The purpose of the course is for the student to develop a scholarly approach by planning, carrying out, and defending an independent and critical academic study.

Throughout the course, the student will independently plan and write a thesis within the field of educational theory. Based on a relevant research problem, the student will choose and argue for an appropriate theoretical, methodological, and ethical approach. The thesis will be placed in a relevant research context within educational theory. At the end of the course, the student will defend the thesis at a seminar. The student will also critically discuss the thesis of another student.

Upon completion of the course, the student should be able to

1. Formulate and delimit a research problem within the field of educational theory;

2. Compile literature within the chosen field of study, and critically relate the thesis in relation to the literature;

3. Motivate and problematize theoretical and methodological considerations in relation to the field of study;

4. Carry out an independent study in the field of educational theory.

5. Evaluate, draw conclusions, and argue for the relevance of the thesis with regards to the field of study;

6. Discuss the promise and limitations of the thesis regarding methodological and ethical concerns;

7. Present their work in a scholarly text;

8. Present and defend the thesis as well as critically discuss and evaluate another student’s thesis.

The course contains a variation of work models that may involve meetings with a supervisor -- individually as well as in a group setting – and seminars. The work forms will develop based on the purpose and aims of the course, in close collaboration between student and supervisor. In the main, the course is carried out independently by the student with the appropriate support from the supervisor.

The course will be assessed through an individually authored academic thesis and a seminar where the student will orally defend the thesis as well as critically discuss and evaluate the thesis of another student.

The course coordinator will provide information about grading criteria at the start of the course.

It must be possible to distinguish between individual performances for all assessments.

Course literature is selected by the student in consultation with the supervisor.

Malmö University provides students who participate in, or who have completed a course, with the opportunity to express their opinions and describe their experiences of the course by completing a course evaluation administered by the University. The University will compile and summarise the results of course evaluations. The University will also inform participants of the results and any decisions relating to measures taken in response to the course evaluations. The results will be made available to the students (HF 1:14).

If a course is no longer offered, or has undergone significant changes, the students must be offered two opportunities for re-examination based on the syllabus that applied at the time of registration, for a period of one year after the changes have been implemented.

If a student has a Learning support decision, the examiner has the right to provide the student with an adapted test, or to allow the student to take the exam in a different format. The syllabus is a translation of a Swedish source text.