SPECIALENG Master's thesis

Volume 2024/2025
Education

MSc in Pharmaceutical Sciences - compulsory, MSc in Medicinal Chemistry - compulsory, Cand.Scient.Pharm. - compulsory, Cand.Pharm. - compulsory

Content
 

The master’s thesis is a pharmaceutically relevant research project. The master’s thesis should demonstrate the student’s ability to formulate, analyse and process problems within a relevant, limited scientific subject in the Pharmaceutical Sciences in a qualified fashion.

The master’s thesis may be prepared individually or by two students working together. The student(s) prepare a master’s thesis of the conducted research work.

The student(s) draw up a thesis contract including a thesis statement in cooperation with the thesis supervisor. The student(s) and thesis supervisor make a plan for supervision in accordance to the current regulations at the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences. 

The ECTS amount of the master’s thesis must be agreed with the thesis supervisor with due regard for provisions in the relevant degree regulations.

Learning Outcome


After end of the master’s thesis, the student should be able to:

Knowledge

  • explain the relevance of the topic selected
  • state a scientific research question or hypothesis
  • state a relevant purpose

 

Skills

  • plan and carry out a pharmaceutically relevant research project
  • apply relevant scientific theory, methods and empirical evidence in conjunction with carrying out research project, and justify the choices made
  • communicate in writing research conducted as well as obtained results and conclusions in a way that is clear and easy to understand
  • perform a critical analysis that includes a balanced discussion of theories and methods regarding the empirical evidence selected
  • be critical to the literature selected
  • communicate and discuss orally a research project undertaken

 

Competences

  • independently take responsibility for organizing and performing a pharmaceutical relevant research project
  • independently take responsibility for further development and specialisation of knowlegde and skills related to the selected scientific area

 

Students must have passed or be registered for courses and exams corresponding to at least 60 ECTS of the Masters Programme.
Independent project work with supervision. The student is responsible for finding a thesis supervisor who normally is employed at one of the offering Departments. Together the student, the thesis supervisor and an external supervisor when relevant makes more detailed agreements about the planning and execution of the thesis. The scope of the topic must be such that the total body of work can be conducted within the deadline set.
  • Category
  • Hours
  • Project work
  • 825
  • Total
  • 825
Individual
Credit
30 ECTS
Type of assessment
Written assignment
Oral defence, 1-1,5 hour
Type of assessment details
The assessment of the master’s thesis is based on the written thesis, the abstract and the oral defence including an oral presentation and subsequent discussion.

The master's thesis must be written in English and in accordance with the approved thesis contract. The structure and length of the master’s thesis are agreed with the supervisor. The length of the master’s thesis is typically 50 standard A4 pages (corresponding to 2400 characters per page) excluding title page, preface, references and appendices, regardless of ECTS amount and whether the master’s thesis is prepared by one or two students.

The students spelling and writing skills will be assessed in addition to the scientific content.

If two students have worked together on the master’s thesis, each student’s contribution must be specified in the written thesis.

The master’s thesis is concluded by an oral examination based on the written thesis. The student presents orally for 20-30 minutes and the following examination is a scientific discussion based on the written report and the oral presentation. The entire examination ends within 1.5 hours.

In cases where two students have worked together on a thesis, each student must be examined individually. If the students have turned in a thesis in common, each of them must be examined on the entire thesis, and not only on that part representing one student’s contribution. The second student may not be present at the examination of the first student. Conversely, the first student may be present at the examination of the second student.

You can find further guidance regarding your education in the curriculum:
https:/​/​healthsciences.ku.dk/​education/​guidance-information/​curricula/​medicinal-chemistry/​
https:/​/​healthsciences.ku.dk/​education/​guidance-information/​curricula/​pharmaceutical-sciences/​
Aid
All aids allowed
Marking scale
7-point grading scale
Censorship form
External censorship
If the master's thesis is conducted in a company outside the faculty, the external examiner can not also act as censor.
Exam period

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

Criteria for exam assesment

 

To achieve the grade 12 the student must be able to:

Knowledge

  • explain the relevance of the topic selected
  • state a scientific research question or hypothesis
  • state a relevant purpose

 

Skills

  • plan and carry out a pharmaceutically relevant research project
  • apply relevant scientific theory, methods and empirical evidence in conjunction with carrying out research project, and justify the choices made
  • communicate in writing research conducted as well as obtained results and conclusions in a way that is clear and easy to understand
  • perform a critical analysis that includes a balanced discussion of theories and methods regarding the empirical evidence selected
  • be critical to the literature selected
  • communicate and discuss orally a research project undertaken

 

Competences

  • independently take responsibility for organizing and performing a pharmaceutical relevant research project
  • independently take responsibility for further development and specialisation of knowlegde and skills related to the selected scientific area