Bachelor Thesis, 15 credits

Main field of study

Course level

Advancement level

Entry requirements

60 ECTS credits in Business Administration with at least 52,5 ECTS credits passed including a course in Business research methods of 7 ECTS credit or eqvivalent.

Intended learning outcomes

After completion of the course the students should be able to:
- Identify issues in organisations that might need further investigations and formulate these into research questions
- Design a study by showing methodology awareness
- Systematise the collected data to fit the chosen issues that are defined in the research questions
- Analyse data by using the developed theoretical frame of reference
- Draw conclusions from the analysis that can provide answers to the identified research questions
- Assess other thesis and in this suggest what the strong parts are, what parts will need improvement and to provide suggestions of how improvements can be made

Course content

Choices made in the thesis process as well as their way of dealing with the subject should indicate that they have taken deeper understanding concerning methodology as well as theoretically and empirically. Both the process and the result – the thesis – should be characterised by a high degree of methodology awareness, clearness in problem statement, in formulating research questions, in handling empirical data and in developing a theoretical frame of reference to be used to analyse the empirical data.

The aim of the course is for students to develop further and extend their ability to deal with problems independently and in a scholarly manner within the sphere of business administration. Another aim of this course is to provide an in-depth knowledge of business administration, and to give the students the opportunity to examine a problem related to the previous business courses through empirical studies. Students are to choose, delimit and write on a thesis subject within the area of business administration. The students are free to choose between writing a more traditional theoretical thesis or to carry out an independent research project on behalf of a company or some other organisation in Sweden, within the EU or somewhere else in the world. The students’ works in teams of 2-3 students belong to a peer learning group and is supervised by a tutor.

Teaching and working methods

- Lectures and seminars in large groups
- Seminars and supervision in peer learning groups
- Supervision in theses team
- Report writing, reading, assessment, presentation and opposition individually, in pairs and in peer learning groups

Examination

The written thesis is to be presented and defended at a public final seminar. It will be assessed during the seminar by the students’ tutor. This assessment will be presented as a suggestion for grading to the course examiner and together they decide upon the final grade. Included in the examination and in the grade is also the opposition of another thesis work as well as the active participation throughout the whole seminar series and active participation in at least four other final student thesis seminars.

If special circumstances prevail, and if it is possible with consideration of the nature of the compulsory component, the examiner may decide to replace the compulsory component with another equivalent component.

If the LiU coordinator for students with disabilities has granted a student the right to an adapted examination for a written examination in an examination hall, the student has the right to it.

If the coordinator has recommended for the student an adapted examination or alternative form of examination, the examiner may grant this if the examiner assesses that it is possible, based on consideration of the course objectives.

An examiner may also decide that an adapted examination or alternative form of examination if the examiner assessed that special circumstances prevail, and the examiner assesses that it is possible while maintaining the objectives of the course.

Students failing an exam covering either the entire course or part of the course twice are entitled to have a new examiner appointed for the reexamination.

Students who have passed an examination may not retake it in order to improve their grades.

Grades

Other information

Planning and implementation of a course must take its starting point in the wording of the syllabus. The course evaluation included in each course must therefore take up the question how well the course agrees with the syllabus. 

The course is conducted in such a way that there are equal opportunities with regard to sex, transgender identity or expression, ethnicity, religion or other belief, disability, sexual orientation and age.

If special circumstances prevail, the vice-chancellor may in a special decision specify the preconditions for temporary deviations from this course syllabus, and delegate the right to take such decisions.

Department