After completing this skills training, you will a) have better knowledge about research methods available for your Master’s thesis project, and b) have completed an own initial research proposal for your Master’s thesis, including a detailed project plan. This will give you a 'flying start' on your Master’s thesis project. If your initial research proposal is graded ‘sufficient’ you will be assigned to a thesis supervisor, who will provide you with detailed feedback on your ideas and offer further guidance.

PLEASE NOTE THAT THE INFORMATION ABOUT THE TEACHING AND ASSESSMENT METHOD(S) USED IN THIS COURSE IS WITH RESERVATION. THE INFORMATION PROVIDED HERE IS BASED ON THE COURSE SETUP PRIOR TO THE CORONAVIRUS CRISIS. AS A CONSEQUENCE OF THE CRISIS, COURSE COORDINATORS MAY BE FORCED TO CHANGE THE TEACHING AND ASSESSMENT METHODS USED. THE MOST UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION ABOUT THE TEACHING/ASSESSMENT METHOD(S) WILL BE AVAILABLE IN THE COURSE SYLLABUS.

The skills training consists of several mandatory lectures. In the first lecture, the thesis coordinator of the department Accounting and Information Management will provide you with relevant background information about the thesis, including how to find a suitable topic, how to formulate an interesting and workable problem statement, how to impose a structure by formulating sub questions, and how to report on an initial review of the literature. The subsequent lectures will provide an overview of available research methods as well as statistical tools and techniques required to collect, analyse and interpret data.
Parallel to these lectures students independently develop an initial research proposal for their Master’s thesis.