such as writing papers, abstracting, reasoning, communicating, analyzing data and designing research;
- Students can critically deal with conceptual frameworks;
- Students have a basic knowledge of methodology;
- Students can work independently;
- Students have sufficient proficiency in the English language.
Order of enrolment
You can only take this course if you have to acquire no more than 60 credits to obtain your degree.
Order of Enrolment
You can only take this course if you have to acquire no more than 60 credits to obtain your degree.
Is included in these courses of study
Activities
30 ects. Master's Thesis (B-KUL-S0H24a)
Content
The Master's Thesis is the capstone project of the master degree. The student has the right to propose the choice of the topic, and the choice of the supervisor. Upon receiving the student’s application, the topic and the supervisor of the Master’s Thesis are assigned to the student on behalf of the Academic Steering Committee. Topics can only be assigned on the condition that the student has already earned a total of 60 credits. The subject of the Master’s Thesis should be related to the domain of public administration and public management, information systems and e-Governance.
The research question must be relevant in the mentioned disciplines and must be explored in a methodologically correct manner and within a suitable theoretical framework.
The student is also given the opportunity to do an internship in an organisation relevant to the Master's Thesis topic. The Master's Thesis is in this case more than an internship report as it inscribes itself into current research, which should be scientifically proven in the thesis. The internship may come in different shapes: interviews, collaboration in projects within the organisation, participating in meetings, etc. The internship is hence to be part of the methodology which aims at finding an answer to the research question(s).
Course material
Master’s Thesis regulations, made available via the electronic learning platform.
Format: more information
The dissertation begins with a research question and may be examined in several ways.
- In the context of the literature study, students must conduct research work in the library, databases, etc. The student independently gathers an overview of the current state-of-the-art with regard to their chosen subject, to formulate a research question.
- To investigate the research question, students can use a quantitative or qualitative research design by using cases, (in-depth) interviews, surveys, data analysis, etc.
- Students bring their own ideas into the research process and show their own vision in the dissertation and do not present a mere summary of existing texts.
- Students regularly make an appointment with their supervisor for feedback and advice.
Evaluation
Evaluation: Master's Thesis (B-KUL-S2H24a)
Explanation
The Master’s Thesis and its defence should demonstrate that a student is capable of working independently on a topic from the field of public administration, public management, information systems and e-Governance within a specified period of time in accordance with scholarly methods, and that he is able to document and present the results appropriately.
Characteristics of the evaluation
The evaluation for the Master’s Thesis consists of a dissertation that is concluded with an oral defence. The length of the dissertation should be about 80 pages. A deviation of 10% in length is accepted, exclusive of appendices and references. Precise guidelines on the format and defence can be found on the electronic learning platform.
A Master’s Thesis must cover the different elements as does a regular paper or article, and is evaluated on the following elements:
- A clear problem definition and research questions
- A sound theoretical framework
- A clearly defined methodological section with identified research steps
- Data collection and analysis
- Results
- Discussion
- Conclusions
The Master’s Thesis must be submitted in English. It must include a title page, a table of contents and a list of works and sources cited.
The thesis defence takes approximately 45 minutes and consists of a presentation of the Master’s Thesis content as well as a discussion.
Determination of the end result
The dissertation and its defence are scored and graded by the Thesis Defence Committee. The result is calculated and communicated as an integral number on 20.
Additional to the submission of the Master’s Thesis, completing the curriculum up to defending the Master‘s Thesis shall be the precondition for being eligible to conduct the defence. The curriculum is completed once all the courses/study modules have been completed.
All deadlines must be respected. Negotiation about any deviation is impossible. In case of any exceptional circumstances, students are required to contact the faculty’s ombudsperson prior to the respective deadline. If (one of) the deadline(s) is not met, the complete course will be evaluated as a ‘not taken’ (NA) unless a new submission deadline has been determined due to exceptional circumstances.
Students are fully responsible for submitting papers and assignments free of fraud and plagiarism (http://www.kuleuven.be/education/regulations/) and are requested to comply with the Faculty’s relevant regulations. Plagiarism will be sanctioned with the sanctions mentioned in the University’s Regulations on Education and Examinations.
Information about retaking exams
The evaluation characteristics and the determination of the final result of the second examination opportunity are identical to those of the first examination opportunity.