Bachelor Project Future Planet Studies

Studiewijzer 2021/2022

Globale inhoud

During the course of the Bachelor Project, students will apply the research skills that they have learned throughout the FPS programme, as well as learn new skills for carrying out their own scientific research either within the track Future Earth (i.e. from the domain of the geo-bio sciences and/or chemistry) or within Future Society (bridging domains of political science, human geography and/or spatial planning). Within each track, students will choose their research topics from broader research programs or projects led by UvA-researchers.*

The first three weeks of the course (March 2021) are devoted to working out a detailed research proposal for the individual thesis. During the execution phase, each student delivers a contribution from within the field of his/her expertise. Critical reflection of relevant theories and literature on the chosen subject forms part of the research as does reflection on the relevance, reliability and validity of the gathered data, and the methods and techniques that were used to obtain them.

At the end of the Bachelor Project, the student reports the findings of the research in a thesis. The thesis is a clear, systematic and scientifically well-founded report on the research project and its results. Writing the thesis is more than merely writing a report. Students must be able to show that they have gained and applied essential research skills, and the report needs to incorporate all essential elements of an academic research project that the student has engaged in including a critical analysis of the results which are discussed in the context of contemporaneous scientific insights on the theme.

* Students can indicate their preferences (1st, 2nd & 3rd choice), and we will try to do as much justice as possible to these preferences, given certain preconditions and limitations of the course (such as the need for a fair division over the available supervising teachers).

Studiemateriaal

Literatuur

• Literature provided with each topic by the supervision team (either compulsory or suggested literature).

Leerdoelen

• Independently set up, execute and report on an individual research project.
• Write a research proposal, including: (1) a clearly formulated and demarcated problem definition, including clear research question(s) and an indication of the aim and relevance of the research; (2) adequate incorporation of relevant literature and theoretical insights with regard to the question at hand; (3) a relevant and appropriate research design, i.e. a clear indication of the overall approach and specific research methods; (4) anticipated results, including both expected, intended effects and possible unintended, undesirable side-effects; (5) a realistic timeframe for the project.
• Write a coherent scientific thesis which, besides final problem definition, theoretical framework and methodology includes: (1) Results; description of trends/patterns in the collected data, which need to be sufficiently reliable and accurately processed; (2) Conclusions that can be drawn from the research, to give an overview of the obtained new knowledge and insights as well of possible limitations of the research; (3) Discussion of the results in relation to the context of relevant scientific literature and the line of research of which the research is part of, and reflection on the possible societal impact; (4) Recommendations for the translation of the research results on theoretical, scientific level and possible practical, societal meaning, relevance and implications of the research results.
• Present the research process and results in a well-written thesis in academic English as well as an oral presentation.

Onderwijsvormen

• Presentatie/symposium
• Werkcollege
• Zelfstandig werken aan bijv. project/scriptie

Students will select their preferences from a list of topics provided by researchers involved with Future Planet Studies or professional or academic experts that operate in relevant work fields. After students have been appointed their research topics, groups will be formed which will be supervised by the expert. The supervising expert bears ultimate responsibility for the content and methodology of the Bachelor Project.

The specific set-up of the course is dependent on the track (Future Earth / Future Society), topic and research design; the supervisors will decide upon the best set-up and work-flow, including how many lectures and work groups will be planned.

Verdeling leeractiviteiten

Aanwezigheid

Aanwezigheidseisen opleiding (OER-B):

• Deelname aan veldwerk is verplicht en niet vervangbaar door opdrachten of andere cursussen.
• In geval van een practicum is de student verplicht ten minste 90% van de practicumbijeenkomsten bij te wonen en zich op deze bijeenkomsten terdege voor te bereiden, tenzij anders aangegeven in de studiewijzer van het vak. Indien de student minder dan 90% heeft bijgewoond dient het practicum opnieuw te worden gevolgd.
• In geval van werkgroepbijeenkomsten is de student verplicht tenminste 7 van elke 8 werkgroepbijeenkomsten bij te wonen en zich op deze bijeenkomsten terdege voor te bereiden, tenzij anders aangegeven in de studiewijzer. Bij meer dan 8 werkgroepbijeenkomsten geldt dat de student steeds per (deel van) 8 bijeenkomsten maximaal 1 bijeenkomst mag missen. Indien de student minder dan het verplichte aantal heeft bijgewoond, kan het vak niet worden afgerond.
  

Aanvullende eisen voor dit vak:

• Completion of all first-year courses of Future Planet Studies
• Having obtained at least 42 EC of the second year of Future Planet Studies

Toetsing

• For research proposal: Resit in case of a No-Go: within 1 week after the received feedback
• For thesis report: Resit only if grade < 5.5 (see *) and with a maximum of 6

• If you do not agree with the assessment procedure and/or your final grade, take the following steps:
  - Make use of the inspection moment to get further clarification of the assessment procedure and the way your final grade for the Bachelor Project was determined.
  - If there are any remaining ambiguities, ask the examiner to give further explanation.
  - If, after consultation with the examiner, you cannot reach an agreement about your final grade and you are still convinced you have sufficient reason to object, you can contact the program coordinator. The program coordinator can try to mediate between you and the Bachelor Project examiner.
  - Finally, if you cannot reach an agreement internally, you can lodge a formal objection with the Examination Appeals Board (CBE - College van Beroep voor de Examens). Such an appeal must be lodged within six weeks after the announcement of the final grade.

* If your thesis fails to meet the minimum criteria, you are allowed to rewrite the thesis, using the feedback that the supervisor has provided you with in the assessment form. In order not to conflict with courses in Block 6, the deadline for the rewritten thesis is at least 4 weeks after the student obtains the assessment form from the supervisor. As by then the summer holidays have started, your supervisor will decide about what is a feasible deadline for the revised thesis. In no case can this deadline be later than August 12, 2022. 

A revised thesis can obtain a maximum grade of 6. If your rewritten thesis still does not meet the minimum criteria, you will fail the course and must take part in the course next year. You then have to write a completely new research proposal and thesis.

If your final thesis is graded >5.5, there is no second chance; you cannot submit a revised thesis based on the feedback that you have been provided with in the assessment form. If for any reason you feel you are not able to write an optimal final thesis (yet), you can put a motivated request before your supervisor and ask for a delay of the deadline.

Toetsmatrijs (studentenversie)

Fraude en plagiaat

Dit vak hanteert de algemene 'Fraude- en plagiaatregeling' van de UvA. Hier wordt nauwkeurig op gecontroleerd. Bij verdenking van fraude of plagiaat wordt de examencommissie van de opleiding ingeschakeld. Zie de Fraude- en plagiaatregeling van de UvA: http://student.uva.nl

Weekplanning

Rooster

Het rooster van dit vak is in te zien op DataNose.

Aanvullende informatie

Course Materials

• Literature provided with each topic (either compulsory or suggested literature). 

Entry requirements

• Completion of all first-year courses of Future Planet Studies
• Having obtained at least 42 EC of the second year of Future Planet Studies

Vakevaluatie afgelopen jaar

New course

Contactinformatie

Coördinator

• Crelis Rammelt

Coordinator Future Society: Crelis Rammelt (for Future Earth, please contact Emily Burdfield-Steel)

Assistant Coordinator: Jordy Willems

Lecturers

• Ellen Holtmaat
• Esther Jansen
• Jaap Rothuizen
• Karijn van den Berg
• Katinka Wijsman
• Maarten Bavinck
• Misha Velthuis
• Jannes Willems
• Joeri Sol