Thesis

Degree Programme Regulations

The request for thesis preparation must be presented after students have been assigned their supervising scholar and have defined the thesis project with them. The request for thesis preparation is obligatory, because the Teaching Committee approves the thesis project and assigns the co-examiners that will be able to evaluate the student’s work.

Attention: the thesis preparation request does not replace the degree application that students must present with the processes and deadlines reported in the University Regulations.

The form for the request for thesis preparation, filled in, signed and completed with attached documents, must be scanned and emailed to  campus.scientifico@unive.it.

Upon finishing the thesis work, students must undertake an interview with the co-examiners (the date and time of the interview will be agreed upon between the student, the supervisor and the co-examiners. The scientific campus secretary must be informed within good time in order to book a classroom.)

Upon finishing the interview, minutes must be taken that are then delivered (by a member of the commission) to the Secretary for the Scientific Campus.

Definitions:

• Thesis: written work with original character, documentation and in-depth scientific comprehension of a topic in the field of Environmental Sciences. The thesis topic is agreed upon with the supervisor; the thesis preparation can be carried out either at Ca’ Foscari University or at other external institutes, university and non-university, but always must be to the responsibility of a supervisor
• Thesis preparation: period of preparation for the thesis
• Supervisor: degree programme scholar, chosen by the student, who works by following the student through the period of carrying out the thesis; approving the content of the written work and expressing an evaluation on the ability of the student when carrying out the assigned thesis work.
• Assistant Supervisor: Optional, working side by side with the Supervisor in assisting and guiding the student during the thesis preparation; it can be a university scholar external to the Master’s Degree, or a person with qualified scientific and/or technological skills.
• Co-examiner: indicated by the Teaching Committee, to revise the written work and express an evaluation on the thesis work.
• Thesis Commission: made up of three scholars in which the thesis supervisor, who officiates, and two co-examiners indicated by the Teaching Committee, have the role of collectively evaluating the work carried out by a candidate.
• Degree Commission: nominated and summoned according to what is required by the Didactic Regulation of the University, during the official proclamation, establish a final grade for the degree exam and the possible attribution of honours based on the student’s university curriculum and the judgment expressed by the Thesis Commission
• Thesis Interview: the candidate presents their concluded thesis to the Thesis Commission. The commission evaluates the work and reports their guidance to the Degree Commission.
• Degree Discussion: the candidate presents their thesis to the Degree Commission, established in an official appeals session. The Degree Commission assigns the final grade , acknowledging the grade proposed by the Thesis Commission and any possible attachments and higher marks. 

Regulation

Students enrolled in a Master’s Degree can apply for a thesis by presenting their request to the Teaching Committee (application for the request of thesis preparation).

The Teaching Committee evaluates the contents and processes of carrying out the thesis ,as well as the adequacy of the proposed topics alongside the formative objectives of the student’s Master’s Degree programme, and assign them co-examiners and possible assistant supervisors, through the suggestion of the supervisor.

Students carry out the thesis work assigned to them according to the process agreed upon with the supervisor.

The written thesis work must be written and discussed in the language in which the degree curriculum is taught. The written work can be written and discussed in another language, via previous approval of the Teaching Committee.

The case in which the student is enrolled in a programme in which an agreement is activated with a foreign university, that provided the issuance of a Joint or Double Degree, the Teaching Committee, along with the supervisor’s advice, can designate an assistant supervisor from the partner University.

The case in which the experimental thesis work is carried out at an external institute, the thesis supervisor and co-examiners must be scholars from the (Master’s) degree programme in Environmental Sciences at the University of Venice.

Presenting the written work to the Thesis Commission

For each student, the Teaching Committee designates a Thesis Commission that collectively evaluates the work carried out by the candidate in an interview (Thesis interview).

At the end of the interview, the Commission compiles the minutes (minutes from the thesis interview) to transmit to the Degree Commission.

The student conducts the interview  in front of the Thesis Commission after handing in the written work and at least a week before graduation.

In the interview minutes, the Thesis Commission reports their judgment and their proposed grade to transmit to the Degree Commission.

The Thesis Commission chose a mark between 0 and Seven.

In the grade definition, the Thesis Commission should bare the following criteria in mind: 

1. Understanding and in-depth analysis of the thesis topic (from 0 to 3)
2. Quality of work: evaluation of the general organization, clarity, care in bibliography, the introduction and conclusion (from 0 to 2)
3. Presentation: expositive clarity, proper use of language and ability to discuss in presenting work in front of the Thesis Commission (from 0 to 2)

Thesis discussion in front of the Degree Commission

Following the presentation in front of the Thesis Commission, the student discusses their thesis in front of the Degree Commission, nominated and summoned according to what is required by the Didactic Regulation of the University.

The Degree Commission, listening to the student’s dissertation, attributes their final grade, resulting in the total of the following aspects:

1. Evaluation of thesis work expressed by the Thesis Commission (from 1 to 7);
2. Exposition of thesis work on behalf of the candidate in the graduation session (from 0 to 1);
3. Possible bonus points and the attribution of honours regarding the University Regulations.

For all regulations and the general procedure, refer to the University Regulations (Student Career Regulations and Didactic Regulations) as well as the approval of the Academic Senate.

• For Master’s Degree programmes in Environmental Sciences, class LM-75 (Science and Technology for the Environment and Territory) of which Ministerial Decree n.270/04;
• For special degree programmes in Environmental Sciences, Class 82/S (Science and Technology for the Environment and Territory) of which Ministerial Decree n.509/99;
• Degree Programme of the pre-existing rule to Ministerial Decree n.509/99.