Master's thesis IDS (with internship option)

Course goals

Upon completion of the course,
1. you should have acquired theoretical and empirical knowledge on your research topic.
2. you should be able to individually formulate, develop, organise, and conduct empirical research, and to analyse data with suitable methods.
3. you should be able to apply this knowledge, skills and attitudes on ‘real-life’ situations, and reflect upon them.
4. you should have acquired cross-cultural competences.
5. you should be able to present your research plans and findings in varied ways (oral and written) for different audiences (student peers, lecturers, host/partner organisations, local communities etc.).

Content

The Master thesis/Internship course is designed to give you an opportunity to conduct a substantial, independent and fieldwork-based research on a chosen topic related to  international development. You are expected to execute the research plan drafted during the Advanced Methods & Techniques course and where possible engage in knowledge co-creation with partners. You will collect / search for data, analyse data, and present the research in a thesis at the end of the period. Before that, you will also present in-between findings in three products: 1) an interim report 2) an oral presentation and 3) a communication product. You will work under the supervision of a staff member at IDS, where possible in collaboration with a partner organisation.

Research contains original fieldwork and empirical data collection / analysis, e.g.:

• On-site fieldwork research: interviews, surveys, (participant) observation, participatory methods, spatial methods, etc.
• Digital / remote data collection, e.g. online surveys, digital interviews, collaborating with local students elsewhere (under certain conditions)
• As additional method, not main method: analysis of secondary data e.g. statistical datasets, literature review, policy documents, media, social media ‘big data’

Research topics should be related to global flows of capital, people, ideas etc. and their implications for people/human development (see Development Themes).

Drawing on their research findings, students write their MSc thesis. Most of the teaching concerns individual supervision; some extra workshops are also provided. 

Note
For those of you who have just started their thesis or research the University Library offers short (2-hour) guided search sessions. These will give you a head start in finding information. Staff will ensure that you do not miss out on any new important databases with journal articles and other information sources. For information and registration go to: http://www.uu.nl/university/library/en/disciplines/geo/courses/searchsessions/Pages/default.aspx