Syllabus for Iranian Languages: Degree Project

Decisions and guidelines

The course is given as a freestanding course.

Learning outcomes

An independent project on a linguistic or literary theme. Cultural-historical subjects may also be allowed if the study is directly related to texts in the main language. The independent project should be related to the knowledge and skills otherwise acquired in the Master's programme. It should give the student a good knowledge of how to seek scientific facts, how to test scientific hypotheses and how to plan, carry out and present a research project, as well as theoretical and philological specialisation in at least one Iranian language. On completion of the course, the student should have achieved considerable familiarity with a thematic or linguistic field, and:

* independently be able to carry out a study in Iranian languages or literature;

* independently be able to formulate relevant research questions and problems and demonstrate an ability to engage in theoretical and methodological reflection;

* be able to collect, arrange and analyse a relevant body of material;

* be able to search and critically assess, bibliographically compile and correctly refer to primary and secondary literature;

* be able to relate to critique and comments in such a way that the quality of the project is improved;

* be able to present the completed study in writing in a stylistically adequate way;

* be able to defend their own work and publicly discuss the work of others constructively.

Content

The completed degree project should be presented in the form of a thesis of about 30-40 pages written in English or Swedish. From the point of view of both content and formal aspects, the work should display a degree of academic independence and application of scientific methodology. In close connection with ongoing research in the chosen subject, the scholarly literature is investigated, studied and summarised, textual material is subjected to practical/philological treatment, and results are compiled, critically analysed and presented orally and in writing. A supervisor is specially appointed. The research topic is chosen in consultation with the supervisor.

Instruction

Teaching is given in the form of compulsory seminars and individual supervision. To conclude the project, the student must defend their degree project at a seminar. As part of the course, the student also has to publicly discuss a degree project submitted by another student.

Assessment

The completed project is examined in the form of a seminar conducted in discussion with a fellow student as reviewer and in the presence of an expert or experts in the subject. The grade is based both on the quality of the degree project and on the level of independence during the project. The conduct of the public discussion and defence is also taken into account. In assessing the thesis, special attention is paid to scholarly meticulousness, logical presentation, the selection and relevance of the primary material, linguistic/philological skills, awareness of theory, use of scientific method, reference to secondary literature and creative thinking.

If there are special reasons for doing so, an examiner may decide to make an exception from the method of assessment indicated and allow a student to be assessed by another method. Special circumstances can include notification of special educational support from the University's disability coordinator.