Final Thesis, 15 credits

Main field of study

Course level

Advancement level

Course offered for

• Special Needs Training Programme

Entry requirements

Intended learning outcomes

The aims of the course are that the students have further developed their knowledge of the domain selected for the final thesis, developed their methodical and analytical skills and also their knowledge of scholarly approach, scholarly communication and scholarly presentation. The students have completed an individual research-oriented assignment clearly relevant to the profession.

In the final thesis on the Special Teacher Education Programme, the students have:

- used questions connected to special educational activities, and in dialogue with relevant research regarding ethical rules, selected applicable methods for collection and analysis of data.
- demonstrated an analysing approach, expertise and awareness regarding research ethics and research methods.
- presented and defended their own work, read and critically reviewed scholarly work, and carried out public discussion and examination.

Course content

The course covers specialisation in a domain selected for the final thesis and advanced knowledge of research methods and scientific starting-points for research. The scholarly writing process and review and analysis of scholarly texts are studied and practised during the course. The final thesis is carried out independently, and skills acquired in earlier courses on the Special Teacher Education Programme should be related and further developed. The thesis should be relevant to the profession, and relevance should in this case be interpreted broadly. The final thesis may consist of an empirical study, development work, a literature or document study. The course includes reading, critically reviewing and constructively discussing other students' theses.

Teaching and working methods

The final thesis includes carrying out and presenting an independent assignment under supervision, individually or in groups. Lectures and seminars occur.

Examination

The course is examined continuously in the form of oral and written presentations of written drafts and minor essay at seminars.

The final thesis is defended at a seminar with public discussion. The student should also critically review another final thesis and participate actively in additional thesis seminars.

Applies to all courses regardless of grading scale.

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

If the course has a three-graded grading scale (U - VG), following applies:

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

The following applies to courses that include a compulsory component:

• 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 instead 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.

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 carried out in such a way that both men´s and women´s experience and knowledge is made visible and developed.

Department