Master thesis in Biomedical Laboratory Science

The course is offered as a freestanding course. It may be included in a Master's degree in Biomedical Laboratory Science.

Depth
A2E, Advanced level, includes a thesis for a Master's degree

Eligibility requires a Bachelor's degree, 180 credits, in a health science field such as biomedical laboratory science, medicine, or equivalent. Additionally, 45 credits at the advanced level are required, including 15 credits in biomedical laboratory science and 7.5 credits in scientific methodology within the health sciences.
Language proficiency equivalent to Swedish 3/B and English 6/B is also required.

Information Literacy: Literature search and selection, literature review, databases, publication process, peer-review system, reference management, various scientific publication formats

Ethics: Ethical rules and guidelines, good research practice, research ethics and equitable care in relation to gender, class, culture, and ethnicity, the significance of research for individuals and society, and from a sustainability perspective

Research Process: Design, project planning, research funding

Experimental and/or Methodological Research Project: Project plan development, data collection, data processing and interpretation, written report according to scientific documentation standards, oral presentation and defense of the work, critical review and opposition of another student's thesis.

The experimental work should be documented in a so called lab notebook.

After passing the course the student should be able to:
Knowledge and Understanding
- Summarize the research area
- Justify search strategies and literature selection
- Argue for the choice of laboratory and investigative methodology

Skills and Abilities
- Justify the research problem
- Use appropriate terminology and concepts within the field
- Justify the developed design
- Plan and conduct an experimental or methodological project using appropriate methods and in accordance with ethical guidelines
- Document daily work in a lab notebook
- Use reference management systems
- Present independent work orally and in writing according to scientific standards
- Draw conclusions and critically discuss obtained results and their interpretation, and propose suitable strategies for dissemination
- Communicate new findings and questions with professionals outside the research area
- Critically review and discuss interpretations of others' results

Judgement and Approach
- Discuss design, results, and conclusions based on aspects of gender, class, culture, ethnicity, environment, and sustainable development
- Discuss the relevance of one's own work for individuals and society
- Critically reflect on ethical considerations in research

Teaching consists mainly of individual work with supervision at a laboratory/department where the project is conducted.

Additionally, lectures, teamwork with presentations and discussions, literature search workshop, and written individual assignments (project plan, lab notebook, publication strategy, mini-review with literature search strategy) are included.

Language of Instruction: Swedish and English

The course is assessed through a written report and oral presentation of the individual project, and also defense of one's own work and opposition on another student's work.

To pass the course, students must also participate in the following mandatory components:
- Course introduction
- Literature search workshop
- Active participation in two group assignments with subsequent seminars

Additionally, passing grades are required on three written assignments: project plan, publication process, and summary of the research field with literature search strategy.

If a student who has been failed twice for the same examination element wishes to change examiner before the next examination session, such a request is to be granted unless there are specific reasons to the contrary (Chapter 6 Section 22 HF).

If a student has received a certificate of disability study support from the University of Gothenburg with a recommendation of adapted examination and/or adapted forms of assessment, an examiner may decide, if this is consistent with the course’s intended learning outcomes and provided that no unreasonable resources would be needed, to grant the student adapted examination and/or adapted forms of assessment.

If a course has been discontinued or undergone major changes, the student must be offered at least two examination sessions in addition to ordinary examination sessions. These sessions are to be spread over a period of at least one year but no more than two years after the course has been discontinued/changed. The same applies to placement and internship (VFU) except that this is restricted to only one further examination session.

If a student has been notified that they fulfil the requirements for being a student at Riksidrottsuniversitetet (RIU student), to combine elite sports activities with studies, the examiner is entitled to decide on adaptation of examinations if this is done in accordance with the Local Rules Regarding RIU Students at the University of Gothenburg.

Grades awarded are: Pass with Distinction (VG), Pass (G), and Fail (U).

To receive a grade of G for the entire course, the student must achieve G on all examinations, mandatory components, and written assignments.

To receive VG, the student must achieve VG on the written report and oral presentations, and G on all mandatory components and assignments.

Evaluation is conducted via a written survey on the University of Gothenburg’s learning platform and orally in dialogue with students.
The course coordinator compiles an analysis and proposes course improvements.

The analysis and proposals are shared with students and published on the learning platform, and presented during the next course session.

As the course includes digital components, students must have access to a computer and internet.