Dissertation

Code:

EIG0047

Acronym:

D

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
OFICIAL	Economics and Management

Instance: 2017/2018 - 1S

Active?	Yes
Responsible unit:	Department of Industrial Engineering and Management
Course/CS Responsible:	Master in Engineering and Industrial Management

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
MIEGI	19	Syllabus since 2006/2007	5	-	30	7	810

Teaching language

Suitable for English-speaking students

Objectives

Individual project work aiming at the integration and application of knowledge, skills and attitudes obtained along the course. The work will take place in a business or research environment, promoting the development of capabilities of initiative, decision, and of individual and group work.

Learning outcomes and competences

The work should promote the analysis of new situations, the collection of relevant information, the selection of the approach methodologies and tools for solving the proposed problems, the elaboration of a summary report, and a public presentation and discussion of the results.

Working method

Presencial

Pre-requirements (prior knowledge) and co-requirements (common knowledge)

The student must have successfully completed all relevant courses for the project that will be developed.

Program

The project takes place full-time in a selected institution, according to a previously defined work program according to specific protocol between that institution, FEUP, and the student.

The project has a duration of about 20 weeks (30 ECTS - 810 hours) generally involving the following tasks:

- Detailed definition of the problem to analyze

- Literature review

- Model(s) development and/or application

- Collection and quantification of results

- Elaboration of summary report

- Final public presentation to an evaluation committee

The project will have an advisor designated by FEUP and may have an advisor at the project's host institution, a business or an organization dedicated to research. It is also possible to carry out the project within a research unit of FEUP.

Students have at the beginning of the course a lecture regarding methods and tools for supporting literature review, provided by the documentation and information service of FEUP, and a lecture about problems that can arise during the project, in particular addressing the problem of how to avoid plagiarism.

Mandatory literature

Oliveira, Luis Adriano (2011); Dissertação e Tese em Ciência e Tecnologia segundo Bolonha, Lidel
Weyers, J. and McMillan, K. (2011); How to Write Dissertations & Project Reports, Prentice Hall

Teaching methods and learning activities

The course involves every year a selection process of the organizations that will be accepting students, definition of objectives/topics, and allocation of projects to students. This process includes the following steps:

- Contact with external institutions by sending a publication with the presentation of the programme and the graduating students, accompanied by a letter explaining the conditions of the project.

- Definition of the subject and objective of the project, prepared jointly by the advisor of the company and the director of the course

- Presentation of a list of all the projects available to students, as well as an explanation of the selection criteria.

- Students, having knowledge of the project list, use an application form indicating their preferences. The allocation of students is made according to the selection criteria of the institutions and the preferences expressed by the students

- Monitoring of projects through monthly meetings with supervisors, always involving the student, the advisor of FEUP, and also the advisor of the institution (except when the project takes place in a unit of FEUP). 

Evaluation Type

Distributed evaluation with final exam

Assessment Components

Designation	Weight (%)
Defesa pública de dissertação, de relatório de projeto ou estágio, ou de tese	100,00
Total:	100,00

Amount of time allocated to each course unit

Designation	Time (hours)
Elaboração de projeto	405,00
Elaboração de relatório/dissertação/tese	81,00
Estudo autónomo	81,00
Realização de Estágio	81,00
Trabalho de campo	81,00
Trabalho de investigação	81,00
Total:	810,00

Eligibility for exams

As set forth in the regulations for the master programs, the project must take place on a full time basis.

 

Successful projects depend on:

1. Before the start of the course:    

- Reception of project proposals and approval of their themes and objectives

- Allocation of projects to students

- Assignment of supervisors

- Scheduling of deadlines for submission and final presentations

2. During the dissertation:

- Supervised work project , including the preparation of the final report and presentation. The work must be performed in accordance with the rules of the host institution, especially in terms of assiduity and punctuality.

- Scheduling the date of final evaluation by the committee

- Nomination of the members of the final evaluation committee

 3. Final evaluation by the evaluation committee according to the rules defined by FEUP

Calculation formula of final grade

- A classification of 10 to 12 corresponds to relatively easy work, where the minimum objectives have been reached.

- A classification of 13 to 15 corresponds to average difficulty work, carried through with reasonable autonomy and where all the objectives were reached.

- A classification of 16 to 17 must corresponds to good work, of high difficulty, carried through with a high autonomy level, being the declared objectives fulfilled or exceeded.

- A classification of 18 must correspond to an excellent work, presented and defended in an exemplary way, with a report very well organized, concise and complete, with a remarkable autonomy and performance, highly praised by the supervisor.

- Classifications above of 18 must be truly exceptional and must be awarded only to students who have reached levels of excellence in all the evaluation components and where innovative solutions have been found. They must be awarded by unanimity and be supported by a document that justifies them, signed by all the members of the committee.

 

Examinations or Special Assignments

- Progress reports.

- Final report.

- Public presentation and discussion.

Internship work/project

Work of 810 hours, about 22 weeks, conducted in full time.

Special assessment (TE, DA, ...)

Not applicable

Classification improvement

Not applicable, since the work is marked by a committee.