MSc Thesis

CIE5060 (40 ECTS)

The Master thesis project consists of a final project, a thesis, a summary of the thesis and a final presentation. The project is subject to a strict planning and time table; specific dates and deadlines need to be set for the evaluation(s) and the final presentation of the project. The student is responsible for these meetings and the management of his/her own project.

Start up: To start up the graduation project please check this webpage for the ‘Procedure Graduation Civil Engineering (Form: CIE-0)’. This form will guide you through the procedure of graduating. The first two steps are to apply to start with the master project (Form: CIE-1) and to contact the graduation coordinator dr.ir. L.J.M. Houben. Students should have at least 65 ECTS in the MSc completed before they are allowed to start. Furthermore, we require that the course CIE4115 Steel Structures 2 and CIE4121 Steel Structures 3 and CIE4125 Structural Design – Case Study are finished before the beginning of the graduation project. For certain topics additional demands, like specific courses, can be required by the main supervisor.

Finding a master thesis topic: Students can choose a steel or composite related topic on the website of Steel and Composite Structures and contact dr.ir. R. Abspoel. If you have not decided on a project yet, R. Abspoel can provide you with additional information. Suggestions for topics may also come from students themselves or from companies. However, students who wish to execute their master thesis at a company should have passed  CIE4115 Steel Structures 2 and CIE4121 Steel Structures 3 and  CIE4125 Structural Design – Case Study with a mark of 7.0 or higher. Furthermore, students should avoid making any firm agreements with an external host organization before the topic has been formally approved. The content of the project is always defined or approved by the appointed examiners.

When your graduation topic is registered by R. Abspoel, he will inform you who your main supervisor will be during the master project. At this point your graduation committee exists of prof.dr. M. Veljkovic and a main supervisor.

First month and start meeting: During the first month you work on literature review and your work plan. This work plan will be drawn up in close consultation with your main supervisor. Your work plan should state the topic of your thesis and how you intend to approach the subject matter. Special attention should be paid to the problem description and the research question. An important component of the plan is the time schedule. You should try to produce a realistic time schedule showing firm dates for the completion of the various activities, making allowance for holidays, examination periods, etc.

After about one month you will present your work plan for approval during the start meeting. Only after approval of the work plan, and depending on the intended approach of your project, prof.dr. M. Veljkovic and your main supervisor will appoint the graduation committee. The committee will exist of prof.dr. M. Veljkovic, your main supervisor, a second supervisor from a different chair, dr.ir. L.J.M. Houben and possibly a company supervisor. Please do not try to find (any) second supervisor(s) yourself; he or she will be appointed and asked by your current supervisors. After the start meeting you can complete the ‘Form Master Examination Programme (CIE-2)’ in cooperation with the coordinator.

Course of the graduation project: About half way during your project there will be a mid-term review at which you meet with the thesis committee to discuss the progress of your project. One week before the review, you must submit a progress report to each member of the committee (in hard copy if requested), which must include the schedule for the remainder of the project. The student must make minutes and/or a list of action points for the coming period. During this phase of the project you can meet with individual members of the thesis committee when that is required for the progress of your project. Ensure that you contact your main supervisor once a month.

At the end there is a final meeting in which ‘green light’ is given to proceed to finishing the project. The date for the final presentation is set then as well. No later than 20 working days prior to the presentation, students should complete the ‘Application Form master Degree (CIE-3)’.

Students should deliver their final report more than 5 working days prior to the presentation. In that last week the committee will judge the project as a whole. After the final presentation the final mark for the master thesis work is given.