The student will receive information about the time and place for the oral examination by email. The same information is also sent to the student's supervisor. The examination of the master thesis and the final exam is done by two examiners appointed by the department, with at least one external examiner.
Master thesis presentation
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Before the examination of the master's thesis can take place, the student must give a presentation of the thesis.
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The presentation is open for the public, and is held directly before the oral examination. The presentation has to be approved by the committee evaluating the thesis before the oral exam starts.
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The candidate decides whether or not he or she wants to know the result before the oral exam.
Format of the presentation:
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Presentation of the master's thesis (such as central findings, presentation of selected cases, the methods in use etc.)
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Time schedule: up to 30 minutes.
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The audience may ask questions regarding the thesis.
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If the trial lecture is approved, an oral exam will follow.
See instructions and tips for master thesis presentations and examinations at IMK
See instructions and tips for master thesis examinations at UiO
Master thesis and oral examination
Master's theses are assessed with one overall grade, where the oral examination can lead to a possible adjustment of the grade on the written examination.
Prior to the oral presentation, the commission holds a censorship meeting and agrees on a grade for the written thesis. The candidate chooses whether he / she wants to know the grade given on the master's thesis before the oral questioning starts, or whether he or she wants the final grade at the end after completing the oral exam.
The oral examination may adjust the grade given on the written thesis and consists of an examination of the master's thesis. The examination starts shortly after the oral presentation has ended. This part of the exam is closed, and only the examiner commission and the candidate are present. After the examination, the student is asked to leave the room. The commission then discusses the student's performance and assesses whether the candidate should remain on the same grade, or whether the grade should be changed up or down. Then the candidate comes in again, and hears the final result and a justification for the grading of the master's thesis. A written justification is sent to the student within one week afterwards. Only the final grade will show on the student's diploma.
The oral exam has a duration of up to one hour, but is normally around 45 minutes
Oral examination must be regarded as a scientific discussion where the examiners can ask questions about the choice of theory, method and empirical data, argumentation and conclusions. Both strengths and weaknesses of the thesis can be discussed. It is recommended that the candidate prepares thoroughly, especially at the points where the thesis has a potential for improvement. It is recommended that the candidate have a preparatory meeting with his / her supervisor in advance of the oral.
Explanation
- The candidate receives an oral explanation of the grade during the oral examination.
- The candidate will also receive a written explanation of the grade (sent to the student's e-mail) approximately a week after the examination.
Diploma
- From 2022 the diplomas are digital. They are normally processed in September (or February if you submitted in December)
- You can also download the diploma from the StudentWeb or make use of the Norwegian Diploma Registry to prove your grade for potential employers or similar.
- All diplomas are issued by the Faculty of Humanities.
Further information
- Explanation of grades and Appeals (Everyone receives a written explanation for the grade for the Master's thesis)
- Grade guidelines for IMK
- Doubts or questions? E-mail studieinfo@media.uio.no