Contemporary Migrations - a Master's Thesis Seminar

obligatory courses

The course is dedicated to graduate students (II degree students).

Excellent knowledge of English (enough to write and read academic texts in English)

Interest in migration studies

The seminar will prepare students for writing and defending their master's thesis.

The seminar will prepare students for writing and defending their master's thesis on topics related to contemporary migration. Students will brainstorm and select topics that fit their interests. Then, we will consider what research methods can help study the topic. This process will be accompanied by text readings and discussions that support getting to know ethics and selected research methodologies. In the process, the students will develop the skills needed to formulate research problems and pose relevant questions related to their chosen topics. In later stages, the seminar will transition into a concentrated work on writing, discussing and improving parts of the students’ theses. Students will submit parts of their work for peer review and will peer review the work of others. The seminar is a continuation of the proseminar from the winter semester.

The reading list will be provided during the first class and then it will be continuously updated based on the topics of interest and challenges faced by the students.

A) Knowledge:

An alumni

- Understands the relationships between the various dimensions of social change (especially with regard to migration and mobility processes) (K_W02),

- Knows the methods for conducting research related to contemporary migration studies and understands the multidisciplinarity of research and analysis methods as well as interpretation of the data (K_W09).

B) Abilities:

An alumni is able to

- critically reflect on the data coming from various sources of primary and secondary nature, and meaningfully use them in their own research (K_U01),

- comprehensively and convincingly present their research orally or in written form, including research question, methodology and findings, conclusion and is able present the empirical data that supports their arguments (K_U05),

- present academic presentation based on the conducted research and adhere to the highest ethical principles (informed consent, intellectual property rights, copyrights, etc.) (K_U06),

- write with academic rigour and adhere to the disciplinary requirements (K_U07),

- plan and implement the process of her/his own development and learning as well as to direct the learning process of others through planning team work (K-U10).

C) Social competences:

An alumni is ready to

- adequately adapt their research tasks to their skills and competences (K_K04),

- discuss, defend their arguments, provide and accept constructive criticism (K_K04),

- is aware of the good practice of academic work - collegiality, support, respect and ethical approach to their peers’ work (avoid misconduct and e.g. plagiarism) (K__K06).

a. Seminar attendance (students are allowed a maximum of two absences per semester).

b. Preparation for the seminars (including having read the required literature)

c. Active participation during the seminar.

d. Completion of partial assignments related to writing the master's thesis. This includes, among other things:

1. Polishing the general research questions and hypotheses,

2. Gathering existing literature on the topic,

3. Preparing a draft of at least one analytical thesis chapter

4. Compiling the chapter’s bibliography, and using proper citations,

e. Preparing at least 2 reviews of other students’ chapters

Attendance, active participation, preparation for the seminars and reviewing the work of others, as well as submission of one’s full thesis, are the criteria one needs to fulfill to successfully complete the seminar.