Study Guide

MA programme in
International Studies

STUDY GUIDE CENTRE

DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY AND AREA STUDIES

APRIL 2010
Contents

Introduction.............................................................................................................. 3
Purpose ····················································································································· 3
Admission requirements ························································································ 3
Legal Authority········································································································ 4
Forms of study ········································································································· 4
Study guidance ········································································································ 5
Exam Regulations ···································································································· 7
Exam attempts
Assessment
Participation in a course
Result of test
Credit transfer (credit module form)
Elective courses
Written paper
Register for an exam
Unregister for an exam
File a complaint

Structure of the programme ················································································ 10

Description of the disciplines .............................................................................. 11
Modern Global History ................................................................... 11
International Political Economy ................................................... 12
Global Society .................................................................................. 12
International Relations and Organization.................................... 13
Project Management ........................................................................ 13
Global Justice .................................................................................... 14
Project (Internship)/Elective course ............................................. 14
Thesis ................................................................................................. 17
Thesis rules and procedure .................................................................................. 27

2
Introduction
This guide is a supplement to Academic Regulations for the Master’s Degree
Programme in International Studies, and it is recommended that it is read
alongside the present guide. The guide expands and comments on the
formalities and at times perfunctorily directives in the academic regulations. For
details concerning exams and the grading system, please keep posted on the
actual academic regulations.

Purpose
The objective of the Master’s degree programme is to:

develop the specialist knowledge and abilities of students and increase their
theoretical and methodical qualifications and independence compared with
the bachelor level;

give students specialist insight by using advanced elements of the
disciplines and methods of the subject area/areas, including training in
academic work and methods, developing the ability of students to perform
more specialised vocational functions and to participate in academic
development work;

qualify students for further study, including PhD programmes.

Admission requirements
Academic requirements: Access to the Master’s Programme in International
Studies at the University of Aarhus requires successful completion of either a
Bachelor degree within Social Sciences (Economics, Law, Political Science or
other Social Sciences), or a Bachelor degree within Humanities containing or
supplemented by at least 30 ECTS credits within Anthropology, European
Studies, Economics, Law, Political Science or other Social Sciences.
Language requirements: As English is the language of instruction, non-native
speakers of English are required to provide evidence of their English language
proficiency in one of the following ways:

Certified documentation of ‘B-niveau’ (B-level) in English from a Danish
entrance examination

TOEFL test results of at least 560 (paper-based), or 220 (computer-based test)
or 83 (internet-based test) The Aarhus University TOEFL code is 8935

IELTS test with a minimum score of 6.5 points

Cambridge/Oxford Certificate/Test in Advanced English

"C1 level" obtained by examination from a CEFR-validated English language
course.

3

English-taught entrance examination (upper secondary school/high school)
or Bachelor’s degree

English language qualifications obtained through at least 210 hours of
English lessons (1 hour = 60 minutes) in a non-Danish entrance examination.

Only students who fulfil the minimum requirements, mentioned above, should
apply.

Legal Authority
The Master’s degree programme in International Studies at the University of
Aarhus is an academic programme pursuant to the Executive Orders on
Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programmes at Danish Universities (Executive
Order no. 338 of 6 May 2004).

Students are responsible for keeping themselves informed about the rules,
currently in effect, regarding the degree programme.

Forms of Study
For some students, it can be quite a radical change studying at a Danish
university. Life as a student entails a great deal of free time, but nonetheless
you must still take responsibility of managing your free time in a sensible way.
For some international students, it can be quite surprising how few lessons you
actually receive. Because of that, you cannot expect to have the full texts
reviewed in class. During lessons, substantial texts will normally be presented
and first of all discussed in class. Normally, tuition is given in classes of
approximately 40 students. Tuition can consist of expositions on different
topics given by the instructor, but will often consist of discussions regarding
presentations or questions, stated by either the instructor or the students. You
can either give oral presentations or work on smaller written assignments. It can
also occur that classes are divided into smaller groups given or undertaking
specific assignments. However, significant work is more or less accomplished
out of class, consisting of reading and writing assignments. It is essential that
you yourself take responsibility for your studies.

However, you are not only responsible for yourself. Tuition should also be a
collective process and can only be successful if all students participate in a
prepared and active way. By being unprepared and inactive, you only lower
your own and your fellow students’ learning abilities. You realise and learn a
lot more during conversations with others.

An important part of studying is being part of a study group. Getting used to

discussing and supporting one another is extremely rewarding from the very
start.

4
Study Guidance
During a study individual problems often arise to which the written study
guide has no answer. If such problems arise or you have any doubts in general,
you can consult the student counsellor at the Study Guide Centre at The Institute
of History and Area Studies. As the student counsellor is bound to secrecy, you
can also talk about more personal problems and difficulties. E.g. it is a good
idea to talk to the student counsellor if you are thinking about leaving your
study. The student counsellor can also provide information about the
possibilities of exemptions from the academic regulations, e.g. in connection
with tests and exams taken elsewhere, and refer to other kinds of help and
counselling, if needed.

The opening hours of The Study Guide Centre at The Institute of History and
Area Studies are Monday to Friday between 9.30 and 10.30 for enquiries by
telephone and between 10.30 and 14.00 for personal enquiries.
Tel. 8942 2022
E-mail: studievejleder.iho@au.dk.
www.iho.au.dk/vejledningscenter/kontakt

You may also seek supervision elsewhere. Below is information about a number
of supervision authorities which students may make use of. Information about
opening hours etc. can be found at the websites stated:

The Faculty of Humanities: Questions of a more general character can be asked to

the Faculty of Humanities Secretariat. This could typically be questions about
subsidiary and supplementary subjects, individually scheduled elective
subjects, how to get part of your education at other Danish universities, rules of
admission, change of study, credit transfers etc.
www.humaniora.au.dk

The Study Administration: Questions about admission, registration, change of

study and the like can be asked to the University Studies Office. This is also the
place to get forms for application for leave, change of study, admission etc. The
office is open daily between 10.00 and 14.00, Thursday, however, between 10.00
and 16.00.
E-mail: stuk@au.dk
www.au.dk/da/adm/studkont

Counselling and Support Centre: The Study Centre is the offer of the University of
Aarhus for students with special needs of counselling, supervision and aids.
The target group is students with:

Study related problems due to a physical or psychical disability (handicap)

Another linguistic or cultural background than Danish

5

Other study related difficulties

The Study Centre also advises the institutes of the university about
dispensations in connection with admission and exam, special forms of exam,
deviations from normal study plans etc.
E-mail: studiecenter@au.dk
www.au.dk/da/rsc/enheden/praes

The Student Counselling Service in Aarhus: The Student Counselling Service offers
social, psychological and psychiatric counselling and guidance to students at
the higher education in connection with their educational situation. The Student
Counselling Service employs social workers, psychologists and psychiatrists
who are specialists in helping and guiding students anonymously and
confidentially concerning problems like e.g.:

Fear of examinations

Loneliness and contact problems

Sadness and depression

Self-confidence and self-esteem

Study commencement and study structuring

Study doubts

Illness

Finances

E-mail: aarhus@studraadgiv.dk
www.studraadgiv.dk/

Student Chaplain: The student chaplain is available for personal talks for
students at the higher education. The talks may be about different situations in
life (grief, fear, anger, loneliness, suicide, faith, prayer, burnout, identity, the
feeling of not being good enough, partnerships etc.). The student chaplain is
bound to secrecy. No records are kept, it is possible to be completely
anonymous without giving your name and all enquiries are free. The student
chaplain is Master of Arts (Theology) and employed as a clergyman in the
Danish national church. You do not have to be a believing Christian to ask for a
talk with the chaplain.
www.studenterpraesten.dk/aarhus/
E-post: stprsa@au.dk

Students Grants Office: Questions about your State education grants and loans
(SU) must be directed to the Student Grants Office of the university which will
render specific help with applications, change of your State education grants
and loans (SU) etc.
Web: www.au.dk/da/adm/sukontor
E-post: su@au.dk

6
Careers Guidance: Careers guidance is an offer for all students at the University
of Aarhus. The careers guidance is not just an offer for graduates and nearly-
graduates, but also for students who want to clarify competences and think job
opportunities during their education.

It is also possible for students to get individual career guidance in the guidance
centre and from counsellors at the Faculty of Humanities and the Study
Administration. At the university's web portal for career guidance you can find
information about present lectures, courses and arrangements, good advice for
job applications, rules for enrolment in an unemployment fund, trade unions
and pension funds and information about diploma in education and upper
secondary school teacher jobs. You will find the career guidance portal at:
www.au.dk/da/erhvervsvejledning

Exam Regulations

Each subject has been assigned a number of ECTS points compared to how large
a part of the year's full-time studies the test makes up. 60 ECTS points
correspond to one year of full-time studies. It is therefore expected that the
student is able to take tests corresponding to 30 ECTS points after each
semester.

Exam attempts
Students are given no more than three attempts to pass each examination. The
Board of Studies for the Institute of History and Area Studies may grant
dispensation for a fourth or fifth examination attempt if deemed justified due to
exceptional circumstances. Unusual conditions could be illness or death in the
near family. An extra examination attempt due to illness usually requires a
medical certificate.

Evaluation
Examinations are either internal or external. Internal examinations are assessed
by one examiner, or by an examiner and a co-examiner. External examinations
are assessed by an internal examiner and an external examiner appointed by the
Danish Ministry of Education.

The marking scale of 7 or the assessment “pass/fail” applies to all examinations.

Class participation is assessed “pass/fail”.

Participation in courses
Examinations passed by means of class participation require active, regular and
satisfactory participation in the course concerned. “Active” means participating

7
in the activities connected to the course (general preparation, oral presentations,
minor written tasks, minor media productions etc.). “Regular” means
participating in at least 75% of the lessons provide, distributed regularly
throughout the semester. “Satisfactory” means achieving the level required to
pass the examination in question.

It is solely the judgment of the specialist teacher that determines whether the
condition active, regular and satisfactory participation has been fulfilled; but the
specialist teacher should at the beginning of the course announce which criteria
are taken as a basis.

Result of test
The student has the right to get the result of a test no later than six weeks after
having done the test. The board of studies fixes a date for publication of the
evaluation. The result of the examination can be seen in "Self-service for
students" immediately after the evaluation. You will get the mark for your
Master’s thesis two months after handing in the thesis.

Credit transfer
In individual cases or under general rules adopted by the Board of Studies, the
Board of Studies may allow element passed under other degree programmes at
the same level under this executive order to replace elements of the degree
programme (credit transfer). The Board of Studies may also allow elements
passed under the Danish or international degree programmes at the same level
to replace elements of the degree programme in International Studies. Credit
transfer of a thesis is not possible.

Elective courses
Elective courses must be approved the same way as a credit transfer. You must
submit a “credit module form” to the Board of Studies, if you chose an elective
subject outside the institute. The host department must sign the form.
You will find the form at www.au.dk/da/adm/indskriv/meritmodul.pdf . The
form is in Danish but you are welcome to come to the Student Guide Centre to
get help to fill it out. You can also get the form in the Student Guide Centre.

Written papers
The length of written examination papers is also calculated in standard pages of
2,400 characters (including spaces). Written examination papers must be
supplied with a front page form which can be picked up at the secretariat or
taken from the website of the department. Calculating the length of an
examination paper includes notes, but not bibliography, title page, table of
contents, summary or appendices, if any. On the front page form the number of
words included in the examination paper must be stated. All written papers
have an allowed minimum and maximum extent. This should be taken literally,
meaning that not even small deviations are allowed. Papers being too short or

8
too long do not meet the formal requirements of the academic regulations and
will therefore not be passed.

When evaluating the papers, the academic content weighs most. I.e. the paper is
evaluated primarily on the understanding of the academic material, the
sharpness of the analyses etc. But the academic content cannot be separated
from its presentation. Therefore, the ability to spell and to express oneself also
counts in the evaluation. It is not possible to state exactly how much the ability
to spell and express oneself means.

Register for courses and exams

As a student at the Institute of History and Area Studies you have to register for
the courses you are going to attend in the coming semester, even though the
courses might be mandatory. You have to register for courses via the students’
self-service here: https://mit.au.dk/ Here you have to choose the link
“Undervisningstilmelding” and then the appropriate programme. On the basis
of new regulations the course registration is simultaneously a registration for
exams. Therefore the students have to state what kind of exam the chosen
courses should be used for. Step 1: selection of the courses one wishes to attend;
Step 2: selection of what kind of exam one wishes to attach to the chosen
courses. It is possible to change your exam registration from 1 to 17 October in
the Autumn semester and from 1 to 17 March in the spring semester.

Unregister for an exam

Students can unregister from an exam via the ”Self-service for students”.
Deadline for unregistering an exam is one week before the start date of the
exam concerned. The consequence of later unregistering, lack of submission of
an examination paper or absence from the examination will be that the test
counts as a used attempt unless the student can present a valid medical
certificate. If so, the examination attempt will be cancelled and the student may
apply for permission to take a re-examination.

File a complaint
If you feel you have been treated unfairly in connection with an exam, you may
file a complaint. At first it will be reasonable to address the examiner to discuss
it with him or her. If this does not lead to a clarification, you may send a written
and substantiated complaint to the Dean of the Faculty of Humanities. This
must be done no later than 2 weeks after the publication of the evaluation of the
test. The Dean of the faculty presents the complaint to the examiner and the
external examiner. They may make a new evaluation, offer re-examination or
reject the complaint. The decision is communicated to the Dean of the faculty in
writing no later than 2 weeks after the receipt of the complaint. Immediately
after this the Dean of the faculty informs the examinee about the result. If the
complaint is completely or partly rejected, the examinee may insist on the case
being presented to an appeals board. Such an appeal, which must be in writing

9
and substantiated, must be presented to the Dean of the faculty no later than 2
weeks after the examinee has been informed about the rejection of the complaint
by the examiner and the external examiner.

The appeals board consists of 4 members. The examiner chairman appoints 2

examiners and the Board of Studies of History and Area Studies appoints 1
teacher and 1 student. The appeals board can: 1) raise the mark, 2) assign a new
evaluation with new assessors, 3) offer re-examination with new assessors or 4)
reject the complaint. The decision of the appeals board cannot be presented to
other administrative authorities. Neither the complaint nor the appeal can result
in lower marks than the one originally given.

Structure of the Programme

International Studies at the University of Aarhus is a two-year MA programme

with English as the language of instruction. The programme includes three
semesters of full time course work, a project or international internship, and a
final thesis written under supervision during the fourth semester.

The Master’s degree programme in International Studies is organised in the

following way:

1. semester 2. semester 3. semester 4. semester

Modern International
Global Relations and
History Organizations Project/ Thesis
(10 ECTS) (10 ECTS) Elective (30 ECTS)
International Project courses
Political Management (30 ECTS)
Economy (10 ECTS)
(10 ECTS)
Global Global Justice
Society (10 ECTS)
(10 ECTS)

The core courses are Modern Global History, International Political Economy,
Global Society, International Relations and Organizations, Project Management,
and Global Justice.

The student can choose elective courses among the full array of University
courses offered in Aarhus and it is recommended to take a traineeship during
the 3rd semester of the study. The student may compose the 3rd semester with
elective subjects and/or internship, corresponding to a total of 30 ECTS.

10
Guest lecturers and prospective employers from businesses, institutions, and
organizations with an international scope are part of the course and project
design.

Descriptions of the disciplines

Modern Global History

With the current speed of changes and development, whole societies are in a
situation where they feel they need to catch-up with globalisation. The tensions
between the global and the national as well as the local form today’s political,
economic, cultural and social paradigms. The main concepts informing these
paradigms can be understood through the study of modern global history.

The objective of the course in Modern Global History is thus for the students to
learn how understandings of history inform many current political, economic
and business decision-making processes and negotiations. During the cause of
the course the student should be able to identify the historical dimensions of the
complexities of globalisation in the relationship between nation-states, regions,
supranational global networks, businesses, and international corporations and
organisations.

An introduction to various perspectives on what constitutes history and the

centres and margins of the world should sensitize the students to the diversity
within modern global history. In order to understand approaches to history and
to grasp modern global history, students will be acquainted with theoretical
approaches to modernity and modern history, with different modes of doing
history beyond the nation-state, especially through an understanding of
conceptual history; finally, students will get acquainted with historical
developments from the nineteenth century until today.

International Political Economy

International political economy addresses the complex relationship between

international politics and international economics, specifically relations between
states and markets, between states and international institutions as well as
between states and civil society actors, such as companies, NGOs and other
interest groups. With ever increasing economic globalisation these complex
interactions have become increasingly more important and they impact on
virtually every economic, social and political event on the globe.

An important dividing line in the international political economy concerns the

relationship between the rich and well-organised states and the poorer

11
members of the world community. This North-South divide (and to some extent
remnants of an East-West divide) continues to characterize the international
political economy, but new divisions and new alliances across these traditional
dividing lines are constantly emerging, not least because major modernizing
states (BRIC: Brazil, Russia, India, and China) are of increasing importance.

The course will introduce the main theories in the field, outline the historical
emergence of an integrated world economy with a particular emphasis on the
post-World War II period, identify its evolving governance structure, i.e. the
main international organisations, major international regimes and the most
important current problems. The global management of the financial crisis (or
lack of management) will play an important role here.

Global Society

Nothing in today’s fast moving world can be understood properly without a

sense of the global and the complex international connections that make up
society and politics. The International Studies MA at Aarhus University equips
students to think beyond the local, national and regional.

The course in Global Society equips students with tools to assess to what extent
the contemporary world can be described as global, globalised or globalising.
Building on and/or in parallel to the course on Global Modern History, it
provides an introduction to the study of globalisation reflecting the broad
contributions of sociologists, human geographers, anthropologists and others to
these debates. It provides solid grounding in key concepts and dimensions of
globalisation, including notions of migration, mobilities, regional and global
integration, glocalisation, transnationalism, flows, networks and scapes, and
also seeks to identify concrete ways in which such theoretical debates can and
have been operationalised in empirical terms.

The course begins with reflection on the key historical question of the
comparative intensity and extensity of globalisation today in comparison with
the age of empire and nation-state formation in the late 19th century; it will then
trace the trajectory of regional integration(s) and globalisation in the post-World
War II era, before looking at various dimensions of globalisation today in more
detail. It will seek to bring in non-anglo-centric, non-eurocentric views of the
world, including the broad literature on post-colonialism; it will also make
broad use of the comparison of globalisation in North America, Europe and
Asia, as well as questions concerning global cities, global networks and
organisations, and forms of globalisation apparently challenging the dominant
organisation of the modern world into nation-state-societies.

12
International Relations and Organisations

In an increasingly globalised world, it becomes ever more important to be able

to navigate knowingly and prudently. The study of international relations
theory provides the necessary take-off competences for such navigation.The aim
of the course is to familiarize you with analytical tools that can help you deepen
your understanding of contemporary international relations and organisations.
The course is designed to engage you in building an advanced understanding of
global key issues.

You will first be introduced to the major theoretical traditions within

International Relations: liberalism, realism, the international society tradition,
international political economy, and the post-positivist tradition. In this fashion,
you will achieve a thorough understanding of international relations through a
variety of theoretical lenses. Furthermore, the course will provide you with an
understanding of how key actors - states, firms, non-governmental
organisations (NGOs) and international organisations - interact in world
politics.

To this end, the course includes three modules. The first gives you an
understanding of the nature of international organisations, examining
contemporary developments in some of the prominent international
organisations (UN, WTO, IMF, etc.). The second module looks into the complex
issue of globalisation. The third module examines the EU and its role in the
world. Modules will be illustrated by means of case studies, ensuring an
integration of theoretical and empirical practical knowledge. In general, the
course critically appraises claims for explaining, understanding and shaping the
course of events.

Project Management

Projects are increasingly used to solve unique and complex tasks and to increase
synergy by bringing together specialists to work for a common goal. Projects
range in scope from small internal to large complex international projects as
well as in the outcome ranging from construction of pre-specified units (like a
bridge) to highly political and ill-defined tasks (like reducing poverty in a
region of a developing country). During the course we will discuss:

• Projects as a special type of organisation. What distinguishes a project from a

bureaucracy and a simple organisation?
• Establishing a project. How to define and organise a project.
• Project planning. How to specify the course of a project.
• Requirements and designs. How to specify the intended result of a project.

13
• Project control. How to measure and regulate progress in project work.
• Storytelling in projects. How to assist the stakeholders' sense making and
motivation.
• Project strategies. How to design an overall approach that can lead to the
intended results without upsetting the balances around the project.
• Organisation and management of international projects.

Global Justice

A breach of the law at a particular place in the world will be a breach of the law
for everybody in the world. The German philosopher Kant noted this more than
200 years ago – but we still have some way to go before we have even a
tolerable level of global justice.

Some states have been relatively successful in creating justice within its borders
– formal rule-of-law justice as well as social justice. However, many states for
one reason or the other have not been able to create any acceptable standard of
justice, and we do not have sufficient devices in place for securing global rule of
law, let alone global social justice.

In this course on Global Justice we shall take a closer look at the state of the art,
what we have in terms of international law, international human rights,
international accountability for atrocities and how we conceive the prevailing
situation in terms of ideas and theories of global justice.

Project (Internship) /Elective Course

Each student formulates an individual project either based on an internship or

elements from the core courses to be applied in praxis. In both instances the
objective is for the student to operationalize parts of the core curriculum in
relation to a potential job market. The project can be designed as a pilot project
for the final thesis.

Competences:
Through working on the subject matters, the student obtains academic and
social competences regarding to:

Translating and mediating between different disciplines and the

requirements of the project;

Identifying, combining, and applying relevant methods and perspectives
from different disciplines in order to solve specific problems outside a course
setting;

14

Designing projects to match specific requirements posed by various
stakeholders;

Reflecting on the added value of combining perspectives and tolls from
different disciplines.

You may compose the 30 ECTS within the discipline.

If you choose an internship:

In order to acquire 10 ECTS for the internship it must be at least 6 weeks and
approximately equal to 222 working hours (a Danish full time week is 37 hours);
In order to acquire 20 ECTS for the internship it must be at least 12 weeks and
approximately 444 hours;
In order to acquire 30 ECTS for the internship it must be at least 18 weeks and
approximately 666 hours.

Before the internship begins, an agreement must be signed between the

internship host and the Board of Studies. The agreement should as a minimum
contain: place of work; kind of work; duration of internship; contact
person/supervisor; wage (if applicable); publication; copy right.
See www.iho.au.dk/agreement_internship for further information.

Examination:
Portfolio exam consisting of 1) a written report including a description of the
training period and reflections over the benefits acquired during the training
period. The report should be a maximum of 9 pages. 2) A sample of the work
conducted during the training and 3) a letter of recommendation from the host.
It is assessed as a passed/not passed exam.

Internship in combination with an elective course:

If you choose an internship with duration of 6 to 17 weeks and thus are only
able to earn 10 or 20 ECTS, you should choose one or two elective topics.

You can choose courses inside and outside the Institute of History and Area
Studies. The Board of Studies must approve course selections in light of
students’ thesis topic plans.
Each semester the Board of Studies publishes a list of possible elective subjects
at the institute.
You must submit a “credit module form” to the Board of Studies. If you have
chosen an elective subject outside the institute, the host department must sign
the form.

Examination:
The examination takes place at the host depart, ref. the examination regulations
of the academic regulations where the course is offered. The discipline will be

15
transferred to your study programme with the mark originally obtained. If the
elective subject has been offered at the Institute of History and Area Studies,
you are usually examined according to the academic regulations where it is
offered, unless otherwise agreed with the Board of Studies.

Information about traineeships and project co-operation with businesses in the

County of Aarhus can be found at Projektzone.dk. Projektzone arranges
internships and project co-operation agreements between businesses and
students at the University of Aarhus and the Aarhus School of Business.
The project zone can be found at: www.projektzone.dk

If you do not do an internship:

If you prefer not to do an internship you have to choose Project 1.

Competences:
The student is able to test competences in a practical setting and should
demonstrate an understanding of the practical implications of the applications
of tools taught in the core courses.

Description:
In consultation with a supervisor the student will select elements from the core
courses to be tested on a specific case with international implications in the
private or public sector. The objective is for the student to operationalize parts
of the core curriculum in relation to a potential job market. The project can be
designed as a pilot project for the final thesis.

Examination:
A written report of maximum 18 pages consisting of a description of the project,
a description of the project findings, reflections on the advantages and
disadvantages of the project design. It is assessed as a passed/not passed exam.

You furthermore have to take 10 + 10 ECTS in elective topics.

You can choose courses inside and outside the department of History and Area
Studies. The Board of Studies must approve course selections in light of
students’ thesis topic plans.

Examination:
An individually written paper of maximum 12 pages. It is assessed as a
passed/not passed exam.

16
Thesis
Competences:
The thesis allows the student to perform a major task through a sustained
period of work. Writing the thesis enables the student to employ a variety of the
skills and competences acquired through the programme in ‘International
Studies’ within a single analytical framework.

Description:
The thesis should train the student’s ability to work independently, analytically,
and scientifically with a comprehensive body of material. It may consist in the
completion of a task identified by an international company or organization.
The student applies to the Board of Studies to be assigned a supervisor.

Teaching form:
Individual supervision.

Examination:
Written individual thesis on an optional subject. It should be about 60-80 pages
in length including notes but excluding the bibliography. The student chooses a
topic in consultation with a supervisor at the beginning of the third semester;
the thesis is due at the end of fourth semester. The thesis is externally graded.

Thesis rules and procedure

You must send in an application for assignment of a supervisor to the board of

studies. The application form can be found on www.iho.au.dk/thesis. The
application must be sent in well in advance of the commencement of the course
of events, however no later than 1 month before. If you have already made an
agreement with a supervisor, you should state this in your application.

As a starting point you can only apply for a supervisor within IHO (except
students at International Studies who can also apply for a supervisor among
partners). If, however, you have special reasons for wanting an external
supervisor, you must send in a separate reasoned application to the board of
studies.

The dates for commencement of the thesis are:

 1st February
 1st September

17
The deadline for handing in the thesis is 6 months later, i.e. 31st July and 28th
February respectively. In exceptional cases you may commence writing your
Master’s thesis at other times (see Special Conditions).

The supervisor sends the form ”Master’s Thesis Agreement” to the Board of
Studies. From the Master’s thesis agreement the time of commencement and
deadline, the wording of the assignment (working title), the supervision plan
and changes, if any, to this must appear, if the board of studies has made an
exemption from exceeding the time limit.

A wording of the assignment is to be understood as a synonymy for a working

title.

Individual Supervision
At the beginning of the semester writing the thesis the supervisor and the
student agree upon working title, literature, supervision plan for the Master’s
thesis and supervision. The latter usually includes an agreement about meetings
between supervisor and the student at least once a month. The meeting must be
based on a written draft from the student which has been sent to the supervisor
in advance. A total of 30 hours are available for supervision of a Master’s thesis.
The title of the Master’s thesis must be determined a month before deadline.
The title must be reported on a form to the board of studies. After the final title
has been reported to the board of studies, no supervision can be given.

Collective Supervision about Writing the Thesis

The student counsellors invite all students in each subject of the year to
collective supervision about writing a Master’s Thesis. The students are
informed about rules, the possibilities of getting a supervisor, the possibilities of
preparation before the writing commences etc.

Focus on Writing the Master’s Thesis and Wording of the Assignment

The study administrator invites the future writers of a Master’s thesis to a
collective supervision focusing on making the students ready to commence
writing the Master’s thesis and getting the wording of the assignment approved
at the beginning of the next semester. The students must be assigned a
supervisor at this time according to the instructions of the board of studies. At
the supervision meeting you are encouraged to set up Master’s thesis groups.

The Supervisors Inform about the Course of the Master’s Thesis

The supervisors call all their new Master’s thesis students to a meeting with the
purpose of informing and agreeing upon the conditions of the further course of
events.

18
Missing Exams in Excess of the Master’s Thesis
If a student is more than 20 ECTS points late compared to the normal study
plan, he/she cannot commence writing the Master’s thesis.

If a student is up to 20 ECTS points late compared to the normal study plan, it

will be written in the Master’s thesis contract that the deadline for handing in
the Master’s thesis is put off with up to four months.

It is assumed that the missing exams are passed during the first semester of
writing of the Master’s thesis. If the missing exams have not been passed before
the Master’s thesis has to be handed in (cf. the deadline set in the Master’s thesis
agreement), the Master’s thesis cannot be passed. The regulations for Master’s
theses that are not handed in in due time will come into force.

For students registered after the 1995 announcement other regulations about
progression are valid as, according to the announcement, the Master’s thesis
must not be last in the progress of the study. This means that a special
agreement can be entered even if other exams are missing, corresponding to
more than 20 ECTS points stipulated in the regulations of IHO. All other
regulations are, however, valid for the Master’s thesis for all students,
irrespective of the registration conditions.

Leave, Illness, Special Personal Conditions, Traineeship etc.

During writing the Master’s thesis the usual regulations are valid regarding
illness, i.e. the student can seek postponement of the deadline owing to
documented illness. The student writing the Master’s thesis must procure
documentation according to common practice. The board of studies will take a
decision on the extent of the postponement of the deadline based on the
documentation submitted.

The student writing the Master’s thesis may during writing of the Master’s
thesis seek leave from the university according to valid regulations. The student
can, however, not get any supervision during leave. Furthermore the student
writing the Master’s thesis cannot get any financial assistance (SU) during leave.

In case of maternity leave, the student writing the Master’s thesis must always
contact the Supervision centre at the institute.

The student may seek postponement of the deadlines for commencing and
handing in the Master’s thesis due to other conditions such as traineeship,
special personal conditions etc. An application (with documentation) must be
sent to the board of studies.

Handing in the Master’s Thesis

Master’s theses must be handed in on 28th February and 31st July.

19
The Master’s thesis must be handed in within normal hours in the board of
studies secretariat (Lise Hansen) in Building 1410, Room 145.

Three copies of the Master’s thesis must be handed in.

Evaluation of the Master’s Thesis

The Master’s thesis is evaluated with a mark according to the Danish 7-point
marking scale. No Master’s thesis statement is drawn up.

Master’s Thesis not Passed

If a Master’s thesis handed in is not passed, it means that the student has used
an examination attempt, cf. the Danish Universities Act. As in all other tests you
also have 3 examination attempts when writing the Master’s thesis.

The supervisor calls in the student for at talk where the student is informed
about the supervisor’s and the external examiner’s reasons for the mark and a
plan is made for improvement of the Master’s thesis to make it pass. At a
subsequent supervision meeting a revised Master’s thesis agreement is made,
with a revised title and a deadline 3 months later.

At the latest 14 days following the evaluation of the Master’s thesis (or
following the date it should have been handed in) the supervisor approves a
new wording of the assignment and a revised supervision plan. A new
agreement is entered and approved by the supervisor. Deadline is 3 months
after the original deadline.

The same applies to exceeding the deadline.

Master’s Thesis not Handed in in due Time

If a Master’s thesis is not handed in at the deadline set it means that the student
has used an examination attempt, cf. the Danish Universities Act. The
procedure will then be the same as applies to Master’s theses not passed (see
above).

At repeated exceeding of the deadline the same applies.

20
Always remember to check our
website for new information!

www.iho.au.dk

Also remember to check you

FIRST CLASS

21