Maria: Welcome to our fourth and final episode of the podcast from the University of Oslo for students all over the world thinking about studying at UiO. I'm your host, Maria, and in this episode we'll talk about writing a master's thesis and what happens after you finish your degree. With me in the studio are Yingzhi and Kevin. Let's start with a quick introduction.
Yingzhi: Hi, my name is Yingzhi from China, studying Education, Society Change, Childhood and Youth Study.
Kevin: My name is Kevin from the United States, studying philosophy.
Maria: And I'm Maria from Brazil, studying multilingualism. You are writing or have just finished your master's thesis. How was this experience for you?
Yingzhi: My thesis topic is "Norwegian Mixed Heritage Childhood and Youth Experience". As someone married to a Norwegian, I wanted to understand the growing-up experience for mixed Asian-Norwegian children. I interviewed 24 people and conducted questionnaires. Choosing a topic meaningful to my life made the research deeply rewarding.
Kevin: It's been academically the biggest project I've undertaken. Having freedom in topic choice is great, but narrowing down your research question and establishing self-discipline is challenging. It taught me how to structure a major independent research project.
Maria: I submitted my 60-credit thesis two weeks ago! Having regular meetings with my two thesis advisors was immensely helpful throughout the process.
Yingzhi: Balancing master's thesis writing, a part-time job, and learning Norwegian at the same time is a real challenge, but finishing makes every effort worth it.
Kevin: Working alongside peers engaged in serious academic research creates a stimulating and supportive intellectual environment.
Maria: What are your plans after completing your master's degree?
Yingzhi: I plan to stay and build my career in Norway. Norway is a female-friendly, gender-equal society with great social security, job stability, and parental leave benefits.
Kevin: I want to pursue a PhD project in philosophy here in Norway and continue developing my academic career.
Maria: I'm also applying for PhD positions in Norway and Europe. The research-oriented training and 60-credit thesis option at UiO prepare students exceptionally well for academia. Norway also offers a 1-year job-seeking visa for international graduates.
Maria: What final advice would you give to prospective students?
Yingzhi: Choose a master's program and thesis topic that you are genuinely passionate about. Enthusiastic motivation will carry you through the long writing process.
Kevin: Have an honest conversation with yourself about your research interests, and give it a shot! Moving abroad to study at UiO is thrilling, eye-opening, and offers an unmatched quality of life.
Maria: Thank you both so much for sharing your experiences. And thank you for listening to our four-episode podcast series about studying at the University of Oslo. Visit the UiO website for international students and follow us on social media. My name is Maria, and we hope to welcome you to UiO and Oslo!