Within the educational order of the bachelor, pre-master and master programmes, the Master Thesis COM is positioned as the final project. Therefore it is expected that the knowledge and skills, obtained from the courses within the preceding bachelor (COM), premaster COM and master COM specialization, will give the student a sufficient basis to independently be able to design and execute the Master Thesis COM. Thus, to meet the learning goals of the Master Thesis COM.
The positioning of the Master Thesis COM can be visualized as follows:
Bachelor COM or pre-master COM assignment compared to the Master Thesis COM
In order to put the Master Thesis COM into perspective with the final assignments of bachelor COM or pre-master COM, following comparison can be made.
The bachelor COM or pre-master COM assignment
- First, the bachelor or pre-master assignment is based on a practical [P] oriented problem setting or research question, related to a current or real life social, public or organisational context.
- On-going, in order to investigate this practical oriented research questing, academic literature or theories [T] will be addressed to define the relevant (main) constructs and to select and justify the used research methods and instruments.
- Finally, in the bachelor or pre-master assignment, the results and subsequent conclusions of the research will add up to practical [P] recommendations towards the initially formulated research question.
Schematically the bachelor COM or pre-master COM assignment can be visualized as follows:
The Master Thesis COM
- First and contrary to the bachelor or pre-master assignment, the Master Thesis COM will start with a research oriented and thus theoretical [T] problem setting or research question, linked to the content of the subject master specialization.
- On-going, in order to investigate the theoretical oriented research question as a social / behavioural scientist, a case study or practical [P] research context (population / subjects) is required.
- Finally, in the Master Thesis COM, the results and subsequent conclusions of the research will be subject to a theoretical [T] discussion, linking the outcome and execution of the research back to the initial theoretically oriented research question.
Schematically the Master Thesis COM can be visualized as follows: