Main points
- Supervisors are responsible for ensuring that the project plan (the project description) is developed collaboratively between the student and the supervisor, and that the plan becomes a useful tool for following up on the project for the remainder of the master's program.
- Regular supervision every week or regularly in another form should be the norm.
- In addition to regular supervision, supervisors and students should meet twice per semester during the last three semesters to follow up on the progress of the project and clarify expectations for further work and collaboration.
- The primary goal of the master's program is to culminate in a master's thesis. Publication of scientific articles should be prioritized lower than the thesis itself.
- The master's program has many different learning outcomes. Supervisors are responsible for helping the student achieve all of them, but there are common courses that support supervisors in certain areas.
- The master's student is expected to take leadership in their own master's project.
- Both supervisors and students should read these guidelines before the master's work begins.
The project plan (project description)
One of the learning outcomes the master's program aims to provide is that students "...can plan and manage a research project." An important step in learning this is that the student and supervisor collaborate to develop a project plan in the first semester.
The project plan should be a tool that helps the student plan and structure their work on the thesis. Therefore, the student must actively participate in the writing process, understand the content of the plan, and take ownership of it. As the project progresses and develops, the project plan can be revised. It is important that the plan includes scheduling for the years the master's program spans. The project plan should have clear milestones and deadlines that both the student and supervisor follow up on along the way.
Progression and clarification of expectations
Throughout the master's program, it is important that the student and supervisor have an open dialogue about what they expect from the project and each other. If the student is to learn specific theories, experimental methods, or numerical modeling, how much should the student learn independently, and how much should the supervisor contribute? In what periods should the supervisor possibly contribute?
For most, it would be wise to agree on a fixed time each week where the student and supervisor can discuss everything from small decisions and comments to more extensive supervision. We also advise supervisors and students to earmark two meetings each semester to specifically discuss how the progression relates to the project plan, what needs to happen moving forward to maintain or improve progression, and what the supervisor and student expect from each other in this work.
Risk management
A lot can happen in a research project. The supervisor and student should create a list of everything that can go wrong (equipment can break or not be delivered; the lab can become unavailable; approval can come late; it may take a long time to find errors in the code, etc.) and concrete plans for what should be done if this occurs. This increases the chances of meeting the submission deadline, even if something goes wrong. One cannot always get an extension on the deadline.
Expectations for the Master's Student
The master's project belongs to the master's student, and it is expected that the student drives the project forward. This includes taking the initiative to contact the supervisor or others when needed. The student should expect to receive a timely response from the supervisor, but must remember that it is not the supervisor, but the student themselves, who is the project leader. Therefore, it is the student’s responsibility to follow up on the project's progression and propose changes when necessary.
We expect that students participate in the master seminars to learn general skills or acquire them independently. The supervisor will focus on scientific guidance.
It is also expected that the student has familiarized themselves with the regulations related to the master's degree and contacts the study administration regarding administrative questions.
The Master's Thesis is Different from a PhD
Although a master’s program and a PhD program share several learning outcomes, there are important differences between the two. The master’s thesis is significantly smaller in scope, and the student has much less time for learning, maturation, and production. Master's students generally require closer supervision as well. The most significant difference, however, is that a master’s project does not need to be scientifically publishable. It is, of course, excellent if the project can result in a scientific article, but this is a bonus and not something prioritized above the master's thesis itself.
The master's program will have many different learning outcomes
Our master's students are expected to acquire many different learning outcomes (see "What do you learn?" in your program). They should gain knowledge of subjects and research methods and develop the skills to use this knowledge and these methods to solve new problems and present the results. They should also develop general competence for both independent work and participation in the academic community, as well as a reflective attitude towards research, science, and the role and responsibility of researchers in society. Supervisors, therefore, have a broad mandate that goes beyond ensuring the student completes the thesis.
The institute has implemented several measures to support the supervisors in this work. The "Master Seminar" provides students with training in writing scientifically and reading scientific texts. The institute expects supervisors to encourage their students to participate in relevant master seminars.