The first semester is normally devoted to courses. If you have found a supervisor and plan to start the work with your thesis in the first semester, please contact the program coordinator.
The Master's agreement (Study plan)
The Master's agreement is an agreement between you, the supervisor(s) and the program board. The agreement should be submitted no later than 1 December during the first semester of your studies. You should fill in the agreement in cooperation with your supervisor(s) and submit it in along with a project description from your supervisor. Read more about the online form before submission.
Changes in the Master's agreement:
You may apply for a change in the Master's agreement. A change can be an extension of the agreement, a change in the theoretical curriculum/project description/supervision, part time studies/leave et cetera. Note that the application usually will require documentation such as a medical certificate, an employment contract or similar. Read more about the online form before submission.
More information about the Master's agreement and changes in the agreement.
Special Curriculum:
Up to 10 credits of special curriculum as part of the theoretical curriculum of 60 credits can be approved by the local program board if there are good reasons for doing so. The special curriculum is to be defined by chapters in books, articles or similar, and should be given a descriptive title. Special curriculum can also be a project. Supporting literature for the Master's thesis will not be defined as special curriculum as this is regarded as part of the work with the thesis. The special curriculum application form is added in the online form for the Master's agreement or the change in the Master's agreement.
For special curriculum the following applies:
- 25 pages (+/- 10 pages based on the level of difficulty) = 1 credit
- Course codes - Special Curriculum
If the special curriculum is approved, the study administration will register you for the special curriculum exam, as this is not possible for you to do in the StudentWeb. However, the registration will be visible in the StudentWeb with a special course code, depending on the number of credits awarded.
Assessment: Oral examination with two examiners present. If a project has been part of the curriculum, it will be included in the assessment.
Grading: Letter grades.
Orientation Meeting for students: Master's projects
During the first semester (October/November) there will be a meeting where the Research groups at ITA present a number of Master's projects. You should have found a project and a supervisor before 1 December. The supervisor can suggest courses in the 2nd and also 3rd semester if you do not plan to take some of the recommended courses. Note: If you choose the latter, you need to check that the course you intend to register for will not interfere with other courses you are taking in the same semester.
- View Master's theses of former students at the institute
- The Research groups in Cosmology and Extragalactic Astrononmy/Astrophysics
- The Research groups in Solar Physics
External supervisor?
If you are to collaborate with an external supervisor (a person/institution/company not employed or connected to the University of Oslo), the local program board will appoint a subsidiary supervisor from the Institute of Theoretical Astrophysics (ITA) in order to safeguard the collaboration and step in if the collaboration terminates before the work with the thesis has been completed. External collaborations have to be approved by the local program board.
Supervision:
If you have not found a supervisor before you start your 2nd semester, the local program board will appoint one. The supervision is a mutual binding agreement between the student and the supervisor(s).
What is expected from you as a student:
- Your progress is according to plan.
- You meet with the supervisor(s) on a regular basis.
- You will notify the supervisor(s) and the program coordinator about any intermissions/breaks in regards of the thesis.
- You have sufficient knowledge about ethics in science in regards of the thesis.
The supervisor is to:
- Give supervision of high quality.
- Encourage contact and continuity in the work with the thesis. The norm is to meet approximately once a week.
- Inform you and the program coordinator about any intermissions/breaks in regards of supervision if it is likely that it will affect the work with the thesis.
- Inform you about the ethics in science with regards to the thesis.
- Abide the ethics regulations for supervisors.
Forms that the student and supervisor will need during the Master's program:
- The study plan agreement. Online form to be completed in cooperation with the student, and submitted by the student.
- Changes in the study plan agreement. Online form to be completed in cooperation with the student, and submitted by the principal supervisor or student.
- Completion of the Master's degree. Online form to be completed and submitted by the principal supervisor.
Problems?
If your cooperation with the supervisor for some reason does not work out, do not wait to seek advice. Contact the program coordinator at an early stage to avoid a delay in your studies and an escalation of the problem.
Writing a thesis
During your studies you are to write a Master's thesis of 60 credits (one year of full time work with the thesis). For more information on writing a thesis, requirements, templates et cetera: