For the latest updates and information please check the blackboard site "Bachelor Thesis IBA/BA (2017-jaar)".
To get started please read the course syllabus 2018-2019
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Upon finalizing the Bachelor Thesis course you are expected to show proficiency in:
- formulating a research question;
- applying fundamental business management concepts and/or theories to analyse the research question and developing a research framework (model if applicable);
- adopting a coherent research design and using appropriate data collection and analysis techniques for the validation of the empirical findings (if applicable);
- demonstrating the scientific contribution and practical relevance of the research carried out;
- providing a consistent, well-structured and -argued text of a Bachelor Thesis article;
- planning and managing your own learning process; and
- presenting and defending results of your Bachelor Thesis course during the Students' Bachelor Thesis Conference.
DELIVERABLES
As a result of finalizing the Bachelor Thesis course you are expected to deliver:
- A research proposal for your individual research project
- Three or more submissions reporting your paper-in-progress (see time-table on the blackboard)
- An individual final report, comparable with a scientific article (prepared for a possible contribution to a conference, book, and/or journal manuscript); fixed deadlines per quartile
- Presentation of your results of the course at the Students Conference.
In this format, you do not hold a Bachelor Thesis colloquium. Instead, you present your thesis at a student conference that is the final stage of the course.
FINDING A RESEARCH PROJECT
Business Administration research groups place Calls for (Bachelor Thesis) Proposals within specific topics (bachelor thesis circles). These topics are subject to annual changes, depending on the status of running research projects within the groups. Be advised to monitor these Calls at the Blackboard site from the beginning of the 3rd quartile. Minor deviation from the Call for Proposals is subject to discussion with advisers.
SUPERVISION
You will receive guidance from two UT-BMS faculty members whose responsibility is to give you academic advice in writing a good Thesis paper. You can find a guideline for Bachelor paper Research Proposal here.
The 1st examiner (also known as the lead examiner) is an expert in the field from the Call for Proposals. The 2nd examiner is invited as a "reading committee member" to monitor and help, if needed, in the progress of the thesis. You can find the list of examiners here
When working on an Thesis project in an external organization, it is essential that you have a contact at the organization, who acts as an external superviser. This external supervisor must have sufficient knowledge and experience to supervise the BSc student in the Thesis project. Although the supervisor is involved in the Thesis project's successful execution, the UT examiners are responsible for grading your Bachelor Thesis, in accordance to the IBA BSc programme learning goals and related criteria.
ASSESSMENT
The final Thesis article will only be accepted for the Students' Conference with a mark of 6 or higher. Supervisors will use the assesment Matrix to evaluate the final version of the thesis. You must earn at least a 6 for the Bachelor Thesis Course. This is an individual assessment.
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