Universitat Internacional de Catalunya
Final Master’s Degree Project
Other languages of instruction: English, Spanish
Teaching staff
Students can contact by email with the person in charge of the subject, Dr. Adrián González (agonzalezm@uic.es).
Introduction
The Master's Thesis of the University Master's Degree in Urgent and Emergency Care consists in the design of a quantitative research project, a qualitative research project or a systematic review on a topic integrated in one or more of the clinical specialties studied during the Master's Degree. The Master's Thesis will be publicly defended before a board.
The Master's Thesis will be carried out individually.
This Master's Thesis is carried out autonomously by the student, who is supervised by a tutor. It is considered an integrative exercise of the formative contents received and the competences acquired in the degree, both in clinical aspects and in research methodology.
In order to unify the criteria and procedures that ensure and guarantee homogeneity in the organization and evaluation of this subject, the Universitat Internacional de Catalunya has an internal Regulation of Final Degree Projects and Final Master's Degree Projects to which all official degrees offered by the UIC regulated by Royal Decree 1393/2007, as amended by Royal Decree 861/2010, are subject. This regulation contains the basic guidelines related to the definition, design, supervision/direction, execution, supervision, defense, evaluation, management and public availability of the End of Master's Thesis.
Pre-course requirements
No needed.
Objectives
- To reinforce and integrate the clinical and research methodology skills and knowledge acquired during the Master's program.
- To promote reflective critical thinking based on the scientific method.
Competences/Learning outcomes of the degree programme
- CB6 - To have a clear understanding of knowledge that provides a base level or opportunity to develop and/or apply ideas in an original way, often within the context of research.
- CB9 - Students should be able to communicate their conclusions in a clear and unambiguous way, as well as the resulting knowledge and reasoning that supports them, so that they can be understood by both specialised and non-specialised audiences.
- CE10 - To identify the tools and qualitative and quantitative methods necessary to design and develop a research study in the medical field of urgent and emergency care.
- CG4 - To know how to use information and communication technology tools and how to apply them to specific fields of knowledge.
- CG5 - To design research studies that can generate new and suitable knowledge that encourages the development of the discipline, profession or institution.
Learning outcomes of the subject
- Integrate knowledge and skills acquired in the course in their End of Master's Project.
- Develops an original scientific project.
- Develops his/her work following the established rules and recommendations.
- Use the most appropriate technologies for the effective completion of their work.
- Exposes in writing, in a rigorous, clear and precise way, the project.
- Effectively defend their End of Master's Project, the results and conclusions obtained before a tribunal.
Syllabus
The contents of the End of Master's Thesis course will be taught by the tutors and the End of Master's Thesis coordinator. The tutors will give individual clinical and methodological support to the students during the whole process of the End of Master's Thesis. On the other hand, the coordinator of the End of Master's Thesis subject will carry out face-to-face and/or online group tutorials throughout the process on topics of common interest to the students.
The main contents to be covered will be:
- Types of End of Master's Thesis within the Master's: quantitative research project, qualitative research project, systematic review.
- Bibliographic search: main data sources.
- Synthesis of evidence in the form of background/theoretical framework. Justification of the study.
- Operationalization of research question, hypothesis and objectives.
- Methodological justification and writing of the methodology. Ethical aspects. Data analysis.
- Writing of results obtained (systematic review).
- Discussion and conclusions (systematic review).
- Temporal feasibility of the research: chronogram (projects).
- Clinical and research implications of the work.
- References: main styles of citations and references.
- Exposition of a research work.
In addition to these contents, the fundamental theoretical contents related to research methodology to develop the End of Master's Thesis are taught in the subject "Research, teaching and simulation in emergency medicine". These contents will be temporarily integrated with the schedule proposed in the End of Master's Thesis course.
Teaching and learning activities
In person
The training activities of the End of Master's Thesis include, fundamentally, the individual activity of the student (130h), as well as individual and group tutorials (12h) and oral expositions (8h). The individual tutorials, indicated in the course schedule, include a minimum of five meetings (face-to-face and/or telematic) between the End of Master's tutor and the student, in which the following topics will be discussed:
- 1st meeting with the tutor. Orientation on specific topics within the line of research. Approach of the first bibliographic search.
- 2nd meeting with the tutor. Review of the bibliographic search. Planning the writing of the theoretical framework, introduction, hypothesis and objectives.
- 3rd meeting with the tutor. Review of the theoretical framework, introduction, hypothesis and objectives. Planning the writing of the methodology.
- 4th meeting with the tutor. Review of the recommendations provided by the Master's Academic Committee. Writing of the last sections of the TFM according to the modality.
- 5th meeting with the tutor. Oral presentation essay.
On the other hand, the coordinator of the End of Master's Degree subject will carry out a minimum of five face-to-face group tutorials throughout the whole process (specific dates indicated in the chronogram) on topics of common interest to all students, mainly related to: 1) the schedule, the End of Master's Degree modalities and the main lines of research on which to carry out the End of Master's Degree; 2) structure and contents to be incorporated in each of the sections of the End of Master's Degree, both common and specific to each modality (quantitative research project, qualitative research project or systematic review); 3) preparation of the oral presentation in front of the tribunal.
Evaluation systems and criteria
In person
The End of Master's Project will be evaluated on the basis of the quality of the written report (80% of the final grade) and its oral defense before a panel (20% of the final grade).
The evaluation will be based on the achievement of the competences mentioned in the upper part of this guideline, which are included in the evaluation documents validated by the Academic Committee of the Master's and available to students on the virtual platform of the course.
The main aspects to be assessed will be:
- The formal correctness of the written report.
- The content of the written report, both in its specific elements and globally.
- The oral defense before the examining board.
Bibliography and resources
Reporting guidelines:
- Systematic reviews: PRISMA (http://www.prisma-statement.org)
- Observational studies: STROBE (https://www.strobe-statement.org)
- Experimental studies: SPIRIT (protocols - https://www.spirit-statement.org) or CONSORT (with results - http://www.consort-statement.org).
- Qualitative research: SRQR (https://journals.lww.com/academicmedicine/fulltext/2014/09000/Standards_for_Reporting_Qualitative_Research__A.21.aspx) and COREQ (https://academic.oup.com/intqhc/article/19/6/349/1791966)