COINS502 Master's Thesis (30 cr)

Content

A thesis is an independent, scientific thesis and also the and indication of language skills. It can be written in either Finnish or English. Thesis topic can negotiated with a supervisor, it can be developed by the student, or the topic may be based on a need in a company or organization. In all cases, the student needs to agree upon the topic with the supervisor. In the thesis the student must demonstrate: 1) the capability for scientific thinking, 2) familiarity with the topic of thesis, 3) the ability of apply research methods and 4) the ability to set the research questions and the report about research in their own scientific discipline.

Completion methods

The student prepares a thesis independently or in pairs. Involves research work and reporting supported by the supervisor. Supervision is provided by the IT faculty professors, researchers and teachers with a doctorate degree.

Assessment details

The assessment is based on the faculty assessment criteria, introduced in the seminar. The work is assessed based on the research design, use of literature, the application of research methods, presentation of results and their interpretation, as well as the structure and the language of the work.

After completing the thesis, student is able to formulate and motivate a research problem based on previous studies or practical needs; Is familiar with essential theories and research findings in information system science; Is able to acquire information about the scientific research related to information systems; Is able to understand scientific literature, analyze them critically and draw up a synthesis; Masters the research method applied in her work; Is able to critically evaluate the application of the method in her work; Is able to independently acquire and analyze research data; Is able to report the results of research, reflect on their significance and relate them to previous research results; Is able to express themselves in writing and argue scientifically in accordance with existing reporting guidelines; Can independently produce text in scientific genre.

One should start the work during the second year of the degree programme. At that point, students have a good understanding of the literature, theories and research methods of the discipline.