Important notice
The course guide is provisional.
The PDF version of the course guide may take a few days to become available in the DDD.
Master's Degree Dissertation
Code: 45073Credits: 12
| Degree programme | Type | Course |
|---|---|---|
| Philosophies of Care | TFE | 1 |
Contact lecturer
- Name :
- Irene Gomez Franco
- Email :
- irene.gomez.franco@uab.cat
Teaching staff
- Jesús Adrian Escudero
- David Jorge Casacuberta Sevilla
- Daniel Gamper Sachse
- Irene Gomez Franco
- Andrea Soto Calderon
- Marta Tafalla Gonzalez
- Anabella Di Tullio Arias
- Begonya Saez Tajafuerce
Teaching staff (external to UAB)
- David Corrales Cordón
- Marina Garcés Mascareñas
Group languages
You can consult this information at the end of the document.
Prerequisites
To enrol on the Master’s thesis, students must have completed or be enrolled on all the modules in the programme. In order to submit the thesis by the scheduled date and defend it, students must have passed all the modules on the Master’s programme.
Objectives
The Master’s Thesis (TFM) is a research project involving textual analysis and critique, relating to the concepts and content covered during the Master’s programme. The research must be original and unpublished, and demonstrate the ability to define and discuss philosophical concepts in relation to the concept of care, to summarise discussions and to employ arguments.
Learning outcomes
- CA17 (Develop academic projects in the field of the philosophy of care that are sensitive to the gender perspective in both the content and the research process.) Develop academic projects in the field of the philosophy of care that are sensitive to the gender perspective in both the content and the research process.
- CA18 (Show autonomy and proactiveness when developing your TFM (final degree project), which is your own original research contribution to the field of the philosophies of care.) Show autonomy and proactiveness when developing your TFM (final degree project), which is your own original research contribution to the field of the philosophies of care.
- KA25 (Analyse the Western and Eastern philosophical underpinnings in the construction of ethics applied to contemporary care.) Analyse the Western and Eastern philosophical underpinnings in the construction of ethics applied to contemporary care.
- KA26 (Examine the processes of forming social, cultural or artistic identities related to the ethics of care with a gender perspective.) Examine the processes of forming social, cultural or artistic identities related to the ethics of care with a gender perspective.
- KA27 (Defend a non-anthropocentric perspective in research into ethics and the philosophy of care using appropriate academic-scientific parameters.) Defend a non-anthropocentric perspective in research into ethics and the philosophy of care using appropriate academic-scientific parameters.
- KA28 (Propose research applications in philosophies of care in the education in ethical values.) Propose research applications in philosophies of care in the education in ethical values.
- SA29 (Design original research on aspects related to the philosophical concept of care from the perspective of gender, civic duty, health and the environment.) Design original research on aspects related to the philosophical concept of care from the perspective of gender, civic duty, health and the environment.
- SA30 (Use appropriate terminology in philosophical research applied to the ethics of care and its applications in multidisciplinary fields.) Use appropriate terminology in philosophical research applied to the ethics of care and its applications in multidisciplinary fields.
- SA31 (Critically interpret the origin and reliability of specific document sources used to develop an academic monograph.) Critically interpret the origin and reliability of specific document sources used to develop an academic monograph.
- SA32 (Use virtual tools in all phases of collaborative scientific research.) Use virtual tools in all phases of collaborative scientific research.
Contents
Formal requirements:
In order to ensure a well-structured presentation of the research, the following formal requirements are set out:
- regarding the number of pages of the Master’s thesis, papers of between 40 and 60 pages will be accepted, excluding appendices (maximum 22,000 words);
- regarding the sections that the Master’s thesis must include and according to which its content must be organised, the following are required:
(A) introduction or methodological chapter: presentation and justification of the problem posed, the methodology employed, the theoretical position or affiliation adopted, and the discussion or debate in which the problem is relevant;
(B) main body of the Master’s thesis: chapters and sub-chapters (theoretical elaboration and development of the problem in constant dialogue with the relevant literature);
(C) conclusions: setting out the results of the research;
(D) bibliography: a list of the texts that have been cited and/or consulted in the preparation of the Master’s thesis, preferably avoiding a list organised in alphabetical order and without any discrimination or criteria relevant to the research findings;
(E) appendices: images, text extracts and other documents relevant to the research.
Presentation and oral defence:
During the public defence, the student will present the results of their research, in no more than twenty minutes and in the manner and with the focus agreed with their thesis supervisor, to a panel comprising two or three lecturers from the Master’s programme (excluding the supervisor).
Following the presentation of the research findings, the members of the panel will each make comments, for no more than ten minutes each, on the thesis, taking into account the general criteria established for its approval, which are: appropriate definition of the problem and contextualisation within the contemporary philosophical debate on care; a coherent and balanced structure of the content; originality, clarity and rigour in the presentation; coherence of argumentation; soundness and relevance of critical analysis; and the identification and effective use of bibliographical sources.
Following the contributions from each member of the examination board, the author of the Master’s Thesis will take note of their comments and, in a final round of discussion, will engage with the members of the examination board for no more than ten minutes to clarify and/or defend their contributions.
Finally, the examination board will deliberate in private on the mark for the Master’s Thesis, in accordance with the marking criteria applicable to the other modules of the Master’s programme and the specific assessment rubric.
In the event of a numerical mark between 9 and 10, the Master’s Thesis may be put forward, if the panel so considers, as a candidate for First Class Honours. Given that the number of First-Class Honours that may be awarded is strictly limited by university regulations, should there be more Master’s Theses eligible for First-Class Honours than can ultimately be awarded, it will be the module coordinator, together with the Master’s programme coordinators, who, in accordance with current regulations, will propose and award this grade to the theses.
Learning activities and methodology
| Title | Hours | ECTS | Learning outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Informative meetings and tutorials | 50 | 2 | CA17, KA28, SA29, SA31, SA32 |
| Preparation and defense of the TFM | 250 | 10 | CA17, CA18, KA25, KA26, KA27, KA28, SA29, SA30, SA31, SA32 |
The procedures for assigning a supervisor, developing the research, writing the final document, and evaluating the project are outlined in the Master's Thesis Protocol of the Faculty of Philosophy and Letters (UAB), as stipulated in Process PC03b of its Quality Assurance System. Students will be duly informed by the Master's program coordinator during the first semester of the academic year.
The topic of the Master's Thesis (which will include essential bibliography for its development) will be related to the courses content. The topic and the assigned supervisor will be determined based on a list of topics and faculty members that will be distributed to students, along with a form that students must complete at the beginning of the academic year regarding their research project.
Students will receive a protocol at the beginning of the academic year with specific instructions for completing the thesis (including evaluation rubrics).
Work Schedule
• November: Information session with the Master's program coordinator. Tutor assignment.
• January: First submission – work plan consisting of gathering additional material, textual analysis and critique. First tutorial. Review and adjustments to the work plan.
• March: Submission of the methodological chapter. Second tutorial. Review and adjustments to the methodological chapter. Establishment of the Master's Thesis structure. Preliminary conclusions.
• April: Submission of the main body of the Master's Thesis, as agreed upon with the supervisor.
• May: Submission of the main body of the Master's Thesis, as agreed upon with the supervisor.
• June: Mandatory final submission to both the Master's Thesis supervisor and the Master's program coordinator.
The Master's Thesis defenses will take place between June 28, 2027, and July 2, 2027.
Assessment
Continuous assessment activities
| Title | Weight | Hours | ECTS | Learning outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| presentation and defence of the text | 50% | 0 | 0 | KA25, KA27, SA30, SA31, SA32 |
| mandatory tutorials | 20% | 0 | 0 | CA18, KA28, SA29, SA32 |
| written text | 20% | 0 | 0 | CA17, KA25, KA26, KA28, SA31 |
| project proposal | 10% | 0 | 0 | CA18, KA27, SA29, SA31 |
The Master's Thesis (TFM) assessment will consist of:
a) Initial submission of the formalized research project.
b) Participation in two mandatory follow-up tutorials. These sessions will be synchronous, and the faculty will adapt their schedules, within the UAB's working hours, to the different time zones of students residing in other countries.
c) Final submission of the written work. The supervisor will submit a reasoned report and a proposed grade to the program coordinator.
d) Oral presentation and defense of the work before a committee of two or three professors from the UAB's Department of Philosophy or external members. The committee will assess the presentation and content of the TFM. A public defense of the final Master's thesis will be guaranteed in a synchronous virtual session via videoconference. The defense committee will send a reasoned report with a proposed grade to the program coordinator.
The weighting of each part of the assessment will be communicated in the Master's Thesis protocol, which will be provided to students.
The Master's Thesis (TFM) cannot be submitted for defense without the prior approval of the supervisor, who will review and evaluate the final version.
Both the supervisor and the defense panel will use the corresponding rubrics when assigning the grade.
The TFM assessment has only one opportunity to be submitted and cannot be retaken.
Once the grades are published, the course coordinator will inform students (via Moodle) of the procedure and date for grade review.
If the supervisor or reviewer detects clear plagiarism (copying, unauthorized use of AI, etc.) at any point during the evaluation of a work, they will assign a grade of zero to the TFM, in accordance with the commitment the student makes upon enrollment to respect the rules regarding the originality of their work.
Restricted use of AI: This course allows the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies exclusively for bibliographic or information retrieval, text correction, or translations. Other situations may be considered, always with the tutor's approval. The student must (i) identify the parts that were generated using AI; (ii) specify the tools used; and (iii) include a critical reflection on how these tools influenced the process and the final result of the activity. Lack of transparency regarding the use of AI in this assessable activity will be considered academic dishonesty and will result in a grade of 0, which cannot be retaken, or more severe penalties in serious cases.
Bibliography
The supervising professors will assist and provide the appropriate bibliography for each Master's Thesis according to the needs of the students.
Software
No specific software is required other than that needed to access web content.
Course groups and languages
The information provided is provisional until November 30. After this date, you will be able to consult the language of each group through this link. To access the information, you will need to enter the course CODE
| Type of teaching | Group | Language | Semester | Shift |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (TFMm) Treball de fi de màster | 1 | Unknown | second semester | morning-mixed |