PECOS4096 – Master's Thesis
Schedule, syllabus and examination date
Course content
The master's thesis is an independent analysis of a research question within the subfield of peace and conflict studies, within the broader field of political science. For a definition of peace and conflict studies, see for instance the definition provided by the International Peace Science Society.
This individual research paper must include a clearly specified research question; methods grounded in political science, and pursue valid inferences. The thesis should adopt a publishable standard in terms of its design, substantive contribution and rigor.
The thesis enables students to independently explore an empirical or theoretical question with suitable political science methods. Students are responsible for defining a research question, selecting relevant methods and obtaining data in a rigorous and ethically sound manner. They must ensure that the content and format of the thesis is consistent with the current standards within political science research. Supervisors should be selected from the Department of Political Science, but external advisors may also be recruited.
More information regarding the master's thesis and writing process.
Learning outcome
Knowledge:
Students will learn
- Key debates within the substantive field of peace and conflict studies
- How to select and apply research tools and techniques from the broader field of political science
- Research ethics considerations within the substantive field of peace and conflict studies
- Basic principles for analysis and scholarly debate within the field of political science
Skills:
- Define and operationalize a research question
- Design and conduct an independent enquiry specializing in one or more political science methods
- Identify, collect and analyze relevant data from various sources
- Place your research question and findings within the broader field of peace and conflict studies and discuss their implications
- Identify and discuss sources of bias in data and analysis
General competencies:
- Understand how design choices and data limitations affect analysis in political science research
- Grasp and discuss ethical challenges and considerations in political science research broadly and in the sub-field of peace and conflict studies specifically
- Practice evidence-based and transparent analysis based on key principles of social science enquiry
Admission to the course
The course is restricted to students in the Peace and Conflict Studies programme.
Students who are admitted to study programmes at UiO must each semester register which courses and exams they wish to sign up for in Studentweb.
If you are not already enrolled as a student at UiO, please see our information about admission requirements and procedures.
Formal prerequisite knowledge
Students must have completed PECOS4022 – Applied Statistics for Peace and Conflict Studies and PECOS4025 – Analytic perspectives on peace and conflict or PECOS4021 – Research Methods (discontinued). If you do not fulfil these prerequisites, please e-mail the department at post@stv.uio.no.
Recommended previous knowledge
It is advisable that the students have taken all mandatory courses. A supervisor will be assigned by the Department of Political Science before the student start writing the master's thesis.
Students should consult this resource for research ethics and the social sciences: https://www.forskningsetikk.no/en/resources/the-research-ethics-library/introduction/social-sciences-humanities/.
For formatting and style, please consult the Chicago Manual of Style: https://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/home.html
Teaching
Students receive a combination of collective and individual academic supervision.
Teaching activities:
- Lectures on academic writing
- Software demonstrations
- Drop-in sessions on data management and protection
- Structured writing sessions (shut up & write)
- Thesis workshops where students present and comment on each other’s writing
Fieldwork
- Will you conduct fieldwork or will your master`s thesis require traveling? Read about financial support of fieldwork.
Examination
Master’s Thesis Submission and Oral Examination
Master's thesis:
The master's thesis is written individually and should be submitted in Inspera and Studentweb (DUO) before the submission deadline.
- Submission deadline for the spring semester: May 23?
- Submission deadline for the autumn semester: November 15
If the deadline falls on a weekend, it will be extended to the next working day.
Information on formal requirements, submission and postponed deadline
Oral examination:
The oral examinations will be arranged after the submission of the thesis, usually in June and August for the spring semester, and December and January for the fall semester. You will be notified via your student e-mail at least one week before the oral exam.
The questions that will be posed during the oral examination are likely to focus on the research question, research design, limitations and bias in the data, broader implications of findings, etc.
Information on how the master's thesis is assessed:
- Prior to the oral examination, the evaluation committee, that consists of an internal and an external examiner, will award a preliminary grade to your master's thesis. You will be notified of the preliminary grade and given an explanation for it at the beginning of the oral examination.
- The oral examination allows for an adjustment of the preliminary grade. Once the committee has determined the grade following the oral examination, you will be notified of the final grade.
- Recommended norms for setting grades in political science.
Language of examination
You submit your response in English.
Grading scale
Grades are awarded on a scale from A to F, where A is the best grade and F is a fail. Read more about the grading system.
Resit an examination
A master's thesis that has received a passing grade for the exam cannot be resubmitted in a revised form (See §5.6 (5) in the Regulations for Studies and Examinations at the University of Oslo).
A master's thesis that has received a failing grade for the exam can only be resubmitted once as a new examination attempt. The thesis can only be resubmitted in a revised form, and within the semester following the original submission (See §5.6 (5) in the Regulations for Studies and Examinations at the University of Oslo). Please contact the Department of Political Science for information on the possibility of resubmission.
More about examinations at UiO
- Use of sources and citations
- Special exam arrangements due to individual needs
- Withdrawal from an exam
- Illness at exams / postponed exams
- Explanation of grades and appeals
- Resitting an exam
- Cheating/attempted cheating
You will find further guides and resources at the web page on examinations at UiO.