Dissertation

Code:

M.EM069

Acronym:

D

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
OFICIAL	Management

Instance: 2021/2022 - 1S

Active?	Yes
Web Page:	https://sites.google.com/gcloud.fe.up.pt/dissertacoes-gi
Responsible unit:	Department of Industrial Engineering and Management
Course/CS Responsible:	Master in Mechanical Engineering

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
M.EM	8	Syllabus	2	-	30	6,5	810

Teaching language

English

Objectives

Completion of a Dissertation aimed at the integration and application of skills, attitudes and knowledge acquired throughout the course. The work will take place within an external organisation or internally in a research environment, promoting the development of initiative, decision-making and individual and group work skills.

Learning outcomes and competences

The student should have concerrning:

(...the R&D process)
⁃ ability to use a holistic view to identify, formulate and deal with complex issues critically, independently and creatively;
⁃ ability to plan and use appropriate methods to carry out qualified tasks and to evaluate that work;
⁃ ability to create, analyse and critically evaluate different technical solutions;
⁃ ability to integrate knowledge critically and systematically;
⁃ ability to contribute to R&D work;
⁃ awareness of ethical aspects of R&D work;

(... relationships)
⁃ ability to integrate into an organisation;
⁃ ability to integrate into a work team;

(... the specific topic of the dissertation)
⁃ a thorough knowledge of the topic;
⁃ a deep insight into the state of the art;
⁃ ability to present and discuss the conclusions of their work as well as the research questions and knowledge on which it was based.

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 dissertation curricular unit is attended full-time by the students.
Before the beginning of the curricular unit, the students attend a training session on Infoliteracy organized by the FEUP Library and another session, guaranteed by the coordinator, where they are made aware of the situations that they will experience in external organizations and also of the points to be taken into account when preparing the dissertation.


In the context of their project, each student has a supervisor from FEUP and, whenever the project takes place in an external organisation, they also have a supervisor in that organisation.

The individual work programme is part of the initial proposal chosen by the student.

The project lasts about 20 weeks (30 ECTS - 810 hours) involving the following phases:
⁃ Detailed definition of the problem to be analysed;
⁃ Literature review;
⁃ Development and/or application of model(s);
⁃ Obtaining and quantifying results;
⁃ Preparation of the dissertation;
⁃ Final public presentation and discussion before a jury.

This curricular unit finalizes the students' academic path in the study cycle.
The course contents of the UC aim to complete this training, using the knowledge acquired during the study cycle.
The dissertation proposal assigned to each student, given the selection process detailed in "Teaching methodologies", will be the most appropriate for each student among the proposals available to him.
The supervisor(s) of each student will ensure their progress in the completion of the dissertation, in order to achieve the objectives set and fulfilling the different phases detailed in the syllabus.

Mandatory literature

Oliveira, Luis Adriano ; Dissertação e tese em ciência e tecnologia : segundo Bolonha , LinkLidel-Edições Técnicas, 2011. ISBN: 978-972-757-742-2
McMillan, Kathleen; os : How to write dissertations & project reports, LinkPrentice Hall, 2011. ISBN: 978-0-273-74383-5

Teaching methods and learning activities

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

Calculation formula of final grade

-- A grade of 10 to 13 corresponds to a work of relatively low difficulty, in which the minimum objectives were achieved;

-- A grade of 14 to 15 corresponds to a task of medium difficulty, carried out with reasonable autonomy and with all objectives being reached;

-- A grade of 16 corresponds to a very good piece of work, of high difficulty, carried out with a high level of autonomy, being accomplished or even surpassed all the stated objectives;

-- A grade of 17 corresponds to excellent work, presented and defended in an exemplary way, with a very well structured, concise and complete report, with an outstanding level of performance and autonomy;

-- A grade of 18 must correspond to excellent work, presented and defended in an exemplary way, with a very well structured, concise and complete report, with a remarkable level of performance and autonomy highlighted by the supervisor(s) during its accomplishment, and in which innovative solutions are found, with potential for scientific publication or that have contributed in a very significant way to the improvement of processes at a business level;

-- Grades above 18 must be truly exceptional and should only be attributed to students who have reached levels of excellence in all the components and factors under evaluation, in which innovative solutions are found, with potential for scientific publication in journals or conferences with a high international reputation or which have made an exceptional contribution to the improvement of processes at a business level.

For grades above 18 points, it is mandatory to fill in the "justification" field of the transcript with arguments that defend and justify the attributed classification.

Internship work/project

Work of 810 hours, about 20 weeks, conducted in full time.

Special assessment (TE, DA, ...)

Not applicable

Classification improvement

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