30 ECTS credits
800 h study time
Offer 1 with catalog number 4021199FNR for all students in the 1st and 2nd semester at a (F) Master - specialised level.
The master thesis is an independently made original scientific work, publicly defended by the student. The written master thesis consists of presenting the results in the form of a scientific paper (according to the directives available at http://we.vub.ac.be/nl/vakgroep-biologie/mybiovub) + maximum 20 pages of supplementary information. The practical implementation happens in collaboration with the promotor, and consists of fieldwork and/or experimental work done in a lab at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel or another national or international research institute or company. The effective promotor is always a ZAP member of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel but if the thesis is (partly) completed outside the home institute, a co-promotor from the other intitute/company is appointed.
Scientific literature on the topic of research.
After successful completion of the Master Thesis, the student is expected to
- be able to understand and critically interpret scientific literature
- be able to work independently, formulate research questions and make an appropriate research design
- be able to deal with unexpected situations and think in a problem solving context
- be able to collaborate with others
- be able to evaluate the social and scientific relevance of a certain topic
- be able to communicate his/her scientific work (writing and presenting)
The final grade is composed based on the following categories:
Master Thesis determines 100% of the final mark.
Within the Master Thesis category, the following assignments need to be completed:
Each master thesis will be presented orally and defended in front of an audience. The evaluation is done by a jury, approved by the exam commission, and consists of promoter/co-promoters, and minimum twee readers that have an expertise in a field related as closely as possible to the topic of the master thesis. The jury will evaluate on basis of following criteria:
- Scientific content with emphasis on personal input
- Working attitude during the research activities
- Acquired knowledge on the topic of research
- Structure of answers given during discussion session
A comparative evaluation is guaranteed through the specific master thesis deliberation held just after the oral presentations and defenses.
This offer is part of the following study plans:
Master of Biology: AR Human Ecology 60 ECTS