This instruction is based on:

• President’s decision no. 383/2007, reg.no V-2007-535
• President’s decision UF-2011/0576, reg. no V-2010-0518, doss 50

Background

As of 1 July 2007, a revised Higher Education Ordinance, including a new degree ordinance is in effect. In the degree ordinance, descriptions for all degrees can be found.

Since, the goals for degrees have changed, a work group within the project HT07 has assembled new KTH-common goals for the course degree projects for all degrees that are given at KTH.

KTH will, as of 1 July 2007, use the grading scale A-F as the main alternative (mandate 708/06). In connection with the transfer to the new grading system, the president has also mandated the course degree projects must have scaled grades and that implementation regulations for grading of the degree projects will be designed. The same work group has assembled a proposal to such implementation regulations.

The president mandates

KTH-common goals for the course degree project consisting of 15 credits for master degrees (60 credits)

The student should:

- be able to apply relevant knowledge and abilities, within the main field of study,
to a given problem
- within given constraints, even with limited information, independently analyze nd discuss complex inquiries/problems and handle larger problems on the advanced level within the main field of study
- reflect on, evaluate and critically review one’s own and others’ scientific results
- be able to document and present one’s own work with strict requirements on structure, format, and language usage
- be able to identify one’s need for further knowledge and continuously develop one’s own knowledge

These KTH-common goals should constitute the foundation for course goals for all degree projects . Further or more specified course goals for degree projects can be implemented by the schools, individual educational programmes or individual degree project.

The president mandates the following guidelines for degree projects

Establishment

The degree project area (the course) is established by the school committee. Proposal to the degree project is given within the school. The degree project must have a course plan according to regulations in the Higher Education Ordinance. The degree project is a course consisting of 15 credits, which means that the degree projects must correspond to 10 weeks of full-time studies. The degree project may not include other courses (courses with established course numbers). The degree project can include elements such as seminars, information searching, student teaching, or other elements which the examiner or supervisor deems suitable.

Eligibility for degree projects

The degree project must carry out a portion of a specialization within the main field of study in the second cycle in order to fulfil the requirements for a master’s degree. This means that the degree projects must be carried out within the main field of study for the programme.

The main portion of the studies must generally be completed before the degree project can be started. At least 30 credits must be completed where 15 credits with specialization in the second cycle within the main field of study. It is the duty of the examiner to see that the student has the specialization corresponding to that described above. After a trial examination by the Director of Undergraduate and Masters´studies (GA) at the respective school, exemption can be allowed if found appropriate. The degree project must normally be carried out during the programme’s last term.

Forms for the degree project

The degree project can be performed at KTH or externally. The degree project can also be performed abroad. The degree project are carried out individually or together with another student. If the project is done by more than one student, it is the responsibility of the examiner to ensure that every student’s work corresponds to the requirements for an individual degree project.

If the degree project is performed at another university and if it equals the degree project at KTH, then credit transfer should be made.

Supervisor

The supervisor is appointed by the examiner. More than one supervisor can be appointed. If the degree project is done, for example, at a company, a supervisor should be appointed at the company as well. The examiner should be attentive of the responsibility distribution between the examiner and the supervisors.

Presentation

The degree projects should be reviewed in a seminar. The degree project report should be registered within the school. Much care should be taken to how the report is formed, especially with consideration to language usage. The degree project can be written and presented in Swedish or English. A summarization should exist in both languages. The degree project report must be checked for plagiarism. The main strategy is that the examiner participates sufficiently enough in the work so that he/she knows that it is the student’s own.

The president decides about guidelines for grading of degree projects

The degree project must be given a grade on the scale A-F based on those KTH common evaluation criteria. The school committee decides; based on these evaluation criteria, about rules and guidelines for the degree projects area, including methods for grading.

All degree projects should be evaluated based on three KTH-common evaluation criteria; engineering-related and scientific contents, process, and presentation. The president decides about further evaluation criteria after proposal from the school.

Appendix A describes the criteria for the three evaluation criteria.

In order to pass the degree project, the work must not be insufficient according to the any of the three criteria. The grading criteria must also be seen as a tool in order to support the student in the work based on high goals through that requirements and expectations are clearly met.

Appendix A Evaluation criteria for degree project (pdf 108 kB)

This replaces internal instruction no. 34/05