The master thesis is the final piece of evidence that students can conduct independent research and can report the outcome of their research. There are various possibilities for the completion of the thesis: research within a self-chosen subject, research within the context of one of the research themes of Utrecht University School of Economics and/or research based at an external research institute, a government instance, or a company. The thesis must be written individually. Given the aim and contents of the research master Multidisciplinary Economics, students are expected to explore the multidisciplinary aspects of the topic of their research master thesis (combination with other scientific discipline and/or combination of economics with business economics); this can either take place within the thesis itself, or in an addendum.
The master thesis should be written in the format of a paper that can be submitted to an international refereed journal in the discipline chosen by the student, with any supplementary material in appendix. Students are strongly encouraged to aim at ultimately publishing the research in their research master thesis, but are at the same time advised to be patient in doing this. Especially students who continue with a PhD are advised to take time during the PhD trajectory to improve the paper based on their research master thesis, and aim for a high-ranking journal.
Formally, the thesis should be written in periods 3 and 4 of year 2.However, many students start earlier (in period 1 and 2) because they take courses in periods 3 and 4. Below the process of the thesis is discussed. The document of the thesis procedure at Student Desk on line gives further information about the procedure and the regulations. Three stages can be distinguished in the Research Master thesis:
Stage 1 (preparation): Choice of research topic and thesis supervisor
An important part of the research master Multidisciplinary Economics is that students develop interest in a specific research area. In order to do so, students can orient themselves using the content of the first-year courses, and of internal and external seminars at U.S.E., as input. Furthermore, in period 1 of year 1, research master students attend dedicated research presentations by researchers from key research groups within U.S.E. After this, students are strongly encouraged to make appointments with individual researchers at U.S.E., and are then asked to provide a top-3 of supervisors they want to work with; based on this, a matching procedure between students and supervisors takes place. By the beginning of period 4 in year 1, each student is then expected to have found a specific research topic to work on, and a supervisor from the U.S.E. staff to supervise this research topic. Ideally, one and the same supervisor guides the individual student to write, first, a literature study in the course “Research Skills 2: Literature Study and Academic Writing” (year 1, period 4); second, a research proposal in the course “Research Skills 3: Research Proposal and Presentation Skills” (year 2, periods 1 and 2); third, the research master thesis itself. The deadline for registering the thesis subject, and a first as well as a second supervisor for the thesis, is 30th January of year 2; this is done by means of the Thesis Registration form (see website), which must be sent to use.studentenadministratie@uu.nl).
Stage 2 (main): Research
In period 3 and 4, there will be at least three meetings with a supervision group for all second-year students, who will be supervised by the coordinator of the research master supervision. In addition, there will be various meetings with the first supervisor of the thesis.
Stage 3 (final): Defence and finalisation
There will be a formal defence of the thesis attended by the first and second supervisors, and by the students of the supervision group in one of the last weeks of period 4. This defence takes place in seminar form, and the academic staff is invited to the defence.
Learning objectives
At the end of the course the student is able to:
• Apply (international) economic theories and models;
• Carry out scientific research independently;
• Show the specific academic attitude and skills belonging to the economic context and the context of a combination of disciplines;
• Choose relevant research methods;
• Apply specific research methods of economics and a combination of disciplines;
• Indicate the contribution of own research in relation to the existing research results or as new research;
• Write a research report in English.
Exit requirements
• Being capable of independently performing domain-specific research with the purpose of generating new knowledge for the further development of the domain of Economics and / or the domain where Economics and the combined discipline intersect;
• Being capable of autonomous self-development.
Format
Seminars and feedback meetings
Assessment method
Thesis (see thesis assessment form)
|
 |
|