Master's Thesis Seminar

http://icampus.uclouvain.be/claroline/course/index.php?cid=LSMD2094

The whole preliminary university education

This seminar is designed to assist students in completing their master theses in the best conditions. For that, it aims to give them the keys to

1. define their thesis topi
2. conduct a scientific literature research
3. deepen some specific methods to the field of management
4. learn to self-correct their writing style
5. control their speaking in front of an audience
6. It also aims to disseminate the guidelines of LSM about drafting a master thesis and to support professors-promoters work in guiding the master thesis.

Having regard to the LO of the programme, this activity contributes to the development and acquisition of the following LO:

• 2.3. Articulate the acquired knowledge  from different areas
• 2.4. Activate and apply the acquired knowledge  '
• 2.5. Contribute  to the  development and  advancement of the  man- agement field.
• 3. A scientific and systematif approach
• 3.1. Conduct a clear,  structured, analytical  reasoning '
• 3.2. Collect, select  and  analyze  relevant  information   '
• 3.3.Consider  problems using  a  systemic and  holistic  approach  '
• 3.4. Perceptively  synthesize  'demonstrating a certain  conceptual distance '
• 3.5.Produce, through  analysis  and  diagnosis, implementable solutions'
• 7. Project management
• 7.1.Analyse a project within its environment and define the expected outcomes'
• 7.2. Organize, manage and control the process, '
• 7.3.Make decisions and  take responsibility  for them  in an uncertain world  '
• 8. Communication and interpersonal skills
• 8.1. Express a clear and structured message'
• 8.2. Interact  and  discuss effectively  '
• 9. Personal and professional development
• 9.1. Independent self-starter  '
• 9.2. Self-awareness and  self-control '
• 9.3. Self-motivation'
• 9.4. Quick study, lifelong learner '

At the end of this course, the student will be able to:

1. design a job and choose a thesis topic ("Ch. 1:  How to define my research question and develop an appropriate approach to it?")
2. make a literature search for the master thesis ("Ch. 2: How to identify, evaluate and cite my sources and manage my documentation?")
3. identify a gap in soft skills needed to achieve the master thesis and self-training to correct it ("Ch. 3 to be chosen: time management, fast reading, critical evaluation of secondary data ... ")
4. improve a written text for the master thesis ("Ch. 4: Writing to be read")
5. improve the oral communication of the thesis presentation ("Ch. 5: How to make an oral presentation?")

The contribution of this Teaching Unit to the development and command of the skills and learning outcomes of the programme(s) can be accessed at the end of this sheet, in the section entitled “Programmes/courses offering this Teaching Unit”.

The main assessment is self-made by the student. Four mini-quizzes during the four lecture, simply check the active presence and the respect of instructions and four mini works mark out the evolution of the personal work.

Learning common core: mainly through self-learning tutorial and powerpoint documents iCampus and secondarily through five sessions of lecture

The seminar is primarily a self-learning work based on documents made available to students on Moodle. Four lectures (2 in first bloc and 2  in second bloc of the master) ensure a common thread between the self-learning.

Some basic references:

• CRESWELL, John W. (2012). Educational Research. Planning, Conducting, Quantitative and Qualitative Research. 4th Edition, Pearson.
• GAVARD-PERRET, Marie-Laure, GOTTELAND, David, HAON, Christophe, & JOLIBERT, Alain (2012). Méthodologie de la Recherche - Réussir son mémoire ou sa thèse en sciences gestion. 2° édition. Pearson.
• SAUNDERS, Mark N.K., LEWIS, Philip, & THORNHILL, Adrian (2009). Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, Prentice Hall.
• THIÉTARD, Raymond-Alain (2007). Méthode de recherche en management. Dunod.

1. An information session on this seminar is given at the briefing about the master thesis in the annual block
2. Moodle  gives all the information necessary for self-learning: LLSMD2094
3. This course is part of the annual program in block 2 of the master. However, it begins in annual block 1: Students must register to the site Moodle early in master 1 in order to be informed of activities that start in February the annual block 1 of the master.
4. The seminar is given in French, but students who speak only English are allowed to replace the process by self-reading a methodology textbook.