Procedure
To start up the graduation project please check the CIE-0 Procedure Graduation. This form will guide you through the procedure of graduating. The first two steps are to apply to start with the master project (CIE-1 Application Start MSc) and to contact the graduation coordinator Lambert Houben.
Students need at least 65 ECTS of the MSc completed before they are allowed to start. Furthermore, we require that the course CIE4160 Prestressed Concrete is finished before the beginning of the graduation project. For certain topics additional demands, like specific courses, can be required by the main supervisor.
Finding a Master thesis topic
Suggestions for topics may also come from students themselves or from companies. However, students who wish to execute their master thesis at a company should have passed CIE4160 Prestressed Concrete with a mark of 7.0 or higher. Furthermore, students should avoid making any company agreements with an external host organisation before the topic has been formally approved. The content of the project is always defined or approved by the appointed examiners.
First month and start meeting
During the first month you work on literature review and your work plan. This work plan will be drawn up in close consultation with your main supervisor. Your work plan should state the topic of your thesis and how you intend to approach the subject matter. Special attention should be paid to the problem description and the research question. Another important component of the plan is the time schedule. You should try to produce a realistic time schedule showing firm dates for the completion of the various activities, making allowance for holidays, examination periods, etc.
After about one month you will present your work plan for approval during the start meeting. Only after approval of the work plan, and depending on the intended approach of your project, the chair and your main supervisor will appoint the graduation committee. The committee will consist of the chair, your main supervisor, a second supervisor from a different chair, Lambert Houben and, if applicable, a company supervisor. Please do not try to find (any) second supervisor(s) yourself. After the start meeting you can complete the form CIE-2 Form master examination programme in cooperation with the coordinator.
Course of the graduation project
About half way during your project there will be a mid-term review at which you meet with the thesis committee to discuss the progress of your project. One week before the review, you must submit a progress report to each member of the committee (in hard copy if requested), which must also include the schedule for the remainder of the project. The student must make minutes and/or a list of action points for the coming period. During this phase of the project you can meet with the individual members of the thesis committee when that is required for the progress of your project. Ensure that you contact your main supervisor once a month. At the end there is a final meeting in which ‘green light’ is given to proceed to finishing the project. The date for the final presentation is set then as well. No later than 20 working days prior to the presentation, students should complete the Form CIE-3 Application form MSc degree. Students should deliver their final report (in hard copy if requested) more than 5 working days prior to the presentation. In that last week the committee will judge the project as a whole. After the final presentation the final mark for the Master Thesis work is given.
The project is subject to a strict planning and time table; specific dates and deadlines need to be set for the evaluation(s) and the final presentation of the project. The student is responsible for these meetings and the management of his/her own project.