Information for supervisors of master’s students at IBV
Your responsibilities depend on your role in the project and where the project is carried out. A main supervisor may be employed by IBV or an external institution. All external projects must have an internal supervisor employed by IBV.
Information for all supervisors
You should be familiar with the student’s master’s programme and programme option, as well as IBV’s requirements and deadlines:
Supervisors and other relevant staff must provide the necessary health, safety and environment (HSE) training to ensure a safe learning and working environment. The requirements for projects carried out at IBV and externally are described below.
Supervisors are responsible for ensuring that students protect the personal data of respondents and informants involved in their projects.
If a project requires notification to Sikt, the notification form for processing personal data in research must be submitted at least 30 days before data collection begins.
Main supervisor: responsibilities at IBV and external institutions
These responsibilities apply whether you are employed by IBV or an external institution.
As the main supervisor, you are responsible for:
- following IBV’s requirements and deadlines
- reviewing and approving the student’s study plan
- supervising the student’s work on the master’s thesis
- organising the master’s examination in consultation with the study administration.
You must also help the student prepare the preliminary project description for their master’s agreement. Provide the information the student needs to understand the project, their role and the work they will carry out.
The student is responsible for submitting the master’s agreement by 1 December.
Internal co-supervisor at IBV: responsibilities for external projects
All external projects must have an internal supervisor who is a member of the academic staff at IBV.
As the internal co-supervisor, you help ensure that the project is suitable for a master’s thesis. You are expected to:
- hold an initial meeting with the student and the external supervisor or supervisors
- hold a follow-up meeting at least once each semester
- help the student resolve problems that arise during the project.
External supervisors: requirements for offering a project
Before offering a project to IBV students, you must arrange for a member of the academic staff at IBV to act as the internal supervisor.
External projects must be approved by IBV and should be advertised through the programme’s list of available master’s projects. See the publication process and deadlines below.
Students carrying out their projects externally must receive an introduction to the local HSE procedures at the laboratory where they will work.
If you are the main supervisor, the responsibilities described under “Main supervisor: responsibilities at IBV and external institutions” also apply to you.
Propose and advertise a master’s project
All master’s projects must be approved by IBV. Projects should be published in the programme’s list of available master’s projects so that all students have the same opportunity to explore and compare them.
To advertise a project, complete the form: Submit a master’s project for publication.
We recommend publishing projects by the end of June, and no later than week 33, when the semester begins.
IBV holds information meetings for each section in weeks 34 and 35. Internal supervisors can present their projects at these meetings.
Projects at IBV: HSE training and risk assessment
For projects carried out at IBV, the supervisor must:
- Provide the necessary HSE training in cooperation with other relevant staff.
- Assess the risks associated with the project using the risk assessment form.
- Send the completed risk assessment to the student.
The student must then upload the assessment to the HSE self-declaration form and enter the form’s reference number in their master’s agreement.
Main supervisors at IBV: operating funds
Main supervisors employed by IBV receive operating funds for the master’s project.
In early December, the study administration informs the department’s financial officer which supervisors are eligible. Funds are allocated no earlier than January of the following year.
How to conduct the master’s examination
Here you will find information about the master’s examination, including the roles and responsibilities of supervisors and examiners.
Responsibilities of the Main Supervisor
The main supervisor must submit the required information about the master’s examination through the online form no later than two weeks before the examination:
Submit information about the master’s examination
Examinations on Zoom
If the examination will take place on Zoom, the main supervisor must set up the meeting well in advance and share the link with:
- the candidate
- the internal examiner
- the external examiner
- the study administration
The external examiner should normally participate online if attending in person would require air travel. If in-person attendance is necessary, an exemption must be requested well in advance using this form:
Apply for approval of air travel for an in-person master’s examination
The Supervisor’s Role
The supervisor is encouraged to attend the master’s examination but must not take part in determining the grade.
Before the examination, the supervisor must complete the supervisor’s assessment form and send it to the examiners before the preparatory meeting.
The main supervisor is responsible for inviting the examiners to a preparatory meeting before the examination. During this meeting, the supervisor should brief the examiners on the student’s approach to the work, effort and independence while completing the master’s thesis.
Responsibilities of the Study Administration
The study administration:
- sends the necessary information to the candidate, supervisors and examiners
- downloads the plagiarism report from Inspera and sends it to the internal and external examiners
- books a room if one has been requested through the online form
Sending the Thesis to the Examiners
The student is responsible for sending the master’s thesis electronically to both examiners. An examiner may request a printed copy, in which case the student must deliver it or send it by post.
Responsibilities of the Examiners
- The internal examiner must contact the external examiner no later than two working days before the examination to clarify whether the thesis is considered a pass.
- Two grades must be awarded: one grade for the written thesis and one overall grade for the master’s examination.
- After the examination, the internal examiner must send the signed examination report to studieinfo@ibv.uio.no.
Final Meeting
The examiners may request a meeting with the supervisor without the candidate being present if clarification is needed.
The candidate must also be offered an opportunity to speak with the examiners without the supervisor being present.
Written Assessment
- The assessment may be written as a separate document, or page 2 of the form “Assessment Form for Examiners” may be used.
- The assessment and the grading protocol must be returned to the study administration at the earliest opportunity.
On the Exam Date
The master’s programme concludes with a presentation and an oral examination. The internal and external examiners assess the student’s work and award the grades. The supervisor takes part in some parts of the examination but is not present when the grades are decided.
Preliminary Meeting
The examiners and supervisor meet before the examination. The supervisor informs the examiners about how the student worked, the effort they put in, and their independence while writing the thesis. The meeting normally lasts 30–45 minutes.
Presentation
The student presents the master’s thesis and gives an overview of the work. The presentation normally lasts 30–45 minutes and is open to everyone.
Oral Examination
The examiners question the student about the master’s thesis. The supervisor must be present. The oral examination normally lasts 60–90 minutes.
Post-exam Meetings
After the oral examination, the examiners may ask to speak with the supervisor without the student present if they need clarification.
The student must also be offered an opportunity to speak with the examiners without the supervisor present.
Grading Meeting
The internal and external examiners decide:
- the grade for the written master’s thesis
- the overall grade for the master’s examination
Neither the student nor the supervisor may be present when the examiners decide the grades.
Grades and Explanations
Once the examiners have decided the grades, the student and supervisor are invited back into the room. One of the examiners, normally the external examiner, gives the student a brief oral explanation of the grades.
Explanation of Grades and Appeals
The student receives:
- one grade for the written master’s thesis
- one overall grade for the master’s examination
The overall grade is the grade shown on the student’s diploma.
A written explanation of the grade must be given to the student within one week after the grade is announced. This is sent directly to the student.
An appeal against a grade must be submitted within three weeks after the grade is announced. If a grade is appealed, a newly appointed committee reassesses the master’s thesis.
Grade F (Fail) for the Master’s Thesis
If the master’s thesis is awarded an F (Fail), the student may revise and resubmit it once for a new assessment.
In the event of a fail, a written explanation of the result must be provided to guide the student and supervisor in revising the thesis.
The revised thesis may be submitted no earlier than three months after the first attempt and no later than the thesis submission deadline in the following semester.
The revised thesis is assessed by the same examination committee that assessed the first submission.
Forms
Assessment Form for Supervisors
Assessment Form for Examiners
Grading Protocol