Course 2024-2025

Master thesis [SRISM300]

  • 15 credits
  • quarter
Language of instruction: French / Français

Learning outcomes

Personal research work
Carry out a comprehensive scientific research on an individual basis.
Formulate a research question and hypothesis in the light of current knowledge in the field.
Gather, qualify and process information rigorously, reflectively and critically.
Present, in written and oral form, a personal scientific research project, from the development of the hypothesis to the conclusion, within the page limits (25 to 40 pages, i.e. a publishable format) and time limits (12 minutes) allowed by the exercise.
Be able to defend the research approach and conclusions in front of a panel of research professionals.
 
 
Interdisciplinary expert work
In a very practical way, this group report will present :
 
- a systemic view of the issue studied, while being able to project into a future whose major trends are relatively well assessed;
 
- a review of the benefits of working together in the same field;
 
- and a reflective look at this practice of interdisciplinarity in a real-life situation.

Objectives

This teaching unit enables students to mobilise the concepts, frameworks and principles seen during the year and to apply the approaches and tools taught in the master's programme.

Content

Personal research work
The dissertation is a scientific, personal and original piece of research.
The subject of the dissertation is jointly developed by the student and the promoter(s). The subject is decided during the first four months of the course.
The promoter is a doctor or a member of the academic or scientific staff. 
In general, the dissertation attempts to answer a scientific question by testing the validity of a hypothesis (proposed solution to the question) using a hypothetico-deductive method. The coherence and originality of the hypothesis are recognised by a careful study of the state of the art. The experimental approach used involves both the acquisition and processing of the data required to support the proposed solution.
Other approaches than the one presented above (research and development, deductive and formal modelling approach, action research, etc.) may also be proposed.
 
Interdisciplinary expert work
The fieldwork is carried out by groups of students from different countries, with different educational backgrounds and previous professional experience, in order to tackle the same issue using different approaches. This requires students to develop their soft skills and practice interdisciplinarity in a real-life situation. In addition to the personal research work, a group work based on observations and discussions between the students in the field will highlight the students' ability to practise interdisciplinarity. For the assessment, an "expert" report will be added as part of an interdisciplinary approach, because risk and disaster management can only be achieved through collective intelligence.

 


Teaching methods

Personal research work
During the first four months, students will be required to prepare and present their research proposal, duly supported by arguments.
The dissertation is monitored by the promoter(s) during regular meetings with the student. Students are encouraged to plan these meetings according to the progress of their work, and to consult other people if necessary.
 
Interdisciplinary expert work
Fieldwork

Evaluations

Personal research work 
This is a scientific report of 25 to 40 pages, i.e. in a publishable format
The juries for the dissertations are set up by the Faculty Council on the basis of a proposal from the Chair of the Jury, by the end of April of the year of the Specialised Master's Degree. Juries are made up of at least three readers, including the promoter, PhDs and members of the academic or scientific staff of a university or research centre, or a body deemed to be equivalent.
The dissertation may only be submitted for assessment with the agreement of the promoter(s). Both content and form (written and oral) will be assessed. Particular attention will be paid to originality. The jury will make use of the "anti-plagiarism" tools made available to it by the University authorities, as plagiarism constitutes grounds for non-admissibility of the dissertation.
Examples of assessment criteria: compliance with the orientations of the section and option, scientific quality, technical quality, innovation and originality, quality of the state of the art and references, written presentation (plan, style), quality of the oral presentation and its support, quality of the answers to oral questions, overall judgement.
 
Interdisciplinary expert work
This is a report of 5 to 10 pages, written collectively. The report will be evaluated by min three people (members of academic or scientific staff, experts...)
 
The final mark will be made up of 2/3 personal work and 1/3 group work.

Language of instruction

French / Français

Location for course

NAMUR

Organizer

Faculté des sciences
Rue de Bruxelles, 61
5000 NAMUR

Degree of Reference

Master's Degree