course-details-portlet

IMT4905

Experience-based Master's Thesis

Choose study year

Assessments and mandatory activities may be changed until September 20th.

Credits 30
Level Second degree level
Course start Autumn 2025 / Spring 2026
Duration 2 semesters
Language of instruction English and norwegian
Location Gjøvik
Examination arrangement Written Thesis and adjusting oral examinanation/presentation

About

About the course

Course content

The student must pick a specific problem of relevance to the master's program. The topic must represent a challenge within the specific area, must relate to open questions in state of the art, and must require that the student adheres to practices that are common within the area.

We strongly encourage problems of relevance from industry and public sector if the candidate has experience here.

The topic must be pre-approved by the supervisor.

Learning outcome

After successfully completing the master's thesis the students should have obtained:

Knowledge

  • Possess specialized insight into a research and development area or an application domain, and relevant academic work to the problem addressed.
  • Possess knowledge of theoretical background and methods being used in the area of the problem addressed.
  • In context of chosen problem, extend knowledge of the scientific and technological basis for the entire subject area of the study programme.
  • Possess insight into how research results are generated and reported within the area of the problem addressed.

Skills

  • Are capable of defining a significant and complex application-, innovation- or research and development problem within the subject area of the master program, clearly and independently, but with guidance from a supervisor.
  • Are capable of analyzing existing literature, studies, methods, and interpretations associated with own research, with a critical and analytical attitude towards own and others’ work and results.
  • Are capable of documenting the results achieved in an academic project, mastering the terminology of the field.

General Competence

  • Are capable of planning and conducting necessary studies or experiments, organizing and analyzing data acquired, drawing defensible conclusions, and making recommendations based on these.
    • Understanding scientific working methods, as well as gaining awareness of ethical issues in research and technology.
  • Are capable of presenting and defending academic work and results in both written and oral form.

Learning methods and activities

  • Project work
  • Seminar(s)
  • Tutoring /Supervision
  • Independent study

Compulsory requirements:

  • Master thesis agreement. Signed by the student and the supervisor and approved by the department.
  • The student must participate in the supervision as a mentee.
  • The student must continuously be able to present project status to the supervisor and demonstrate that the project can be completed according to the current project plan or, alternatively, adjust the plan accordingly to ensure a successful outcome.

Other:

  • 2 online seminars per semester. Attendance is strongly recommended, announced in the Schedule per semester.
  • Spring semester: Seminar no 1 in January , seminar no 2 March/April.
  • Autumn semester: Seminar no 1 in August, seminar no 2 October/November.
  • The Master thesis agreement to be handed in as soon as possible after passing grade 60 ECTS / IMT4205 has been achieved. For spring semester agreement should be approved January/February, for autumn semester August/September.
  • See course channel in NTNUs Learning System for further details.

Compulsory assignments

  • Master Thesis Agreement

Further on evaluation

Re-sit:

  • After failure, a student may submit a new or a revised thesis once. If the student chooses to submit a revised version of the thesis, this must be submitted in the following semester.

Forms of assessment:

  • Project report and oral examination
  • The project report is given a temporary grade. Individual oral examination/presentation may adjust the grade up or down to the final grade, according to performance.
  • Students must pass both parts to pass the course.
  • Hand-in deadline June 1st (Spring semester) or December 15th (Autumn semester).
  • Master thesis grading: Description of grades for master thesis

Mandatory activities:

  • Attendance on campus Gjøvik in presentation of thesis and oral examination after delivery. Can be made online based on examiners’ availability. It is also mandatory to attend the entire presentation day.

Other:

  • Sustainability has three pillars: environmental, economic and social. Our programme is at the core of developing digital systems for achieving these three pillars since the systems developed can only be sustainable if they are reliable, resilient, and secure. Otherwise, the systems will not function as intended and will diverge from achieving sustainability pillars. In our programme, students learn how to make digital and cyber systems reliable, resilient and secure. Hence the master theses written are expected to contribute to sustainability in this respect.

Specific conditions

Admission to a programme of study is required:
Information Security (MISEB)

Required previous knowledge

Admission to the master programme "Experience-based master in Information Security" (MISEB) is required. Course work in the study program (60 ETCS/MISEB) must be passed before the work on the master thesis can be started.

A passed grade in IMT4205 Research Project Planning is required before signing up for the master thesis and the master thesis agreement.

Subject areas

  • Information Security

Contact information

Course coordinator

Lecturers

Department with academic responsibility

Department of Information Security and Communication Technology