Prepare for the master's degree project

Thesis work can be undertaken by one or two students. The total labor input per student should be equivalent to 4.5 months full-time work and gives 30 credits. Comprehensive rules and guidelines for the thesis are available on the KTH Royal Institute of Technology homepages. The work for this is normally carried out during your last semester (see the study guide for what applies to you).

To obtain the 30 credits for your thesis, you must include an extensive reference section that reflects the solid background study you have done before the actual project work is performed. The extent of this will vary from project to project, and you should discuss it with your KTH supervisor at the beginning.

Master's thesis projects handbook

In the Master's thesis projects handbook below, which serves as the Course Memo for all Tracks, you will find a thorough description of how to do a Master's thesis project at the Department of Engineering Design.

Handbook for Masters Thesis Projects at the Department of Engineering Design (2020-21) (pdf 423 kB)

Learning outcomes and objectives

According to the KTH common objectives, in order to obtain the 30 credits available for the Master's Thesis project, students must:

1. Be able to apply relevant technology knowledge and skills acquired during the degree programme to solve a given problem.
2. Within the given frame, even with limited information, independently analyze and discuss complex issues, and deal with major problems at an advanced technological level.
3. Reflect on and critically examine their own and others scientific achievements.
4. Be able to document and present their work, within the given timeframe, with the highest standards of structural, procedural and language management.
5. Be able to identify the need for further knowledge and continuously develop their skills.

These KTH common goals form the core course objectives for all KTH Masters theses projects. More specific course objectives may be developed by the School of Industrial Engineering and Management, the department of Engineering Design and the Masters projects coordinator. For details of the learning outcomes, please see the relevant Masters project course description in the Study Handbook.

Admisson requirements

The department's Examiner determines if your knowledge is sufficient to undertake the course, and then, in consultation with the MSc Project Coordinator for your Track, makes a decision regarding admission. You should have acquired basic skills in technology, either by achieving passing grades in relevant courses or through relevant work experience. The thesis project work usually begins after completion of the Advanced Course (HK) and is normally carried out during the final semester. In exceptional cases, the thesis work can begin before the HK is completed. In general, the majority of your studies must be completed, with at least 240 out of 300 credits (in a five years programme) or 60 out of 120 (in a two years Master's programme) achieved, and with no more than two undergraduate level courses unfinished before thesis project work begins.

Supervision

Each student is assigned a specific Supervisor whose role is to assist and advise during the MSc thesis project work. The final presentation session may be chaired by the MSc Projects coordinator, the Examiner or a Supervisor. In cases where a Student works within a company or other similar organization as an employee, an Industrial Supervisor will also usually play an active role.

Compulsory elements

MSc thesis project work includes four compulsory elements, namely that you must:

1. Attend at least two other students' MSc thesis project final presentations before your own final presentation. (These can be from programmes other than your own.)
2. Attend and contribute to the opposition at a planning seminar in which the problem definition is discussed together with the methodology, the definition of the theoretical frame of reference and the work schedule. These planning seminars will be attended by other MSc students, the examiner, academic Supervisors and Industrial Supervisors who wish to participate.
3. Act as the opposition for another student's thesis.
4. Perform and present your own approved project at a publicly announced seminar.

MSc thesis project work and opposition may be performed by one or two students
The work undertaken in an Masters thesis project is equated with scientific reports and public documents. A cornerstone of scientific work is that material is made public so that it can be subjected to scrutiny by other scientists. It is therefore not appropriate for thesis content to be confidential. You should make this clear to your Industrial Supervisor at an early stage to avoid complications at the end.
Each Student is responsible for completing the above elements and for ensuring that they are properly documented.

Grading

The degree project is deemed approved / not approved, P/F.