Entry requirements

Admitted to the Master programme in Cultural Anthropology or Ethnology and Folkloristics.

Learning outcomes

The course aims to provide in-depth knowledge of anthropological and ethnological research and how the own thesis work can be placed within the disciplines' traditions and contemporary thematic and theoretical developments.

Based on this, the students will be given tools to shape their own thesis project and learn to review their own and others' thesis proposals. After passing the course, the student will be able to:

• design the own thesis project, i.e. define and delimit a scientific question of relevance within cultural anthropology or ethnology and folkloristics

   

• place the own thesis project in the tradition of the own discipline and contemporary methodological and theoretical developments, in relation to the on-going research at the department, as well as in a national and international perspective

   

• identify and report the pros and cons of different methodological approaches and theoretical positions in relation to the own research project

Content

The course deepens students' understanding of anthropological and ethnological research and their traditions and contemporary theoretical and methodological developments. It will also prepare the students for their thesis writing. Concretely, this means that both similarities and differences, breadth and depth/nuances between and within ethnology and anthropology will be discussed, where representatives of the disciplines are responsible for the overall teaching, while different teacher competencies in ethnology and anthropology deliver cutting-edge knowledge and experience in planning research based on their respective research and knowledge areas. The students also get the opportunity to become familiar with the leading research environments that exist at the department.

Within the framework of the course, the students prepare their own thesis project which will form the basis of the individual degree project. Issues discussed include problem formulation, questioning, theoretical and methodological approaches, and how the project can be placed within various national and international research fields within the respective discipline.

Instruction

The course is comprised of one or more of the following forms: lectures, seminars, field practice. Language of instruction is English.

Assessment

The examination will be in one or more of the following forms: home exam, memo writing, group work, active seminar participation and oral presentations. The course will be graded pass with distinction (VG), pass (G) or fail (U).