LEARNING OUTCOMES
The purpose of the course is to prepare students for the Master's thesis and support them during the research process. The course includes topics such as literature management, formulating research questions, choosing suitable research methods, structuring and scheduling research work, and writing the thesis. After the course, the student:
- knows about different types of master's theses and has a general understanding of the workload and schedule
- has formulated research questions and chosen appropriate materials and methods to answer them
- has basic knowledge of qualitative and quantitative research methods
- has basic skills for literature and references management
- has prepared a personal research plan for the thesis, and is able to present and discuss the topic
Credits: 5
Schedule: 22.10.2024 - 20.05.2025
Teacher in charge (valid for whole curriculum period):
Teacher in charge (applies in this implementation): Dominic Stead, Milos Mladenovic
Contact information for the course (applies in this implementation):
CEFR level (valid for whole curriculum period):
Language of instruction and studies (applies in this implementation):
Teaching language: English. Languages of study attainment: English
CONTENT, ASSESSMENT AND WORKLOAD
Content
valid for whole curriculum period:
The course consists of following components:
- general thesis guidelines
- thesis structure and content
- thesis process and plan
- reserach ethics
- qualitatitive reserach methods
- quantitative reserach methods
- literature management
- thesis writting
- peer feedback
Assessment Methods and Criteria
valid for whole curriculum period:
The following assessment methods are used during the course:
- in-class activities
- homework
- thesis plan presentations
Workload
valid for whole curriculum period:
The study methods include
- lectures (20h),
- in-class activities (20h),
- independent out-of-class work (70h), and
- individual seminar presentation(s) (25h).
DETAILS
Study Material
valid for whole curriculum period:
Detailed study material is provided for the use of bibliography, the structure of the research plan and the master s thesis, and other relevant topics.
Substitutes for Courses
valid for whole curriculum period:
Prerequisites
valid for whole curriculum period:
SDG: Sustainable Development Goals
3 Good Health and Well-being
7 Affordable and Clean Energy
9 Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
10 Reduced Inequality
11 Sustainable Cities and Communities
12 Responsible Production and Consumption
13 Climate Action
15 Life on Land
16 Peace and Justice Strong Institutions
FURTHER INFORMATION
Further Information
valid for whole curriculum period:
Teaching Language: English
Teaching Period: 2024-2025 Autumn II - Spring V
2025-2026 Autumn II - Spring VRegistration:
Registration for courses will take place on Sisu (sisu.aalto.fi). Students in the Masters's Programme in Spatial Planning and Transportation Engineering are prioritized.