IL249X Degree Project in Electrical Engineering, Second Cycle 15.0 credits

Learning activities

Before the degree project course starts, the student shall identify an appropriate degree project task and formulate a project proposal that can be presented to the examiner for approval. The assignment should be chosen, so that it implies a natural progression of the knowledge and skills that have been acquired within the education and in a possible specialisation within the education.

The student must write an individual plan for the degree project in which the problem description/assignment and the preconditions for the implementation of the work are specified. The individual plan for the degree project shall include a background including a problem description and scientific aspects/question formulations, purpose(s), goals, delimitations, the relevance of the project, methods and a time schedule for the implementation of the degree project. The individual plan shall also include a brief self-reflection where the student accounts for her/his knowledge to carry out the assignment and the planning for how potential remaining courses, that are required for higher education qualification, shall be completed. The individual plan, for the degree project, shall be approved by the examiner.

The student carries out an in-depth pre-study including discussions of method choice and theoretical background with a literature study that is reported as part of a draft to a preliminary version of the written degree project report.

The student carries out an individual independent project where knowledge and methods, from the education, are applied.

The student plans and carries out an oral presentation and defence of his or her degree project.

The student carries out an oral and written review of another degree project on the same level.

The student writes and presents a written degree project report, where the student clearly accounts for and discusses own conclusions in the degree project and the knowledge and the arguments that underspin them.

The student carries out a self-assessment of the degree project according to the model of "Assessment of the quality of degree project for Degree of Master of Science in Engineering and Degree of Master of Science".

The purpose of the degree project is that the student shall apply and deepen knowledge, understanding, abilities, and approaches within the contexts of the education. The degree project shall be carried out towards the conclusion of the education and imply a specialised study and synthesis of earlier acquired knowledge. In the degree project both the technical/scientific content and method knowledge are emphasised.

After completed degree project, the student shall demonstrate such skills required to participate in research and development work, or to work independently in other qualified activities, according to the national qualitative outcomes for the Degree of Master of Science in the Higher Education Ordinance. These include:

• overview over and advanced knowledge within the main field of study/the specialisation for the education, including understanding in current research and development
• advanced method knowledge within the main field of study/the specialisation for the education.
• ability to integrate knowledge and with overall view critical, independently and creatively identify, formulate, and analyse, assess and handle complex phenomena and issues also with limited information
• ability to identify independently issues and formulate questions and to plan and with adequate methods carry out qualified assignments within given time frames, and to evaluate this work
• ability to orally and in writing clearly present and discuss own conclusions and the knowledge and the arguments on which they are based, in speech and writing to different audiences
• ability to within the main field of study for the education make assessments considering relevant scientific, social and ethical aspects and show awareness of ethical aspects on research and development work with respect to methods, working procedures and results of the degree project
• ability to within the framework of the degree project identify and demonstrate an insight into the possibilities and limitations of the science, its role in the society and the people's responsibility for how it is used including the engineer's role in the society
• ability to identify the need for additional knowledge and to take responsibility for own knowledge development.

• The degree project is an individual independent project that is carried out by one student. Although several students are working within the same project, it shall result in individual reports, where each report has to satisfy the requirements for a degree project.
• The student shall contact an appropriate examiner before the work starts. Alternatively, the director of studies for degree projects or programme co-ordinator may propose an examiner.
• The student shall prepare a brief written project proposal describing the work. This description shall be enclosed with the registration forms. The description shall contain background, purpose, objective and method.
• The examiner will ensure, that the students satisfy the general and specific prerequisites for the degree project and that the suggested degree project will satisfy the expected learning outcomes of a degree project. The examiner verifies that the degree project falls within the degree programme/s subject area and that the studied issues show an appropriate progression within the education. The examiner signs the registration form.
• The examiner will appoint a supervisor at KTH and approve a possible industry supervisor in consultation with the director of studies for degree project.
• The degree project can be registered after the examiner has accepted the assignment.
• The student writes a detailed individual plan for the degree project and delivers it to the examiner for approval.
• The student carries out a pre-study, an investigation of choices of methods, as well as a literature study, which are delivered to the supervisor at KTH for approval.
• During the implementation of the degree project, the student shall regularly (at least every second week) report how the work progresses to the supervisor at KTH.
• The student shall continuously, during the degree project, document the work in writing and work on the preliminary version of the written report.
• When the supervisor at KTH assesses that the student has reached the objectives, according to the plan for the degree project, and that the quality of the preliminary written report holds high quality, the student shall write a self-assessment of the degree project according to the model for "Assessment of the quality of degree project for Degree of Master of Science in Engineering and Degree of Master of Science". The supervisor will give feedback on the self-assessment, and the student will be given the opportunity to remedy possible deficiencies.
• The report and self-assessment shall be delivered together with the supervisor's summary of the assessment of the degree project report, according to the model for "Assessment of the quality of the degree project", to the examiner for a preliminary approval.
• For opposition, the student is assigned another student's degree project report, who is working on a second-cycle degree project, to publicly discuss his or her report. The date for opposition and the choice of degree project, to publicly discuss, shall be approved by the examiner. The student shall carry out an oral and written review of the other student's project presentation of his or her degree. The opposition is assessed by the examiner of the other student.
• The student shall carry out an oral presentation and defence of his or her own report.
• After the presentation, and no later than two weeks after presentation, the student shall deliver a final report to examiner. To the report, the studentshall enclose an updated self-assessment based on the model for "Assessment of the quality of degree project for Degree of Master of Science in Engineering and Degree of Master of Science".
• The examiner is responsible for checking plagiarism of the degree project report.
• The examinerfills in the template of "Assessment of the quality of degree project for Degree of Master of Science in Engineering and Degree of Master of Science".
• The grade shall be determined by a teacher (examiner), especially appointed by the higher education institution.
• For grading, the examiner shall acquire support from at least one other teacher on KTH, competent in the subject area, (who constitutes reviewer for the degree project).
• KTH's policy for public attendance applies to the implementation of the degree project and for publication of the report. The degree project report should be published electronically in DiVA, according to the rules that apply to electronic publication of degree projects at KTH.

• All courses that are required for issuing the Degree of Bachelor and at least 60 credits of courses for second-cycle studies should be fully completed. These 60 credits must include all courses in the program(s), relevant to the degree project, and a course in theory of science.
• A course in scientific methodology must be finally reported as completed with a passing grade.

If the course is discontinued, students may request to be examined during the following two academic years.

• XUPP - Degree Project, 15.0 credits, grading scale: P, F

Based on recommendation from KTH’s coordinator for disabilities, the examiner will decide how to adapt an examination for students with documented disability.

The examiner may apply another examination format when re-examining individual students.

• Individual plan for degree project
• Active attendances at two oral presentations of degree project on second-cycle level
• Pre-study, discussion of method choice and literature study
• Self-assessment report
• Oral presentation
• Written and oral opposition of another student's degree project on second-cycle level
• Written report with a summary/abstract on both Swedish and English.

Time limit

Requirements according to KTH's regulatory framework for degree projects and all examination parts as mentioned above shall be approved within a year from the starting date of the degree project. Otherwise, the degree project will be ended with a failed grade, unless special circumstances apply.

Elena Dubrova

Carl-Mikael Zetterling

• All members of a group are responsible for the group's work.
• In any assessment, every student shall honestly disclose any help received and sources used.
• In an oral assessment, every student shall be able to present and answer questions about the entire assignment and solution.

Further information about the course can be found on the Course web at the link below. Information on the Course web will later be moved to this site.