STV9040 – Design seminar

Course content

In the design seminar, students present their project outline to other students and one or more opponents appointed by the department. The students may also invite their supervisor(s) to participate. The seminar is to be completed during the first year on the PhD programme. Emphasis is placed on the research question, identification of a puzzle or a research gap, theoretical perspectives, data, and research design. We also discuss the structure of the dissertation, the progress plan, the publication strategy, and exchange periods abroad (if any). The project outline must be submitted at least 10 days prior to the seminar in Canvas.

Students present their own project outline (5-10 minutes) and get the main responsibility for commenting on one other participant’s project outline (5-8 minutes). They are also expected to participate actively in the discussion concerning other project outlines. In return, they receive feedback on their own project and its feasibility. Each student must summarize the lessons learned from this feedback in a short memo (1 page) to be submitted to the seminar leaders no later than a week after the seminar.

Learning outcome

The design seminar is intended to help you:

• develop and refine your PhD project
• increase the feasibility of your project
• get training in how to present and provide reasons for your own research
• get training in how to assess and provide constructive feedback to the research of others
• become acquainted with other students enrolled on the PhD programme at the Department of Political Science

Admission to the course

You register for the design seminar in the beginning of the semester of your participation. Registration for the PhD seminar is done in Studentweb.

The PhD seminar is reserved for students who have been admitted to the PhD programme at the Department of Political Science.

Teaching

• We allocate 45 minutes to each project outline
• The participants present their own project outline (5-10 minutes)
• Each student must prepare commentary (5-8 minutes) on one other student’s project outline.
• Each participant must also prepare 1-2 short comments to each of the other project outlines.
• Every project outline will also receive comments from at least one of the seminar leaders.
• Towards the end of the seminar, the supervisor will be offered the chance to speak.
• Finally, the author of the project oputline concerned will be able to summarize and respond (3-5 minutes).

Examination

To pass, the student must:

• Submit a project outline (pdf) at least 10 days prior to the seminar in Canvas. The project outline must not exceed 3500 words. Please use line spacing 1.5 and font 12.
• Summarize and comment on another student’s project outline (around 10min).
• Prepare 1-2 short comments on each of the other project outlines to be presented.
• Participate actively in the discussion during the seminar.
• Submit a short reflection note no later than one week after the seminar in Canvas.

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.