MES4010 – Critical Literature Review in Middle East Studies
Schedule, syllabus and examination date
Course content
This reading course is designed to meet the individual needs of Master’s students within the programme option Middle East Studies. In consultation with a course teacher and your thesis supervisor, you will further refine your project proposals for your master's thesis. The main focus of this course will be to develop the secondary literature review, emphasizing theoretical perspectives directly relevant to your chosen research topic in the project proposals.
Course participants will compile their own relevant reading lists. The chosen literature must provide a solid theoretical and empirical basis of information related to your thesis subject. Moreover, course participants will reflect on which specific works constitute key literature on their respective subjects. You will also discuss key academic debates and ‘schools’ within the academic field to which your thesis subject belongs. This involves?situating your research project theoretically and methodologically, within a specific discipline, field, and sub-field.?
The course teacher and your thesis supervisor must approve the project proposal and the reading list. The course should normally be taken during the first year of the Master’s degree program.?
Learning outcome
Participants learn to:?
- Refine?an academic project description.?
- Critically read and analyze research literature relevant to the research question of your master’s thesis, and to formulate a presentation and an interpretation of the issues and arguments presented in the literature.?
- Summarize and present a research debate in an independent and reflective manner.?
- Situate a research project, theoretically and methodologically, in the context of academic disciplines, fields and sub-fields.?
Admission to the course
Students who are admitted to study programmes at UiO must each semester register which courses and exams they wish to sign up for in Studentweb.
If you are not already enrolled as a student at UiO, please see our information about admission requirements and procedures.
This course is only availabe for students admitted to the programme option Middle East Studies.
Formal prerequisite knowledge
MES4000 – Theory, Methodology and Project Description in Middle East- and South Asia Studies
Teaching
Teaching throughout the semester is provided in the form of guidance at thesis seminars in the presence of the tutor. Your thesis supervisor will also be present and provide additional feedback when you present your drafts.
Compulsory activities
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Compulsory attendance
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You are required to attend 60% of the seminar teaching.
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In this course, you must attend 6 out of 10 seminars.
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Written assignment: Submission of the reading list
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Oral assignment: Oral presentation (towards the end of the semester)
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Compulsory attendance: At least two meetings with the supervisor (one meeting can be during the oral presentation)
You will find more information about the requirements for the compulsory assignments and the submission deadlines in Canvas.
All compulsory activities must be approved to qualify for the exam. It is your responsibility to verify that you have obtained approval for all compulsory activities.
The approved compulsory activity remains valid for the two following spring semesters in which the course is offered. However, exceptions may arise if the course undergoes changes in its assessment format, teaching, or other significant modifications.
Absence from compulsory activities:
It is important that you familiarize yourself with the rules regarding absence from compulsory activities, to prevent being excluded from teaching and losing your eligibility to take the exam.
More information on compulsory activities at the University of Oslo:
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Access to teaching
A student who has completed compulsory instruction and coursework and has had these approved is not entitled to repeat that instruction and coursework. A student who has been admitted to a course, but who has not completed compulsory instruction and coursework or had these approved, is entitled to repeat that instruction and coursework, depending on available capacity.
Examination
Term paper.
The term paper must provide a literature review relevant to the research question of your master’s thesis, approved by your tutor and thesis supervisor.?The assignment should consist of 8-10 pages. One standard page is approximately 2300 characters without spaces, including references. The front page and bibliography are not included in the page count.
Detailed information regarding the term paper will be announced on Canvas.
You must submit the exam in Inspera - see guides for digital exams.
You are personally responsible for familiarizing yourself with the requirements and deadlines for the exam.
All compulsory activities must be completed and approved in order to take the exam.
You can find more information about the exam on the semester page of the course.
Grading scale
Grades are awarded on a scale from A to F, where A is the best grade and F is a fail. Read more about the grading system.
More about examinations at UiO
- Use of sources and citations
- Special exam arrangements due to individual needs
- Withdrawal from an exam
- Illness at exams / postponed exams
- Explanation of grades and appeals
- Resitting an exam
- Cheating/attempted cheating
You will find further guides and resources at the web page on examinations at UiO.