RESEARCH INTERNSHIP

MACAS “research internship” comprises Master’s Thesis Development I-II and Independent Graduate Study I-II.

Its goal is to immerse students in typical elements of everyday academic practice and to foster their research skills, including their capacity to work independently, keep to a research schedule, and respect deadlines.

In Master’s Thesis Development I, students are invited to reflect on how to improve or complete their literature reviews, translate a research topic into research questions or research hypotheses, foreground the originality of their research topic, assess critically the quality and quantity of data they need for their MA thesis and the best ways to collect or access different categories of data.

Students are expected to use Master’s Thesis Development II as a way to refine and focus their writing, and their ideas. The seminar takes place as a mixture of individual and group sessions. During individual sessions students are welcome to discuss any particular issue related to the topic, research and writing up of their MA theses. Group discussions are meant to provide an ongoing workshop in which students can test, experiment with, and explore the formulations and key components of their thesis, the goal being to finish the course with an editable, working draft. 

Independent Graduate Study I and II unroll according to a working plan or a syllabus established by the student and their supervisor and approved by the Head of the Program.  During Independent Graduate Study I and II students learn to timely identify and access major sources for their MA thesis; design data collection projects and implement them; combine reading, data collection and writing up. Upon the recommendation of their supervisor or the head of the program, students also attend scholarly events, in AUCA or outside of it, and present their ongoing research at relevent venues.