Master Thesis Topics
If you are uncertain as to what you would like to write about, you might use the following mediation channels:
- The institutes often get research commissions from companies and organizations, and now and then have their own projects. Such offers are usually announced during lectures in relevant courses.
- Foundations – in other words, the Foundation for Society and Business Research (SNF, Merino 3 floor.) and the Administrative Research Fund (AFF, Merino 4. floor.) can also have research commissions as parts of their own projects. While SNF centers around research within Energy and Environmental Economics, Financial and Industrial Economics, International Economics and Shipping, Strategy and Leadership and Economical Politics, AFF works mainly within leader and organization development. You should contact the foundation most relevant to your area of study for more information.
- Summer internships and jobs can often also render your own contacts within a company that you may be interested in studying. This is of course also a possibility.
- Master level courses on a specific topic can give you tips on what you would be interested in writing about.
Problem Statement Formulation
Once the topic has been chosen and you have decided whether you would like to write your thesis individually or in collaboration with a fellow student, it is important to formulate the problem statement precisely.
A clearly formulated topic should first and foremost answer the following (translated from Sigurd V. Troye og Kjell Grønhaug: "Utredningsmetodikk", Tano Forlag, 1986):
What does the thesis focus on? This is where we isolate one specific problem area that will be discussed further in the thesis.
What is the main purpose of this thesis? Since you are quite restricted with respect to time and resources, you must decide what sort of purpose this thesis will hold. Will it be descriptive, predictive, exploratory, experimental, explanatory or recommending?
What is the thesis’ specific focus? Even though parts of the thesis topic will require a cross sectional approach, it is often useful to go in depth within one or more subject areas than to spread yourself over many.
Is the thesis useful and why? What does it show? In one way or another, the work should contribute something new or have information value. Some examples of this can be that the thesis provides a new explanation or a new basis for decision making; it could provide a new description or give old theories a home in new areas.
Is it even possible to write this thesis? Are the questions we ask and the research we are to do at an appropriate level? There can be many reasons for why it may not be possible to carry out the proposed thesis. The rule of thumb is that the student and thesis advisor together evaluate the problem statement critically so as to see if it is suited to the subject area. Should there be an indication that things may not go well early on, the student should ensure that alternative topic areas and problem statements exist so as to have room to manoeuvre. This is especially important if at the very early stages the student has planned to undertake an empirical study.
