Compulsory courses and electives.

The Master's thesis must be placed at the last year of the study programme.

Students starting the Master’s thesis are expected to independently be able to

       - Search for relevant literature and empirical evidence in the library’s databases

       - Select, describe, and critically reflect on the literature retrieved

       - Use methods and techniques that are in the learning goals within the compulsory courses of the profile and, as a        part of this, perform critique of theory and empirical evidence employed as well as of results of performed analyses.

The objective of the Master's thesis’ is that the student obtains an opportunity to demonstrate that he or she independently and professionally can define, delimit, analyse, assess and solve a problem within the profile's area in a way that is responsible to stakeholders. The thesis problem must be suitable for developing and demonstrating the ability to produce knowledge on a high level and thus allow the student to use scientific knowledge and methods as well as other qualifications acquired in the study programme.

The key areas in the Master's thesis depend upon whether the problem is solved in cooperation with a company or the problem is theoretical with or without empirical analysis.

1) Solving a problem in cooperation with a company.

Identify and delimit the problem.

Identify and select relevant theory for problem solving.

Apply theory and methods for structuring the chosen problem to guide collection of the empirical data, and as a basis for the selection of alternatives.

Design and complete a study on a high scientific level.

Analyse a problem, select and recommend alternative courses of action.

Critical reflection on own analyses and recommendations, including considerations of theoretical and empirical limitations as well as possible dilemmas related to ethical and/or sustainability issues.

Write an abstract in English or another language by agreement with the supervisor.

2) Analysing a theoretical problem (e.g. incongruent theories, documented inconsistencies between theoretical predictions and empirical observations).

Identify and delimit the problem and research questions.

Identify and select relevant theories and methods for solving the problem.

If relevant conduct empirical analyses of the theoretical problem

In-depth analysis of the theoretical problem.

Answer the theoretical question and point out theoretical and practical implications.

Critical reflection on own analyses and recommendations, including reflection on theoretical and empirical limitations as well as possible dilemmas related to ethical and/or sustainability issues.

Write an abstract in English or another language by agreement with the supervisor.

The learning goal of the Master's thesis is that the student, in a written report meeting common scientific standards and an oral presentation and discussion of the contents of the report, demonstrates:

Literature reflecting what is known in the scientific field at the time the thesis is written, and which is adequate for the solving the problem.

Fourth semester.

The student must list for the activity via the student self-service system.

Procedure for assignment of supervisor, joint information meetings and other activities in connection the Master’s thesis will be evident from the web page for Master’s thesis on the home page for the study programme on the campus in question. Notice that an information meeting about Master’s thesis is set up. Notice also that the student is expected to prepare for the Master’s thesis in such a way that he or she is ready to give in wishes for subject and supervisor at the deadline.

By working with the Master's thesis, the student shall gain experience in working independently with a complex problem. Therefore, the student's learning primarily takes place through independent work supported by a supervisor.

The workload of the Master's thesis per student is equivalent to half a year of study = 30 ECTS = 810 working hours.

The student may not receive payment for the work connected to writing the Master’s thesis as a) the activity is an ECTS-bearing activity, and b) the student may receive SU during the study. Reimbursement for some expenses or a monthly payment for confirmed expenses can however be granted during the study. If repayment/reimbursement is received, it is the student’s responsibility to ensure, whether it is taxable or not.  

Companies and organizations can give students in unpaid project oriented courses and on unpaid study stays an acknowledgment of up to DKK 3,000 a month. Students who participate in project oriented courses abroad may receive a salary if there is a legal requirement for minimum wages in the country in question.

Preparing for the approval of the supervisor agreement, the student has the right to a maximum of one hour of supervision for discussing the problem definition etc. The student has, in addition, possibility for supervision once the supervisor agreement is in place. The possibility for supervision is available for the first examination attempt only.

It is, however, a possibility to have supervision to a limited extent for the reformulation of the supervisor agreement for a possible 2nd or 3rd examination attempt.

1st examination attempt:

For students who register for Master’s thesis in the autumn semester, the thesis report must be handed in no later than 2 January. The oral defence will take place no later than 31 January.

For students who register for Master’s thesis in the spring semester, the thesis report must be handed in no later than 1 June. The oral defence will take place no later than 30 June.

The supervisor agreement must be approved before submission of the thesis report (see under "examination conditions").

If the thesis report is not handed in by the deadline, if the thesis report is rejected and not graded, or if the grade of the Master’s thesis after the oral defence results in a non-passed grade (-3 or 00), the student will be registered for one examination attempt, and a deadline for the 2nd examination attempt will become effective.

2nd examination attempt:

Three months are given to prepare the thesis report for the 2nd examination attempt. Before submission of the thesis report, a renewed supervisor agreement within the same topic must be approved (see under "examination conditions"). The deadline for handing in the report for the 2nd attempt is

1 September/1 April if the thesis has not been handed in by the deadline or if the thesis has been rejected without grading.

1 October/ 1 May if the oral defence has taken place.

If the thesis report is not handed in by the deadline, if the thesis report is rejected and not graded, or if the grade of the Master’s thesis after the oral defence results in a non-passed grade (-3 or 00), the student will be registered for one attempt, and a deadline for the 3rd examination attempt will become effective.

3rd examination attempt:

Three months are given to prepare the thesis report for the 3rd examination attempt. Before submission of the thesis report, a renewed supervisor agreement within the same topic must be approved (see under "examination conditions").

The deadline for submission of the thesis report is 3 months after the deadline for submitting 2nd attempt if the thesis report is not handed in by the new deadline or if the thesis is rejected without grading. If the thesis failed after the oral exam for the 2nd attempt, a deadline for submitting the thesis report for the 3rd attempt will be set 3 months after the date when the oral defence took place.

If the thesis report is not handed in by the deadline, if the thesis report is rejected and not graded, or if the grade of the Master’s thesis after the oral defence results in a non-passed grade (-3 or 00), the student will be registered for one attempt, and all examination attempts have been used.

A. Before starting the thesis, the student must have passed at least 60 ECTS.

B. The supervision agreement must be approved by the supervisor and the profile responsible according to the below stated regulations.

1st examination attempt:

It is a condition for submitting the thesis report for the 1st examination attempt, that the supervisor agreement is approved before submission of the thesis report. If the supervisor agreement is not approved, the thesis report cannot be submitted, and the student will be registered for one examination attempt. The 2nd examination attempt commences.

For approval, the supervisor agreement must contain a preliminary problem statement, which elaborates and explains the problem in such a way that it is possible to assess if it allows the student to demonstrate ability to produce knowledge at a high level within the focus area of the profile. In addition, the supervisor agreement must contain a feasible plan for supervision.

2nd examination attempt:  

It is a condition for submitting the thesis report for the 2nd examination attempt that a new supervisor agreement is approved before submission. The new agreement must contain a revised problem formulation within the same topic. The revised problem formulation must correspond to an additional 3 months of work for instance by additional data collection or analytical/theoretical work. If the supervisor agreement for the 2nd attempt is not approved, the thesis report cannot be submitted, and the student will be registered for one examination attempt. The 3rd examination attempt commences.

3rd examination attempt:

It is a condition for submitting the thesis report for the 3rd examination attempt that a new supervisor agreement is approved before submission. The new agreement must contain a revised problem formulation within the same topic. The revised problem formulation must correspond to an additional 3 months of work for instance by additional data collection or analytical/theoretical work. If the supervisor agreement for the 3rd attempt is not approved, the thesis report cannot be submitted, and the student will be registered for one examination attempt. The student has no further examination attempts.

Written report with oral defence.

The report may be written in Danish or English in agreement with the supervisor and in accordance with the profile description.

The thesis may be prepared either in a group of two students or individually. Students writing the report in a group also carry out the oral defence as a group. The assessment of the performance at the exam must be done for each student individually. Each student may choose to conduct the defence individually. This must be announced to the study administration when handing in the thesis on the digital form on which the title of the thesis is given. The examiner ensures that the oral defence is conducted in such a way that individual assessment of the performance of each student can take place.

The thesis report including supplementary material shall be submitted through SDUassignment in blackboard. The front page shows the title of the thesis in English and in Danish (if relevant). The thesis report is to include an abstract in English or another language agreed upon with the supervisor. The abstract may be no more than 3 pages in length. The front page must show the title of the thesis in English and in Danish (if relevant).

The thesis report (excluding table of contents, bibliography and appendices) may be up to 80 standard pages in length for an individual student and up to 110 standard pages for two students. There is no requirement to state who is responsible for the individual sections of the report. The thesis report must include an abstract in English or another language agreed upon with the supervisor. The abstract may be no more than 3 pages in length and is not included in the number of pages required.  For formalities, please refer to "Guidelines for formalities for written assignments” (find link on the exam page for the study programme.

The thesis report may be rejected in case formal requirements to a large extent are not fulfilled. Examples could be lack of resume or bibliography. Another example is if the number of pages in the report to a large extent deviates from the required number of pages. The supervisor decides a possible rejection. In this case, the grade will be “rejected” and an attempt has been used.

The oral defence lasts a maximum of 1 hour for the one student and 1½ hours for two students, including grading. The oral defence shall commence with a brief (maximum 15 minutes for one student, 25 minutes for two students) presentation of the most significant conclusions reached in the thesis and the theoretical and empirical bases form them. After the presentation, the student(s) is/are examined with the report and the presentation as a point of departure.

Grading is based on an overall assessment of the report and the performance at the oral defence. The grade is given on the basis of the extent to which the thesis report and the oral defence together fulfil the objectives that are described in the goals description in the above. The abstract is considered in the grading of the thesis. Grading will take place according to the Danish 7-step scale. An external examiner participates in the exam. Spelling and writing skills are considered in the grading of the thesis in accordance with the regulations contained in the curriculum.

Teaching activity id and exam activity id - Master Thesis - MSc in Economics and Business Administration:

Campus Esbjerg: 9345111 (Teaching activity) and 9345112 (Exam activity) and 9345102 (Supervisor agreement)

Campus Kolding: 9345121 (Teaching activity) and 9345122 (Exam activity) and 9345082 (Supervisor agreement)

Campus Odense: 9345131 (Teaching activity) and 9345132 (Exam activity) and 9345092 (Supervisor agreement)

Campus Slagelse: 9345141 (Teaching activity) and 9345142 (Exam activity) and 9345072 (Supervisor agreement)

Campus Sønderborg: 9345151 (Teaching activity) and 9345152 (Exam activity) and 9345062 (Supervisor agreement)