Master Thesis Project

1. Practical and theoretical work in one of the research groups including interpretation and evaluation of the results.

2. Oral and written presentation of the work.

The assessment of the student is based on the learning goals of the master thesis project rather than on whether the planned research outcome has been realized. The final assessment consists of one mark, based on:

• Scientific knowledge and understanding

• Method and approach

• Report

• Presentation and defense

• Competences

A detailed grading scheme is available in Brightspace organization "Eindprojecten Administratie TNW / Thesis Office Applied Sciences".

On behalf of the Board of Examiners, the responsible supervisor composes a suitable assessment committee. The committee consists of at least three examiners, all members of the scientific staff of research groups that contribute to the master's degree programme. The members of the assessment committee come from at least two different sections of the degree programme, at least one of the members belongs to the teaching staff of the degree programme (of a course other than the thesis project), and at least one of them is a full professor or an associate professor with 'ius promovendi'.

Thesis projects carried out in affiliated groups outside the Faculty of Applied Sciences shall be assessed by a committee including at least one examiner from the Faculty of Applied Sciences.

The thesis office reminds the responsible supervisor and student in time to have the green light meeting. If the responsible supervisor is confident that the student will pass the defense, the exact time and date of the final presentation and thesis defense are fixed and the members of the assessment committee confirmed at this meeting. Both the date/time and the committee are determined by the thesis supervisor after hearing the student. In principle the defense takes place within two weeks after the end date for handing in the final version of the thesis. The supervisor reports the date of the defense and the composition of the assessment committee to the thesis office. In exceptional cases, the board of examiners may be involved in setting the date and time.

If the responsible supervisor is in doubt whether the student will pass the defense, he/she should discuss with the other members of the assessment committee whether to give green light or not.

In the case that, in spite of the effort, the student is seriously failing, the responsible supervisor can decide at the green light meeting to cancel the planned defense if he/she is confident that the student won't pass the defense. The supervisor needs to deliver a written argumentation for this decision to the thesis office and the programme coordinator. Prior to this decision the student must be warned repeatedly, at least at the intermediate evaluation, to give him/her a chance to improve.

After a negative decision, a choice must be made in consultation with the student between a delay (with a new binding time schedule with a maximum of three months) or a definitive cancellation of the thesis project. The thesis project can be delayed only once. Cancellation implies starting a new project.

Note that an impending publication or more/better results are not valid reasons for an extension.

In case of unforeseen personal circumstances (illness; pregnancy and childbirth; exceptional family circumstances; physical, sensory or other functional disabilities) the student can apply for an extension of the end date (on which the final version of the thesis report needs to be handed in) to the Board of Examiners, with a statement of the academic counsellor. Students are required to contact the academic counsellor as soon as possible after the particular circumstance has occurred. The information is treated confidentially by the academic counsellor.