SHUA13012U Master's Thesis, Human Biology

Volume 2024/2025
Education

MSc Programme in Human Biology - compulsory

Content

The master's thesis document skills in applying experimental, scientific theories and methodologies to a clearly defined academic topic within the field of health science.

Learning Outcome

After completing the master's thesis the student is expected to:

Knowledge

  • select and process a well-defined and clear health science problem of research relevance
  • critically acquire knowledge about scientific methods
  • apply such knowledge for the solution of a scientific problem of the student's own choice within the field of health science


Skills

  • convey the work in writing as well as orally at a high international academic level
  • critically discuss and assess own and others' research results at a high international scientific level while including relevant literature
  • critically conclude and put into perspective own and others' research results at a high international scientific level while including relevant literature
     

Competencies

  • under the supervision of a researcher be able to critically acquire knowledge about scientific methods and to apply such knowledge for the solution of a scientific problem of the student's own choice within the field of health sciences

Students must have passed or be registered for courses and exams corresponding to 60 ECTS of the Masters Programme.
Supervision (max. 80 hours)
The master’s thesis is compiled by each student alone
  • Category
  • Hours
  • Project work
  • 1294
  • Guidance
  • 80
  • Exam
  • 1
  • Total
  • 1375
Written
Oral
Individual
Continuous feedback during the course of the semester
Feedback by final exam (In addition to the grade)
Credit
50 ECTS
Type of assessment
Written assignment
Oral defence, 60 minutes
Type of assessment details
Without preparation

The master's thesis is prepared in accordance with the approved thesis contract and correspond to min. 50 and max. 70 A4 pages written in Times New Roman point 12, line spacing 1.5 and excluding references and optional appendixes.

The thesis should include an abstract in English or Danish of no more than 1 A4 page and summarize the research question, the methods used, important findings, a discussion if relevant, and a conclusion. The abstract will be included in the overall assessment of the master’s thesis.

Assessment will be based on the student’s spelling and writing skills as well as the scientific content of the thesis. The scientific content will carry most weight.

The oral 60-minute exam consisting of 25 minutes of oral presentation of the master's thesis using AV equipment followed by 30 minutes of scientific discussion focussing on the issues of the thesis.

If student and supervisor agree, it is possible to hold the oral exam online. Together, the student(s) and supervisor must decide:
- Whether the exam is to be held solely physically
- Whether the exam is to be held solely online
- Whether the external examiner can participate online if they wish.
The supervisor must inform the exam coordinator when booking an external examiner
Aid
All aids allowed
Marking scale
7-point grading scale
Censorship form
External censorship
The MSc’s programme in Human Biology is affiliated with the Core of Danish Medical Examiners (Censorkorpset for Lægeuddannelsen) from which the censor for the master's thesis should be chosen.
Exam period

The master’s thesis is assessed no later than 2 weeks after deadline for submission

Please go to your Study Information site for information regarding:

Submission of the thesis and exams 

Criteria for exam assesment

To achieve the maximum grade of 12, the student shall be able to:

Knowledge

  • select and process a well-defined and clear health science problem of research relevance
  • critically acquire knowledge about scientific methods
  • apply such knowledge for the solution of a scientific problem of the student's own choice within the field of health science


Skills

  • convey the work in writing as well as orally at a high international academic level
  • critically discuss and assess own and others' research results at a high international scientific level while including relevant literature
  • critically conclude and put into perspective own and others' research results at a high international scientific level while including relevant literature