Required in stage
Optional in stage
First term
Second term
Not organised
This year
Next year
Alternating years
External
Prerequisites
Identical coursesMaster's Thesis (B-KUL-S0D73B)
English
10 
Both terms
Cannot be taken as part of an examination contractCannot be taken as part of a credit contract
N. Aims
Upon completion of the master's thesis, the student can:
- consult relevant classic and contemporary academic literature on his or her theme, critically read and analyse it and summarise its main arguments;
- formulate a research question;
- translate this research question into concrete research steps;
- apply anthropological methodology with regards to the research framework, its organisation and structure, but also to the data collection and analysis; in order to
argue a nuanced answer to the scientific problem formulation;
critically and creatively interpret research findings in the light of current anthropological and development theories;
critically and self-critically reflect on evidence and arguments
structure and present the findings and arguments in an academic paper, following the outline of an article;
write a well-structured innovative master's thesis and clarify the different research questions, methodologies and related theories.
The objectives of the master's thesis will be communicated to the students during the thesis info session at the start of the first semester.
Previous knowledge
General CADES requirements.
Students are registered in the CADES programme.
Is included in these courses of study
Activities
3 ects. Problem Formulation, Research Question and Methodology (B-KUL-S0D74a)
Content
The student defines a relevant topic of interest in the inter-related field of development and cultural anthropology; and appropriates expertise and abilities in a specific subfield or topic. The thesis topic request is submitted for approval to the Faculty of Social Sciences' Student Administration by the beginning of November. The exact date will be communicated in the Master's thesis information session at the start of the semester
The topic has to be approved by the POC Antropologie and guided by one of the staff members. The dissertation should have the quality of an article in a professional journal.
Format: more information
Students select of a topic of interest in the field of development and cultural anthropology and development (to be presented at and approved by the POC) and formulate a research question. They select a methodology, look up, critically read and analyse relevant literature.
Students can also collect relevant information from existing cases, interviews, their internship.
They critically evaluate different (conflicting) arguments.
They structure and outline relevant information which they present to their fellow students, supervisor and programme coordinators during a thesis session.
Students regurlarly make an appointment with their supervisor for feedback and advice.
7 ects. Research and Report (B-KUL-S0D75a)
Content
Supported by the research question and methodological introduction proposed, students write a dissertation on a relevant subject in the inter-related field of development and cultural anthropology. The dissertation should have the quality of an article in a professional journal.
Format: more information
Students
- translate the research question into concrete research steps;
- collect relevant information from literature/fieldwork (optional);
- describe methodology;
- structure and outline relevant information;
- critically analyse and interpret information referring to the research question;
- critically evaluate different (conflicting) arguments;
- orally present the state of affairs of their research to course coordinators and fellow students during the thesis session in the second semester
- report on their research according to academic standards
Students regurlarly make an appointment with their supervisor for feedback and advice.
Evaluation
Evaluation: Master's Thesis (B-KUL-S2D73b)
Explanation
Students write a Master's thesis* of minimum 10.000 and maximum 15.000 words (the Introduction is included in this quota, but the table of contents, concise footnotes, acknowledgements, appendices, and the bibliography are not). The word count has to be printed on the title page of the Master’s thesis.This written assignment will be evaluated for content, quality of writing, and format.
The Master’s thesis should be submitted to the Faculty’s Education and Student Administration. Deadlines can be found in the student calendar. Students also submit their Master’s thesis through the ‘My Master’s thesis’ application in KULoket for archiving and possible plagiarism* detection.
Students inform the Faculty’s Education and Student Administration that they will submit their Master’s thesis during the second examination period (June) alternatively the third examination period (August/September) no later than the date on the student calendar. Students submit their Master’s thesis at the latest on the date mentioned on the student calendar. Exceptions are only possible upon the approval of the Vice Dean for Education.
Determination of the end result
The evaluation is conducted by the jury which is composed by the supervisor (and assessor), a rapporteur and a chairperson. The result is calculated and expressed as a round number out of 20, with 10 being the passing grade.
The main criteria define the final score and are fine-tuned by the secondary criteria.
Main criteria
To what degree does the issue addressed lead to a clear, theoretically sound and relevant research question?
Did the student use the methodology that is best suited to tackle the issue and is it correctly applied?
Is the Master's thesis well-organised and logically structured?
Are the sources relevant and the references correct?
What is the student’s personal input?
Are the conclusions clear, relevant and correct?
Secondary criteria
Did the student pay attention to grammar, spelling, and lay-out?
Does the student have a good track record in developing the research project and compiling the Master's thesis? How did the student present his Master's thesis?
How did the student present his Master’s thesis?
More information on deadlines and required length can be found in the Master’s thesis regulations (http://soc.kuleuven.be/fsw/studentenportaal/english/masterthesis/regulations).
The Master's thesis is concluded with an oral defence. The defence is public and is done in the language of the programme. The defence takes maximum 30 minutes and consists of an 8 minute presentation by the student, the questioning by the evaluators, and a deliberation at which the student is not present.
With regard to content, the student is free to highlight any topics during his presentation. There is no possibility to use power point or any other devices. The use of a hand-out is permitted. The defence is a fundamental part of the evaluation of the Masters’ thesis. Not taking part in the defence leads to a ‘NA’ (=not attended) for the Masters’ thesis course.
Both the written dissertation and the oral defence are evaluated by the Master’s Thesis Committee. This Committee consists of the supervisor, the rapporteur and the chairman.
Precise guidelines on the lay-out, format and defence can be found on the student portal of the faculty.
Plagiarism:
Students are fully responsible for submitting papers and assignments free of fraud and plagiarism (www.kuleuven.be/english/education/plagiarism/) and are requested to observe the Faculty’s relevant regulations. Plagiarism will be sanctioned with the sanctions mentioned in the University’s Regulations on Education and Examinations (http://www.kuleuven.be/education/regulations/).
While preparing their Master’s thesis, students renew their knowledge and competences regarding the prevention of plagiarism. Therefore, they participate at the Faculty’s plagiarism prevention trajectory including an online brush-up course presented by the University Library within the Toledo learning environment and an online test. An electronic certificate will be granted to the students that successfully pass this test.This certificate counts as a formal prerequisite for submitting the Master’s thesis (in the case of advanced Master’s programmes). Students enrolled in an advanced Master’s programme attach this certificate to the Master’s thesis and submit both simultaneously in accordance with art. 13.