- Deadline
- Format and cover
- Proposal for declaration of AI usage in assignments
- Preparation for the master's exam
- Submitting the master's thesis
- Optional to print your thesis
- Final examination
- Clearance form
- Diploma and the Diploma Registry
1. Deadline
Your individual thesis submission deadline can be found in Studentweb under your active course, GEO5960 - Geosciences. Master Thesis.
2. Format and cover
While there are no strict formal requirements regarding the typography of your thesis, prioritising readability is advisable. It is recommended to avoid exceedingly long lines and to use a font size of 12 points with margins of approximately 2.5 centimetres, as these dimensions are widely regarded as optimal for readability.
In the crafting of lengthy documents, utilising styles can be tremendously helpful in organising the layout and can facilitate the automatic generation of a table of contents.
If you plan to have your thesis printed at the Graphic Centre, ensure it is appropriately formatted for double-sided printing. This includes accounting for the need to insert blank pages to compensate for any 'ides' of printed sheets. Guidance on formatting large documents for printing is often available and may be beneficial for your final presentation.
See more information in section 6.
3. Proposal for declaration of AI usage in assignments
If you have the opportunity and wish to utilise generative artificial intelligence (AI) within your assignment, it is absolutely essential to declare its usage clearly. Please adhere to the guidelines on how to appropriately disclose the use of AI in your work. These guidelines are established to ensure academic honesty and the transparency of your research process.
4. Preparation for the master's exam
To be eligible to sit your Master's examination, the following criteria must be satisfied:
- Paid the semester fee for the semester you will have your final MSc exam and be registered for the current semester.
- The master's contract has to be submitted and approved by the supervisor(s) and the Student Administration.
- All components of the theoretical coursework, including HSE (Health, Safety and Environment) courses, must be successfully completed and passed.
5. Submitting the MSc thesis
Your thesis must be submitted in two separate ways before the deadline: Upload the thesis in StudentWeb and in Inspera.
Should the thesis not be submitted by the deadline, admission to the Master's programme will be terminated without any additional notification.
6. Optional to print your thesis
Please give careful consideration to whether you require physical copies of your thesis. After the Master's examination, the thesis will be accessible in digital format and forwarded electronically to the examiners.
Should you need hard copies (limited to a maximum of five), these can be requested by submitting the thesis to the Graphic Centre for printing. When uploading your document for print, you must include the relevant cost codes:
Location code (koststed): 15400000
Project code (delprosjektnummer): 102424048
Please be mindful of the environmental impact and the potential unnecessary costs of printing, and opt for physical copies only if they are essential.
7. Final examination
The Master's presentation and oral examination are typically conducted in person at the Geology building or other premises at Blindern, depending on the research group's location.
The event will commence with a public presentation, limited to a maximum duration of 30 minutes. During this presentation, the student will cover the following aspects of their thesis:
- The research topic
- Objectives of the thesis
- Methodology and theoretical framework
- Results and conclusions
- A comparison with previous research
Both the supervisor and the assessors (one external and one internal) will be present at the public hearing. Their attendance may be either in person or via video conference.
Following the presentation, there will be an oral examination or dialogue between the candidate and the examiners.
The presentation, along with the subsequent examination, may influence the final grade awarded for the thesis. However, the grade will not be disclosed until the examination has concluded.
The scheduling of the presentations will be arranged in consultation with the supervisor, the examiners, and the administration. Details regarding the time and venue will be announced by the Department of Geosciences and are open to the public.
Immediately after the examination, the candidate will be informed of the final grade awarded for the Master's thesis, along with a verbal explanation of the overall grade. There is an opportunity to seek clarification on the grading at this juncture if there are any uncertainties. It should be noted that it will not be possible to formally request a justification later, as this will have been considered provided at the time the result is given.
Should you wish to appeal the grade, there is a three-week deadline to do so following the registration of the result in Studentweb. Please be aware that only the grade awarded for the written Master's thesis is subject to an appeal.
8. Clearance form
To obtain your final Master of Science (MSc) degree and diploma, it is essential to submit a clearance form for your Master's programme. This form must be endorsed by staff from the University of Oslo (UiO), confirming that you have fulfilled all your commitments to the research group / department.
The results of your Master's examination are generally registered without delay. Information about the appeal process and associated procedures is available on Studentweb until the deadline for submitting appeals. Nevertheless, the issuance of your MSc degree and diploma will be contingent upon the receipt of the clearance form with all required signatures.
Prior to submitting the clearance form, you should ensure that you have addressed the matter of how your research data is to be handled.
For students currently based overseas, it is crucial to submit the clearance form prior to your departure.
Please be informed that the university will not award your degree following your examination until it has received the fully signed clearance form, complete with all requisite authorisations.
Printed clearance form:
9. Diploma and the Diploma Registry
Once you have submitted the completed clearance form and have been awarded your MSc degree, please be advised that the issuance of your diploma could take up to eight weeks. Processing times may fluctuate, especially during peak periods, notably the summer months.
Please note that hard copies of diplomas are no longer provided. Your certified degree will be made available in the Diploma Registry, which allows you to compile and distribute your higher education achievements in Norway to prospective employers, academic institutions, and other pertinent organisations.
For access to your results in the Diploma Registry, it is essential that your Norwegian ID number is registered in your student profile within the student records. If you do not possess a Norwegian national identity number or D number, you are entitled to request a paper version of your diploma. Additionally, if there are any changes to your name or you acquire a new ID number, it is crucial to update your profile details to maintain the integrity of your records.
The Diploma Registry service is offered at no charge.
Should you need assistance or have any enquiries about your digital diploma, please do not hesitate to get in touch with the MN Student Information Centre at studieinfo@mn.uio.no. Our team is ready to provide support and assistance.