Dissertation

The recommended basic knowledge will be all acquired along the academic path of themaster’s student, with special focus on those in the scientifi c area to be investigated.

Due to the specificity of this Non-Lectured Course Unit, traditional “Teaching and Learning Methods” (TLMs) are not applicable. Instead, the
TLMs of this unit, aligned with the pedagogical model, are performed by the Advisor and/or Co-advisor(s), with the student meeting regularly
with them. These TLMs include:
TLM1 Individual Guidance Sessions: Personalized support for research progress, including literature review, research methodologies, data
analysis, and the use of tools like SPSS, NVivo, R, Biblioshiny, and Power BI (LO1, LO2, LO3).
TLM2 Continuous Structured Feedback: Detailed revisions during the dissertation writing stages, including the work plan, preliminary
chapters, and the final dissertation (LO4).
TLM3 Dissertation Defense Simulations: Enabling students to enhance oral communication and argumentation before the evaluation jury
(LO5).

Learning Objectives (LOs):
LO1 Conduct autonomous, in-depth, and rigorous research on a relevant issue in the fundamental areas of the CE program.
LO2 Critically analyze scientific literature and develop robust theoretical frameworks.
LO3 Apply appropriate research methodologies to collect and interpret empirical data.
LO4 Write a structured dissertation, demonstrating synthesis and argumentation skills.
LO5 Present and defend the results clearly and thoroughly before a jury.
Skills/Abilities/Competencies (S):
S1 Formulate relevant research problems supported by theory (LO1 and LO2).
S2 Select and apply suitable scientific methods to the study topic (LO3).
S3 Develop coherent and evidence-based written arguments following academic standards (LO4).
S4 Orally defend the results before a jury, demonstrating subject mastery (LO5)

1 Definition of the research problem
2 Literature review and construction of the theoretical framework
3 Research methodologies: qualitative, quantitative, and mixed
4 Collection and analysis of empirical data
5 Structuring and writing the dissertation
6 Preparation and presentation of the public defense

Once the elaboration of the dissertation work is concluded, the master's student mustrequest the completion of public exams.
The jury is made up of three to fi ve members, including the supervisor and the co-supervisor(s), if any. The members of the jury must be specialists in the fi eld in which theproject work, internship report or dissertation is inserted, appointed from amongprofessors holding a doctoral degree and specialists of merit recognized as such by theCC, national or foreign.
The public discussion will last about 90 (ninety) minutes, where the master will make anoral presentation, synthesizing the content of the work carried out and highlighting itsobjectives, and main conclusions, with a maximum duration of 20 (twenty) minutes; andthe remaining time must be distributed equally between the jury and the master'sstudent.
Once the tests are completed, the jury meets for the assessment and deliberation of thegrade to be awarded to the master's student.

NAO