Handbook for the Master's Programmes in Demography - SUDA

More documents

Recommendations

Info

• Please note that the range of courses is subject to change. Keep yourself updated via studera.nu and through contact with the department in question. • Almost all information on changes of dates, rooms etc. is communicated either through e- mail or Mondo http://www.mondo.su.se . Check your e-mail (including your SU-account) and your Mondo-sites regularly, and make sure teachers and coordinator have your correct e- mail address. • The fall semester of 2012 begins September 3, and ends January 16, 2012. The spring semester of 2013 begins January 21 and ends June 1. For the academic year 2013/2014 the dates will be similar. • The syllabus for both Master’s programmes can be found on the Multidisciplinary Master’s Program in Demography website. • Useful homepages are: http://www.suda.su.se (our own webpage!) http://www.sociology.su.se/ (Sociology Department webpage) http://www.su.se (here you can search for other participating departments) http://www.studera.nu (here you apply for courses) http://www.mitt.su.se (your SU-e-mailaccount etc) http://www.mondo.su.se (course material, submissions, etc) http://studenthalsanistockholm.se (students’ health services) 8. To Write a Master’s or Magister Thesis in Demography at Stockholm University Introduction The Master’s thesis completes your degree in Demography. Writing a thesis means that you will be able to specialize in an area that interests you, that you will develop your skills in demographic theory and methods, and that you will practice the art of academic writing. You will be able to write your thesis within an area in which the sociology and demography faculty can offer qualified supervision. For 2-year Master’s students, the entire fourth semester is devoted to thesis writing (30 ECTS credits), while 1-year Master’s students write their thesis during study periods three and four of the second and last semester (15 ECTS credits). Preparation for the thesis should, however, begin early in the first semester. To prepare for the thesis, you will begin considering possible thesis topics and establish contact with a supervisor early in the program. We will organize an informal gathering with students and potential supervisors mid-term during the first semester. An introductory seminar will be given early the second semester. At this point, students should have decided on a thesis topic in consultation with the supervisor. Expectations for the 1-year and 2-year Master’s Thesis
1. Common features Both Master’s theses must produce new scientific knowledge. They must demonstrate understanding and application of appropriate theory and method to a specific research question. And they must draw conclusions about theoretical processes from empirical results. Theoretical arguments and inferences should be made at the ‘middle range’, i.e., general explanations for specific behaviors, events, conditions – not general theories of society, human behavior, and so forth. Appropriate theory and method come from Demography as well as other affiliated disciplines. Both theses require original analyses directed toward a specific research question. The most important requirement for a thesis is that the theoretical argument be clear, wellorganized and tightly connected to the empirical analysis. Good models can be found among the published work you have read. Although 1-year Master’s students may not have the experience or skills to conduct analyses at the level of published research, they should be prepared to synthesize previous research and make a coherent argument that leads directly to the empirical analyses presented. Discussion of previous theory and research should demonstrate ability to critically evaluate theoretical foundations, logic of argument and methods applied. Both 1 and 2-year Master’s theses in Demography may use a variety of research methods but every thesis must demonstrate either in the review of previous research or in the analysis itself a clear understanding of fundamental demographic concepts and methods, e.g., rates, life tables, indirect estimation, and population projections where applicable. Theses that rely on qualitative or comparative historical methods must be especially strong in their discussion of demographic data and research. 2. Distinct features The 2-year Master’s thesis is expected to show greater theoretical depth and application of more advanced research methods than is expected for the 1-year Master’s thesis. The 1-year Master’s thesis should provide a foundation for more extensive and definitive research while the 2-year Master’s thesis should include the more extensive and definitive answer to a research question. The 1-year Master’s thesis should be of at least the complexity of a research report for a government or private agency; the 2-year Master’s thesis should be of a similar complexity to articles in social science journals. Types of analysis expected for a 1-year Master’s thesis include but are not limited to ordinary lifetable calculations, descriptive statistics, estimates of bivariate relationships in tabular or statistical form, presentation of qualitative data that provide a ‘deep description’ of determinants or consequences of demographic phenomena, time-series comparisons, etc. For 2-year Master’s theses, multivariate statistical analyses will be required or, in the case of qualitative studies a theoretically driven contextual analysis. One-year Master’s theses may be based on new organization of published data while 2-year Master’s theses will usually be based on analyses of ‘raw’ data.
Page 1 and 2: Stockholm University Demography Uni
Page 3 and 4: 1. Multidisciplinary Master’s Pro
Page 5 and 6: Table 1. Course distribution and li
Page 7 and 8: 5. Course Schedule Below you will f
Page 9 and 10: Second fall term Period 1 Period 2
Page 11: Statistics http://www.statistics.su
Page 15 and 16: Appendix 1. Course descriptions Cor
Page 17 and 18: Course literature consists of a the
Page 19 and 20: Social Stratification 7.5 ECTS cred
Page 21 and 22: BRIC in the Global Economy: Develop
Page 23 and 24: Appendix 2. Rules and policies at S
Page 25: egarded as being party to that plag

Handbook for the Master's Programmes in Demography - SUDA

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?