General provisions

The course is only given as a part of the Master's Programme in Sociology.

Entry requirements

A Bachelor's degree, equivalent to a Swedish Kandidatexamen, from an internationally recognised university. Also required is 90 credits in sociology (or sociological social psychology). Proficiency in English equivalent to the Swedish upper secondary course English 6.

For participation in the course at least 60 credits completed within the framework of the Master's program in Sociology are required, including The Sociological Problem, Advanced Qualitative Methods, Advanced Quantitative Methods and the Project Course.

Learning outcomes

Upon completing the course, students should be able to:

• independently initiate, define, design and carry out a sociological study with a well-motivated choice of relevant sociological theory and in-depth application of well-motivated sociological methods
• carry out information searches from various sources and collect information of relevance for a certain inquiry within the sociological field of knowledge, critically analyze the information and use and present it in a qualified manner
• explain the prerequisites for, limitations and strengths with selected theoretical perspectives as well as in their application, as well as critically discuss and justify theoretical positions in relation to the study's specific research questions
• explain the prerequisites for, limitations and strengths with selected methods as well as in their application and be able to critically discuss and justify the choice of method and design based on the study's specific research questions
• independently and with critical reflection analyze sociological issues drawing on sociological perspectives, theories and concepts, with an adequate and independent application of selected methods
• use their knowledge to make independent and critical assessments and analyses of sociological problems in a delimited part of society, taking into account relevant scientific, societal and ethical aspects
• communicate a completed study in the form of a scholarly thesis
• communicate and discuss sociologically relevant information, problems and conclusions clearly and interestingly in writing and orally
• independently carry out a critically reflective and constructive scientific opposition to a scholarly thesis
• actively and independently contribute to the scientific conversation in seminars.

Content

The thesis work is carried out independently and involves a deeper study of a sociologically relevant inquiry with the support of relevant theories and methods. The work is presented in writing and must be discussed at a seminar. In addition to their own thesis work, the student also acts as opponent of an assigned thesis by another student. The work on the thesis is carried out in during one semester, full-time study.

Instruction

The teaching consists of seminars and supervision. Students have the right to supervision only during one semester.

Assessment

The essay is examined orally at a seminar. The grades used are Pass with distinction (VG), Pass (G) and Fail (U). A completed essay and active participation (including the opposition assignment) in the seminar activities are required to receive a final grade.

If there are special reasons for doing so, an examiner may make an exception from the method of assessment indicated and allow a student to be assessed by another method. An example of special reasons might be a certificate regarding special pedagogical support from the University's disability coordinator.

Uppsala University takes academic fraud and plagiarism seriously and takes action against students suspected of involvement in fraud and / or plagiarism. Disciplinary measures consist in formal warnings and suspension from study for specified time periods.