Information for the student – Molecular Biotechnology

What is a Master Thesis? The master’s thesis is a piece of original research work written under the direction of an experienced advisor. All students will undertake a Master’s Thesis or TFM (Trabajo Final de Master) (20 ECTS). The Thesis is typically based on an experimental research project carried out in a research group. After finishing the master, students may be interested in pursuing further research, for instance in a doctoral program, or as a researcher in hospitals ,research institutes or in an enterprise. 

How to do a Master Thesis? Student must learn how to plan a research project, choose adequate methods to performing the experiments and analysing the results. You will write your Thesis as if it were a scientific publication (summary, introduction, objectives, materials and methods, results, discussion, conclusions and bibliiography), critically describing, and discussing results in the light of previous scientific literature on the topic. In the written Thesis it is expected to demonstrate that students are capable of scientific thinking, familiar with the methodology and with the topic of the research. The written Thesis is an important exercise for developing skills in project management and written scientific communication. 

Where to find the labs to do the Master Thesis? At this point the active participation of the students is needed as students have to start the search for the research group or company, following the guidelines provided by the Master’s coordinator. Likewise, offers will be posted on the TFM virtual campus with a brief title of the work and the email of the proposed tutor.

Therefore, the student must start the search of the group. The coordinator of the master's will be responsible for guiding the student in choosing the topic, the research group, as well as ensuring compliance with the objectives set, assessing their development and authorizing their presentation.

What else do you need to know about TFM? Once the student has a research group or company to carry out the work, a tutor from the reception centre will be assigned. Tutor will supervise the development of the student’s experimental work. Therefore, the authorization of the presentation by the coordinator will always be made in agreement with the tutor of the receiving centre, in which the student will perform the work.

Before presentation and defence of the TFM, the tutor must contribute in writing an assessment about the work that includes also the assessment of the competencies acquired by the student.

The final master’s thesis will be evaluated by two experts in the topic, named by the coordinating committee at the beginning of the academic year. This will consist of 2 members who will preferably be professors of the master. Substitutes members will be appointed following the same criteria as full members. Tutors may not be part of the court.

Regarding the written report, the commission will regulate the extension and format. The guidelines for its elaboration will be published in the virtual campus of the TFM. Three copies of the report must be delivered to the coordinator fifteen days before the scheduled date for the defence and will also be uploaded in electronic format to the virtual campus. In addition, one week before the defence, the presentation will be uploaded, in power point format or similar, to the virtual campus.

All works will be defended face to face session or through an electronic platform. The oral presentation will take place between July and September.

The date will be published on the virtual campus. Also, other instructions about writing and defending the TFM, will be published through the virtual platform.

These rules are in accordance with the regulations of the UB.

http://www.ub.edu/agenciaqualitat/normativaespecifica/