A master's project is a qualification work, on the basis of protection of which a state certification of a specialist is carried out with the assignment of a qualification level for a certain specialty.
A master's thesis on the subject, content, sources used, method of implementation and the results obtained should certify that the author has fully mastered the educational program of training in the magistracy, can creatively use the theoretical knowledge and certain experience to conduct research, solve problematic managerial and engineering technical tasks in the chosen specialty.
Work on a master's thesis
Writing a work has several goals:
- Deepening, systematization and consolidation of the theoretical knowledge received by the student during the training.
- Identification of his abilities in terms of selection and analysis of a scientific or practical problem of work, ability to draw theoretical conclusions and generalizations, substantiate specific recommendations.
- The accumulation and development of independent work skills, the mastery of research and experimental methods.
- Determining the level of preparedness of the graduate for independent practical work and creative problem solving.
During the implementation and defense of the qualification work, the graduate must show:
- The ability to comprehend the information received and provide it in a form understandable to a specific field of science.
- Professional erudition and the ability to think logically.
- Ability to work with scientific literature.
- General literacy and language culture.
- Mastery of computer techniques.
- Acquaintance with the standards and rules for the design of manuscripts adopted in the scientific literature.
Examples of works (master's theses) are always in higher education, where you can get acquainted with them.
The main stages of the preparatory work
Preparation of a master's thesis is carried out in several stages. The main ones are:
- The choice of topic and the approval of its department.
- Drawing up tasks for the master's work and the execution of the calendar schedule.
- Selection, study, analysis of literature, the performance of independent research and work.
- Acquaintance of the supervisor with the text of the qualification work, making comments on it.
- Finalization and submission of the thesis for normative control, review of the supervisor and review.
- Public defense of graduation work.
The student is given the right to choose the topic of a master's thesis on issues that are developed in accordance with a comprehensive research plan in the framework of international cooperation. Also, the student can offer his own topic that meets his inclinations and interests.
Topics of master's theses are determined after receiving a bachelor's degree, are discussed and approved at a meeting of the department. If during the implementation of the master's work it becomes necessary to clarify the topic, then this opportunity is provided after appropriate approval at a meeting of the department, but no later than a month before the defense of the qualification work.
Supervisor and Consultant
To guide the student’s master's work, the department appoints a supervisor. For this activity attracted teachers who have academic degrees and titles. If necessary, the employee of another educational or scientific institution may be appointed the head of the master's thesis. Consultants can be involved to handle complex issues or sections.
The supervisor helps the student:
- Choose the topic of the master's thesis and formulate it correctly.
- Identify sources of information search and research.
- Find a sample master's thesis.
- Perform and execute the work in accordance with applicable requirements.
Clarification of the topic of the dissertation can be proposed at the initiative of the supervisor or consultant, but no later than a month before its defense.
Rights and control of the head
The requirements for a master's thesis also contain the duties of a supervisor. So, he exercises control:
- Following the student's schedule of work.
- For the preparation, execution, writing and design of a dissertation.
- For its timely submission for review and review.
- For the preparation of the student for public defense before the examination committee.
The supervisor also gets acquainted with the content and form of the final version of the master's thesis before submitting it for review. For his part, he gives feedback on the student’s work directly to the State Examination Commission and informs the department about the status of preparation of the qualification work.
In the case when the defense of the master's thesis is considered unsatisfactory, and the examination committee agrees to re-protect this work, the supervisor should help the student with the revision.
In this situation, he has the right:
- Read the student review before defending it.
- Take part in an open meeting of the examination committee, where the dissertation is defended.
- If necessary, raise a question before the dean and vice-rector on a student’s business trip to work in archives, institutions and enterprises on the topic of work.
- Refusing to supervise the preparation of a student who, without good reason, does not adhere to the approved schedule, shows disorganization and irresponsibility or insists on ideas that diverge from the scientific convictions of the leader, but no later than two months before defending the work. The basis is an official written statement. The decision on this matter is made by the department.
Student and academic management
The student has the right:
- Choose a supervisor from the teaching staff of the department or (with the consent of the latter) from other scientific institutions. Also, a highly qualified specialist of any enterprise can be involved in the work.
- Get advice from leading experts of the university regarding the choice of topics and the main stages of the implementation of the master's thesis.
- To bother before the department about replacing the supervisor, if there are good reasons for this.
The student must:
- Do not violate the schedule for the preparation of the master's work.
- To issue it in accordance with the requirements of a higher educational institution and a department.
- Timely transfer it for regulatory control and protection before the examination committee.
- Take part in the public defense procedure in accordance with the requirements of the department.
Responsibility for the composition, content, design and timely completion of the thesis project lies entirely with its author.
The content and structure of the master's thesis
Due to the fact that the results of the qualification work are a scientific product, certain requirements apply to its content and structure. In the master's thesis, the essence of the problem is revealed, the degree of its scientific development and practical aspects are shown.
The problem is considered on the basis of a study of literature, scientific sources, facts studied, and experimental data. It is comprehensively analyzed, the conclusions are substantiated accordingly, the position of the author is displayed.
The structure of the master's thesis:
- title page;
- task for the master's project;
- essay;
- content;
- list of conditional reductions (if necessary);
- introduction;
- sections;
- final conclusions (recommendations);
- list of sources used;
- additions.
The abstract briefly provides a description of the main aspects of the work, namely:
- volume, number of sections, figures, tables, additions, sources;
- list of keywords;
- brief description of the text of the work.
In the introduction:
- substantiates the relevance of the topic, its scientific and practical significance;
- a short description of the sources, an analytical review of the literature used;
- the choice of topics is argued and the subject of research is determined;
- different views, trends in the development of the problem are shown;
- The methodological basis is displayed.
The sections outline the main content of the study:
- theoretical basis;
- practical issues;
- Methods and methods for solving certain problems are indicated.
Each section should end with short conclusions. A separate section may be devoted to the experiment and a description of its conduct.
The final part of the work highlights the theoretical and practical findings of the study. If necessary, recommendations are given regarding their practical application.
The general text of the master's work should be from 60 to 80 pages (without attachments).
How to apply for a graduation project
Registration of a master's thesis begins with a title page. Behind her are placed "Tasks for the graduation project for a student" and "Abstract".
The next page contains the content of the qualification work, which displays its structure (sections, subsections) with the designation of the pages of their placement.
Each structural part of the dissertation begins on a new page and is written in capital letters. The name of the subsections are written in red letters in small letters. The indent between the subsection and the text is two rows.
It is necessary to maintain the proportions of the volume of all structural parts of the qualification work. It is recommended that the introduction and conclusions in total should not exceed 20% of the total dissertation. It is desirable that the distribution of the material in the sections is relatively uniform.
The manuscript computer set is performed in a Microsoft Office Word text editor and printed on one side of a sheet of A4 white paper, adhering to the following margin sizes: top 20 mm, bottom 20 mm, left 30 mm and right 10 mm. The line spacing is one and a half, the font is Times New Roman of size 14, the alignment is wide, the indent is five characters (1.27 cm).
Section headings are separated in two rows above and below and are written in capital letters. All pages are numbered. The general numbering starts with the cover page, but the serial number is not put on it.
A prerequisite for the high quality of qualification work is its scientific character, literacy, clear logic, and correct stylistic design. The author must carefully check the text after typing before printing. Responsibility for the reliability of numerical, factual data and citations rests with the author of the study.
After full completion, the student signs the title page of the work and passes it to the supervisor.
An example of a master's thesis can be found in the archive of a higher educational institution.
Protection of the diploma
To assess the degree of readiness of work, the head of the department decides on the graduate's admission to preliminary protection. This procedure is carried out no later than three weeks before the examination committee meeting. Preliminary defense is a closed hearing of the master's work at the department. At the hearing, the presence of a supervisor and several leading specialists (associate professors, senior teachers) who work in the field of research of the prepared dissertation are mandatory.
The degree of readiness of the master's work, which is necessary for admission to the preliminary protection procedure, is determined as follows:
- Graduation note and presentation - 90%.
- Report - 100%.
The thesis is approved by the head of the department, it is allowed to defend after eliminating the shortcomings that were identified at the preliminary hearing.
Security Approval
If the thesis is not prepared and the head of the department does not find it possible to allow the graduate to defend, then the issue is considered at an extraordinary meeting of the department, and the materials are submitted to the State Examination Commission for a decision (no later than two weeks before its official meeting).
The work admitted to the defense is accompanied by a review of the supervisor, in which an assessment of the diploma project and recommendations are given.
This review contains the rationale for the relevance, independence, completeness, scientific level, theoretical and practical significance obtained by the graduate of the research results of the selected topic. There are also recommendations of the supervisor of the thesis for its official defense.
Graduation Reviewers
A review of a master's thesis can be written by leading experts who work in enterprises or scientific institutions in the field of solving the problem associated with the theme of the thesis. The reviewer gives a preliminary assessment, since the State Commission finally assesses the dissertation in the defense process.
The review is prepared in any form, but the following points must be highlighted in it:
- the correctness of the editorial formulation of the topic;
- clear structural and logical presentation of the material;
- registration of scientific reference material of the dissertation;
- independence, creative approach of the graduate to the processing and research of theoretical and factual material;
- completeness of research on a selected topic;
- ability to critically analyze scientific works;
- stylistic level of work;
- the level of design of the thesis as a whole.
Undergraduates who have fully complied with all the requirements of the scientific plan are allowed to protect. The diploma is defended at an open meeting of the State Commission with the participation of at least three of its members.
Writing a master's thesis is a complex and time-consuming process. A student who successfully defends his work is awarded a master's degree and a diploma is issued.