Master's thesis

Course 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.

Education

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

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

 

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.

Students must have passed or be registered for courses and exams corresponding to at least 60 ECTS of the Masters Programme.

Individual
ECTS
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 assessment

 

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
  • Category
  • Hours
  • Project work
  • 825
  • English
  • 825

Kursusinformation

Language
English
Course number
SPECIALENG
ECTS
30 ECTS
Programme level
Full Degree Master
Duration
The duration depends on the master’s thesis ECTS- amount which is defined in the curriculum provisions and agreed between the student(s) and a supervisor. Only ECTS amounts which can be divided into 7,5 ECTS -points will be accepted (1 ECTS –point corresponds to a student workload of 27,5 hours).

MSc in Medicinal Chemistry: The master’s thesis amounts to 45, 52.5 or 60 ECTS credits.
MSc in Pharmaceutical Sciences: The master’s thesis amounts to 30, 37.5, 45, 52.5 or 60 ECTS credits.
Placement
Spring And Autumn
Schedulegroup
Master's thesis is scheduled by both student and supervisor.
Capacity
02
Studyboard
Study Board of Pharmaceutical Sciences
Contracting department
  • Department of Pharmacy
  • Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology
Contracting faculty
  • Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences
Course Coordinator
  • Osman Asghar Mirza   (2-72704376787167316e7831676e)
Teacher

The thesis supervisor should be employed as scientific staff at assistant professor, associate professor or professor level at the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences in accordance to the current guidelines for thesis supervision at the Faculty and the Department. Due to an interfaculty study agreement at the Master of Medicinal Chemistry, the thesis supervisor can also be scientific staff employed at the Department of Chemistry, Science.

Saved on the 17-09-2024

Are you BA- or KA-student?

Are you bachelor- or kandidat-student, then find the course in the course catalog for students:

Courseinformation of students