The topic you choose for your master’s thesis depends on your academic background, life experience and your future plans. To some extent you are free to choose a topic which is relevant for the study program that you attend. We prefer that students contribute to research with relevance for projects within the department. This motivates both the students and the supervisors. The research at the department covers a broad range of fields, with further links to other disciplines.

In the first semester the department will arrange a seminar where the academic staff at the department presents themselves and their current research projects. This seminar and former master's thesis are a great inspiration to decide what you want to write about.

It is possible to write a master’s thesis in cooperation with a company or an external organization. It is important that your NTNU supervisor is involved in this process. He or she must judge the feasibility and academic quality of the project. 

The student holds the primary responsibility for the progress, content, and final product of the master’s thesis. The department is responsible for identifying and appointing a supervisor. The agreement on the implementation of the master’s thesis outlines the division of responsibilities between the student and the supervisor, as well as the framework for the process. The department follows general principles for supervision, aiming to ensure high-quality guidance and equitable treatment of students. A key principle is that supervision is viewed as "a method that increases students' freedom to make informed, independent, and reflective choices" (Widerberg 1994:66). The master’s thesis is the student’s responsibility, and it is up to the student to decide how it should be written. This implies that a high degree of independence is expected.

It is important to clarify the supervisory relationship early on—what is expected of you and what you can expect from your supervisor. The points below provide a concrete elaboration of the master agreement and the supervisory relationship.

Supervision

• A typical supervision session lasts one hour. If the student or supervisor feels more time is needed, this should be communicated, and an end time agreed upon to allow for other commitments.
• Supervision is a professional relationship, focusing solely on the master’s thesis.
• When submitting a draft, the student should specify which aspects they particularly seek feedback on to ensure their questions are addressed during the session.
• Each supervision session should conclude with a summary of what has been discussed and the next steps.
• Shortly after the session, the student writes a summary of the meeting and sends it to the supervisor for comments. This helps clarify misunderstandings and ensures a shared understanding of the next steps.
• For unscheduled contact, such as visiting the supervisor’s office or asking questions via email, the boundaries for such interactions should be agreed upon during the first meeting.
• Supervisors often have multiple responsibilities (lectures, exercises, research, committee work, etc.), making it difficult to respond to emails immediately, particularly with detailed answers. Unless the matter halts the thesis work entirely, it is best to save questions for the next supervision session.
• Supervisors typically read a chapter a maximum of three times: an initial draft, a revised version, and during the final review of the complete thesis before submission.

Your supervisor expects you to:

• Research and familiarize yourself with literature on theory and methodology relevant to your topic.
• Prepare, plan, and conduct fieldwork, including learning to use the necessary equipment and adhering to applicable health, safety, and environmental (HSE) regulations.
• Take the initiative to schedule supervision, either at pre-arranged times or when you feel the need for guidance.
• Submit written work on time. If this is not possible, inform your supervisor.
• Act on the feedback given. This does not mean you must agree with everything the supervisor says, but you should address their comments to avoid unnecessary repetition.

You can expect your supervisor to:

• Prepare for supervision sessions, including reviewing submitted material in advance.
• Act as a discussion partner, offering tips and advice on:
  • Formulating the research question.
  • Relevant literature.
  • Research design and methodological choices.
  • Planning and conducting fieldwork.
  • Narrowing the scope of the thesis.
  • Analyzing and presenting data.
  • Structuring arguments in the discussion.
  • Improving the thesis structure.

You should not expect your supervisor to: 

• Find all the literature for you.
• Assist with proofreading and correcting language errors.
• Drive the progress of the master’s project.

Remember: It is your master’s thesis, and you are responsible for it!

Scope of Supervision
Supervision is mandatory. You are entitled to the following hours, which include the supervisor’s preparation and follow-up (e.g., email exchanges and reviewing drafts):

• GEOG3900, GEOG3940, and GEOG3950 (60 ECTS): 50 hours of supervision.
• SANT3920 (45 ECTS): 50 hours of supervision.
• GEOG3901, GEOG3910, and GEOG3951 (30 ECTS): 30 hours of supervision.

Before you begin your master's thesis, you must fill out and submit a master’s agreement.

Here you will find the master’s agreement and guidance on how to fill it out and submit it.

The agreement confirms that the topic for the master's thesis is approved, that the supervisory relationship has been established and that the parties (student, supervisor and department) are familiar with the guidelines that apply for carrying out a master's thesis. The master study and the work on the master’s thesis itself is regulated by the Act relating to universities and university colleges, NTNU’s academic regulations and the current study plan for the study program. First and foremost, the agreement regulates the tutorial relationship. And that means that unless otherwise agreed, the right to tutorial guidance ends once the agreement expires. Contact the department if you need additional time to complete your master’s thesis.

High standards are expected when writing academic assignments at the master’s level. Students are expected to effectively communicate and present their work according to academic principles, adhering to established norms for formatting scientific publications, including proper referencing techniques.

There are several helpful tools available for writing academic papers and managing large documents. Familiarity with these tools and the ability to use them effectively can be beneficial in working on your master’s thesis and in your future career.

Which referencing style should I choose?
The referencing style you should use depends on your field of study. This should be clarified with your supervisor. If your field does not have a specific style, you should select one and apply it consistently. Note that referencing styles may vary between journals. For instance, Norsk Geografisk Tidsskrift has its own specific referencing style.

Commonly recommended referencing styles include:

• American Psychological Association (APA)
• Chicago
• Harvard

Useful resources for writing assignments:

• NTNU Academic Writing: A learning resource from the NTNU University Library, designed to assist with information searching and academic writing.
• Search & Write: A platform for students who want to improve their skills in information searching and academic writing, regardless of their study location or subject area.

If your masters project involves the collection of personal data, you need to notify Sikt (Norwegian Agency for Shared Services in Education and Research). Sikt will assess the processing of personal data you have planned and help you meet requirements in data protection legislation.

For more information about personal data and how to report your project. 

If you are planning to conduct fieldwork abroad in connection with your master's thesis or doing an internship abroad, you may qualify for financial support. There are two application deadlines each year for departures in the following semester. Check the application deadlines here.  

If you plan to conduct fieldwork abroad, you must complete the form titled "placement/internship" on this page within the specified deadlines: https://i.ntnu.no/wiki/-/wiki/English/Application+for+exchange+stay+abroad 

After you have applied, you will be registered as an exchange applicant in NTNU's system (Mobility Online). In addition, the department must pre-approve the stay. The Office of International Relations will assess whether you qualify for any of the scholarship programs administered by NTNU. 

The stay will eventually be reported, enabling you to apply for support from Lånekassen (Norway’s Loan Fund), provided you meet the eligibility requirements. In addition to basic support, you may also receive funding for travel support and language courses, if applicable. To qualify for support from Lånekassen, the stay must last a minimum of 4 weeks. 

Beyond this, there are also other funding opportunities outside of NTNU:

• Other exchange scholarships and grants 
• UNIFOR 
• EURODESK   
• Nansenfondet 
• Stipendportalen 
• Legathåndboken 
• DKNVS 
• NAFs feltarbeidstipend 

All students undertakting fieldwork or internships are required to complete a field card and conduct a risk assessment. For more information: https://i.ntnu.no/hms/retningslinje-for-hms-ved-feltarbeid 

A completed field card and risk assessment are mandatory prerequisites for fieldwork or an internship.

If you have illnesses, allergies, or other special needs that may require specific considerations, you must:

• Obtain confirmation from a doctor (or other documentation) indicating that it is safe to proceed with the planned fieldwork.
• Research healthcare services and access to medication in the country you plan to visit, so you know what steps to take if something happens.
• Document that you have insurance with sufficient coverage for medical treatment abroad and, if necessary, medical transport back to Norway.

The documentation must be submitted along with the completed field card and risk assessment to the department.
 

It is important that students are familiar with the guidelines for grading the master's thesis. The guidelines include a description of formal criteria, the examiner’s role and composition, the right to request an explanation of the grade and the possibility to appeal against the grade. The guidelines also include a general description of what characterizes specific grades and the assessment committee’s checklist.

MSc in Globalisation and Sustainable Development

MSc in Natural Resources Management spesializing in geography

The date for submission is May 15th, or the following workday if the date falls on a weekend, for all master programmes at Department of Geography and Social Anthropology. As stated in the academic regulations for NTNU, §5-14(13), the deadline for announcing the grades for master’s theses is three months after the submission deadline. 

In the case of postponed submission, documentation/medical certificate is normally required. The deadline for the spring semester is August 31. Exams held after this date will have the fall semester indicated on the diploma. Delays without valid reasons usually result in an extended deadline until November 15 in the fall semester. For more information read the departments guidelines for postponed submission.

Instructions for thesis submission

Step 1 – Order print copies of the thesis and download a validated pdf (NTNU Grafisk senter)

• Validate PDF
• Make a title page and cover
• Order 4 printed copies of the thesis (5 if you have an assistant supervisor)
• Download a final PDF of the thesis including title page

The department covers the costs of printing (Kostnadssted 671005 Institutt for geografi, you do not need to fill in Projectnumber or Analyse). The students keep one copy. Please note that pictures and illustrations must be printed in black and white provided that colours are not necessary to understand the content.

Step 2 – Submit the thesis in Inspera

The validated PDF of the thesis including title page must be submitted in Inspera within the deadline.

When submitting your thesis in Inspera you will need to do the following:                            

• register information about the thesis (title, name of supervisor, summary etc.)
• consent to publishing your thesis at the library/NTNU Open.

The examiners will read both the printed and digital version of the thesis, and any discrepancies regarding content or format of the documents could be viewed as academic misconduct.

Step 3 

The administration will pick-up the thesis from the printing office and send it to the examiners and you by mail.