30 ECTS credits
775 h study time
Offer 1 with catalog number 4015776ENR for all students in the 1st and 2nd semester at a (E) Master - advanced level.
Course content
The master thesis consists of an individual research project related to ongoing research in one of the associated research groups and publicly defended by the student. The effective supervisor is always a lecturer from the Msc Marine and Lacustrine Science and Management. If the thesis is (partly) completed outside one of the research groups in which the lecturer is not involved, a co-supervisor from the other institute/company is appointed.
The thesis work is written in English and is divided into three components that have a different weight for the final evaluation.
Part 1: A comprehensive literature review (5-10 pages) about the chosen research project. (10% of the total mark)
This literature review is submitted separately and before the other parts: for students graduating in January (or September) the deadline will be in December, for students graduating in June (or September) the deadline will be in February. It should give the student the chance to work in the subject by thorough consultation of the available literature in a thoughtful manner before the actual research project is started. It also allows the student to think ahead about the wider context of his/her research and to identify the more specific questions that can be addressed by the proposed research activities. This work is not yet referring to any research results of the thesis itself.
Part 2: A manuscript according to a comprehensive scientific manuscript as found in scientific peer reviewed journals (about 20 to 30 pages, excluding figures, tables, maps). (80% of the total mark)
This manuscript is based on original analysis and interpretations made by the student. It will be the main part of the thesis and is submitted at the start of the examination session in January or at the start of the examination session in June in first session and at the start of the examination session in August in second session. It contains the traditional topics of a scientific paper such as abstract, introduction, materials and methods, results, discussion, conclusion, acknowledgements and references. Furthermore the manuscript can also have one or more appendices which contain aspects of the data collection or processing, which are generally not included in scientific papers (e.g. trials, failures, errors and corrections or proposing solutions).
Part 3: A Powerpoint presentation of 15 minutes. (10% of the total mark)This will be presented for an audience of scientists (peers) and a general public, followed by a discussion with the members of the examination commission and the audience.
General timing issues
Notwithstanding the thesis being programmed for the second year, we ask students to confirm their general thesis topic by June of your first year Master. This allows students to prepare for fieldwork that might be carried out during the summer months (July/August) and to collect the needed literature.
Timing| Call for subjects among students and research groups | December (1st master) |
| Collection of subjects | End of January |
| Distribution of subjects among students | February |
| Selection of subjects by students | April-May |
| Submission of topics to secretariat | June |
| Initial discussion of work plan with supervisor | June-July |
| Start of field work (facultative) | July |
| Start of laboratory work (or equivalent) | September-October (2nd master) |
| Submission of literature study | January |
| Submission of manuscript | End of May |
| Presentation | End of June |
N/A
MSc thesis is of the utmost importance as testified by the foreseen study load and credits. The MSc thesis accounts for more than one third of the total study points of the second year but constitutes a proportionally more important key element. It combines a number of educational objectives in the context of scientific practice, practical problem solving and communication of scientific data. When successfully completed, the MSc thesis assignment is a sound basis for graduates pursuing a scientific career as much as for those active in environmental management.
The final grade is composed based on the following categories:
Other Exam determines 100% of the final mark.
Within the Other Exam category, the following assignments need to be completed:
The Master thesis has a total of 30 ECTS and the four scores are merged into one final mark. Each component must however correspond to at least 8/20 in order to apply the respective weighing. If a component is marked less than 8/20, then this is the final mark.
Part 1: A comprehensive literature review (5-10 pages) about the chosen research project; grade given by the supervisor (10 % of the total mark)
Part 2: A manuscript according to a comprehensive scientific manuscript as found in scientific peer reviewed journals (about 20 to 30 pages, excluding figures, tables, maps); grades given by the supervisor (50 %) and the two readers (25 % each) account together for 80 % of the total mark
Part 3: A Powerpoint presentation of 15 minutes; grade given by the supervisor and the two readers (10 % of the total mark)
Additional info with regard to grading
A jury which consists of the supervisor and two readers, reviews each MSc thesis. The MSc thesis must be presented during a public defence session. After the defence sessions all supervisors and readers are invited to join the deliberation on the mark that each student will receive for the MSc thesis. During the deliberation the supervisors provide detailed information on the performance of the student during the whole period of preparing the MSc thesis (laboratory work, data analysis, and writing, general autonomy and maturity, scientific rigour). Based on the three grades (‘marks’) given by the supervisor and the two readers for the MSc thesis and the defence, the final grade will be discussed.
This offer is part of the following study plans:
Master of Marine and Lacustrine Science and Management: Standaard traject