Contemporary Migrations - a Master's Thesis Proseminar

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The course is dedicated to graduate students (II degree students).

Excellent knowledge of English (enough to write and read academic texts in English)

Interest in migration studies

The seminar will prepare students for writing and defending their master's thesis.

The seminar will begin preparing students for writing their master's thesis on topics related to contemporary migration. Students will brainstorm and select topics that fit their interests. Then, we will consider what research methods can help study the topic. This process will be accompanied by text readings and discussions that support getting to know ethics and selected research methodologies. In the process, the students will develop the skills needed to formulate research problems and pose relevant questions related to their chosen topics. In later stages, the seminar will transition into a concentrated work on writing, discussing and improving parts of the students’ theses. Students will submit parts of their work for peer review and will peer review the work of others.

The reading list will be provided during the first class and then it will be continuously updated based on the topics of interest and challenges faced by the students.

Knowledge: the graduate

K_W09 - Knows research methods most relevant to their chosen thesis topic.

Abilities: the graduate is able to

K_U01 - Identify and review literature from different sources, including academic journals and books.

K_U06 - Generate hypotheses and justify thesis statements that structure their argument.

K_U07 - Describe the results of one’s work in writing that follows the standards of writing in academia.

Social competencies: the graduate is ready to

K_K04 – Select and then justify their choice of research methodologies and analytical approaches for their chosen thesis topics.

K_K05 - Discuss their and others’ research in a manner that shows respect and openness.

K_K06 - Consider the ethical problems related to conducting research and thesis writing.

a. Seminar attendance (students are allowed a maximum of two absences per semester).

b. Preparation for the seminars (including having read the required literature)

c. Active participation during the seminar.

d. Completion of partial assignments related to writing the master's thesis. This includes, among other things:

1. Polishing the general research questions and hypotheses,

2. Writing initial MA abstract

3. Gathering existing literature on the topic and preparing a short report from it using proper citations

4. Preparing a research design description (if research is part of the thesis)

5. Preparing an ethical committee application draft,

e. Reviewing other students’ work as assigned

Attendance, active participation, preparation for the seminars and reviewing the work of others, are the criteria one needs to fulfill to successfully complete the seminar.