Astrophysics, Particle Physics and Cosmology
Final project
The Master Dissertation or Master Thesis is the final stage of the Masters degree and provides you with the opportunity to show that you have gained the necessary skills and knowledge in order to organize and conduct a research project. It should demonstrate that you are skilled in:
- identifying an area, or areas, suitable for research;
- setting research objectives;
- locating, organizing and critically analyzing the relevant data and authoritative literature;
- devising an appropriate research methodology;
- drawing conclusions; and if appropriate
- making relevant recommendations and indications of areas for further research.
It may also serve as an introductory research work leading to a PhD thesis. In this case it is convenient, but not necessary, that the Master Thesis advisor coincides with the future PhD advisor.
Evaluation
There are two evaluation calls per academic year, one between the end of January and the beginning of February, corresponding to the 1st semester, and one between the end of June and the beginning of July, corresponding to the 2nd semester. Each student will have two opportunities to pass the assessment. Students who waive the winter call are entitled to defend their master's thesis during the spring call, while those waiving the spring call can defend their master's thesis in September.
The master's degree is completed after writing a report and carrying out a 20-minute public presentation in front of an evaluation committee.
The delivery date of the written reports may vary from call to call and will be communicated to the candidates well before the deadline through these webpages and the Campus Virtual. The length of the reports is limited to 12,000 words excluding appendices and references. The manuscript must contain an abstract of up to 350 words.
Each thesis will be evaluated using a rubric-based grading sheet by both the Tutor, who rates the research capacity of the student, and an evaluation committee, consisting of a President and a Secretary, responsible for appraising the written and oral work. The Tutor may be replaced by the Advisor upon approval by the master's coordination board.
The evaluation of the oral dissertation is based upon:
- The clarity of the public exposition of the work;
- the ability to answer questions by the committee; and
- the scientific quality of the written version of the work.
The oral presentation may be given in English, Catalan or Spanish. The use of English will have a positive impact on the evaluation.
