| Credits: 24,0 | | Study load hours: 648 | Period: semester 1 (0sp) semester 2 (24sp)  |
| Language of instruction: English | | Exam contract: not possible |
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Mandatory sequentiality bound on the level of programme components
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Group 1 |
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Following programme components must have been included in your study programme in a previous education period
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Research Design_DL (4461)
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6.0 stptn | |
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Or group 2 |
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Following programme components must have been included in your study programme in a previous education period
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Bachelor thesis (1615)
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12.0 stptn | |
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Or group 3 |
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Following programme components must have been included in your study programme in a previous education period
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Transportation Project (4187)
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6.0 stptn | |
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The student should inquire in the context of the specific Master's thesis topic which supporting knowledge and skills are needed from various courses of the Master's program to start the Master's thesis. A non-exhaustive list of these requirements follows below:
- The student can identify various perspectives on a mobility challenge (e.g., spatial planning, traffic engineering, behaviour, traffic research, road safety) and gather relevant information for each perspective to arrive at an integrated approach.
- The student can identify and provide a rationale regarding which stakeholders are affected by a mobility problem or challenge, explain how they are affected, and take this into account when developing solutions;
- The student can articulate the societal relevance of the research;
- The student should be familiar with the basic principles of a plan of approach (problem definition, objective, research questions, choice of research method and literature study) and can draw this up according to the instructions provided.
- The student can independently create a clear schedule, monitor progress against that schedule, and manage available time effectively
- The student is familiar with looking up scientific literature (i.e. articles, books, reports) via the website of the library of Hasselt University and can structure and summarize the scientific literature with correct source references (APA guidelines);
- The student becomes familiar with the various research methods within the mobility sciences and can choose the relevant research method(s) based on a certain context, justify this choice, and then apply the research method(s) correctly;
- The student can select and apply the most suitable (statistical) analysis method based on a specific context to analyze the collected data and can correctly interpret the results;
- The student can make a report that has a clear structure and discuss the approach and results in a clear and scientific manner;
- The student can make a presentation that has a clear structure and describes the most important parts of scientific research in a clear manner;
- The student can provide reliable sustainable solutions based on the interpretation of the research results.
- The student can formulate recommendations that are practically relevant based on a specific context.
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The master's thesis is the final project of your master's programme. It demonstrates your ability to independently investigate a complex mobility or traffic-related issue using a scientific approach. You will further develop the topic for which you previously drafted an action plan in the 'Research Design DL’ course unit. The topic aligns with a current, application-oriented theme within the field of transportation sciences.
In the master's thesis, you apply the knowledge, skills, and scientific insights gained during the Transportation Sciences programme to a concrete problem. You formulate a clear problem statement, conduct a critical literature review, and select a suitable, well-founded research methodology. Subsequently, you collect and analyze data, interpret the results in the context of existing knowledge, and formulate conclusions and recommendations for practice and/or further research.
Throughout this process, you develop an investigative, problem-solving, and systems-oriented mindset. You learn to tackle complex mobility issues independently, consider relevant stakeholders, and explore sustainable solutions. Additionally, you strengthen your skills in research design, data analysis, project management, critical thinking, and scientific communication.
You document the problem statement, research approach, analysis, and conclusions in a master's thesis report, which you submit in writing and defend orally. This demonstrates your ability to conduct high-quality scientific research and communicate the results clearly and with sound substantiation. The master's thesis serves as the capstone of the Transportation Sciences programme and prepares you for your future career as a Transportation scientist.
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| Compulsory course material |
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The thesis supervision team identifies compulsory/recommended course material in the form of research papers, data, and sometimes learning material related to a particular software. Students need to follow the instructions provided by the supervisor to achieve the objective set out in the thesis. Students are required to regularly follow up with their supervisors.
The necessary documents (study manual, template for thesis write-up) for the master's thesis are made available via Blackboard. |
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| Mandatory software |
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Recommended software:
Reference software like Endnote 20, common Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), Qualtrics, NVIVO or MaxQDA, statistical analysis software such as SPSS or SAS.
License offered by UHasselt, at student laptop. |
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| Remarks |
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Additional information such as supervision team of the master's thesis, methodological aspects, practical arrangements and deadlines, the scope of the master's thesis, and general instructions can be found in the study manual of the course, that is uploaded on the blackboard. |
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Individual coaching session ✔
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Master's thesis ✔
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Paper ✔
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Presentation ✔
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Semester 2 (24,00sp)
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| Other evaluation method during teaching period | 30 % |
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| Other | The student receives an evaluation grade for the master's thesis process
(process evaluation). |
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| Transfer of partial marks within the academic year | Yes, no resit exam |
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| Use of study material during evaluation | ✔ |
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| Explanation (English) | The student can use his/her master thesis and presentation during the defence. |
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| Evaluation conditions (participation and/or pass) | ✔ |
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| Conditions | 1. Timely submission of all required assessment components (as specified in the study guide) is mandatory to obtain a final grade.
2. Students are expected to actively participate in the interim assessment moments that form part of the process evaluation.
3. To pass the course unit, a student must achieve a passing grade (≥10/20) on both the written assessment (the final report of the master's thesis) and the oral examination (the presentation and defense of the master's thesis). |
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| Consequences | 1.Failure to submit the required assessment components (as specified in the study guide), or submitting them late, may result in a score of 0 for the specific assessment component.
Legitimate absences must be reported in a timely manner by the student, accompanied by the necessary documentation. Where possible, a substitute assignment will be required.
2. &nbs p; Insufficient or inactive participation in the interim assessments that form part of the process evaluation may result in an adjusted score.
3. A student who scores less than 10/20 on the written assessment (the final report of the master's thesis) and/or on the oral exam (the presentation and defense of the master's thesis) will receive a maximum final score of 9/20 for the course unit. |
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| Additional information | The reflection report is part of the final report.
The student submits a final output (Plan of Approach, final report, and an oral defense at an academic level) that serves as the basis for determining how the specific final competencies of the master's thesis have been met.
Assessment of the master's thesis is based on the content and quality of the work submitted, as well as an evaluation of the process.
The primary purpose of the master's thesis is to demonstrate your ability to independently address a transport-related problem and bring it to a successful conclusion. Each student is assigned a supervisor; however, the supervisor's role is strictly one of guidance. Responsibility for the content and quality of the work lies with the student. While the supervisor will endeavor to monitor these aspects, their role is purely advisory. The actual work should be performed by the student. The student is also responsible for monitoring progress, planning, and academic advancement. |
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Second examination period
| Evaluation second examination opportunity different from first examination opprt | |
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| Explanation (English) | The grade for the process evaluation component is carried over from the
first exam attempt, even if it is a failing grade.
The final report (35% of the marks) must be revised, and a new
presentation must be given (35% of the marks).
If the student has a second exam attempt, it is their responsibility to
contact the lecturer in good time if it is unclear which assessment
component(s) they need to complete for the second attempt.
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Learning outcomes | EC = learning outcomes DC = partial outcomes BC = evaluation criteria |
Master of Transportation Sciences
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- EC
| EC1: The holder of the degree applies knowledge in an independent and self-directed manner. He/she is able to critically plan, guard, manage and evaluate his/her own learning processes and to take care of his/her own (quality) control. | | | - DC
| DC1: The student shows initiative on an individual basis, creates opportunities by anticipating and adopts a flexible attitude. | | | - DC
| DC3: The student has an advanced level of knowledge and insight, characteristic of scientific work in the field of transportation sciences. | | | - DC
| DC4: The student evaluates his/her way of working taking into account the quality of the work and draws lessons for the future. | | | - DC
| DC5: The student works in an autonomous and self-managing way, engaging in self-reflection and striving for continuous improvement. | - EC
| EC2: The holder of the degree has in-depth knowledge and understanding of the concepts, methods, and (research) techniques of transportation sciences. He/she is able to apply the concepts, methods and (research) techniques in the field of transportation sciences adequately and autonomously. | | | - DC
| DC1: The student can autonomously consult, assess and synthesise international scientific professional literature from the field of transportation sciences in terms of the knowledge required. | | | - DC
| DC2: The student can take a standpoint based on information from international scientific literature and substantiate this. | | | - DC
| DC3: The student can autonomously select and justify appropriate concepts, methods or techniques for scientific research based on a given context. | | | - DC
| DC4: The student autonomously applies the selected concepts, methods or techniques for scientific research and interprets them adequately. | - EC
| EC3: The holder of the degree is able to autonomously carry out research in transportation sciences and offers realistic and sustainable solutions to complex transportation problems by using relevant theories and/or models from the field of study of transportation sciences or related domains. | | | - DC
| DC1: The student can identify relevant transportation problems in the field of transportation sciences. | | | - DC
| DC2: The student offers a realistic sustainable solution to a given problem based on acquired knowledge and insights from his/her academic training. | | | - DC
| DC3: The student substantiates the proposed solutions from different perspectives | | | - DC
| DC4: The student has the ability to deal with uncertainties related to complex transportation problems and develops appropriate sustainable solution strategies in a creative way. | - EC
| EC4: The holder of the degree considers the society as a whole as an important stakeholder and reflects on the social relevance and consequences of recommendations/solutions and projects/assignments in a critical manner. In doing so, the holder of the degree strives, among other things, to have a sustainable impact on the region. | | | - DC
| DC1: The student is able to identify key stakeholders other than society and demonstrate their relevance. | | | - DC
| DC2: The student is able to empathise with and take into account the views of different stakeholders when assessing and developing different solution options. | | | - DC
| DC3: Based on the research conducted, the student can draw up recommendations that are relevant to stakeholders and that contribute to a sustainable impact on the region. | | | - DC
| DC4: The student gives clear feedback about the results to the stakeholders. | - EC
| EC6: The holder of the degree is able to communicate and convince others on his/her field of study, both in writing and orally, addressing scientists of his/her own or similar fields of study and wide social groups. | | | - DC
| DC1: The student is able to communicate on the process, results as well as his/her views in writing in a logically structured and clearly understandable way and to exchange views on these with others. | | | - DC
| DC2: The student is able to verbally communicate on the process, results and his/her views in a logically structured and clearly understandable way and to exchange views on these with others. | | | - DC
| DC3: The student communicates respectfully with a variety of social groups and scientists and is able to convince them of his/her own views. | - EC
| EC8: The holder of the degree acts and reflects in an ethical and sustainable way. | | | - DC
| DC1: The student is able to autonomously conduct research in transportation sciences, including formulating sustainable recommendations and demonstrating their practical applicability. | | | - DC
| DC2: The student adheres to the deontological codes of research. | | | - DC
| DC3: The student works systematically and critically reflects on the process at each step. | | | - DC
| DC4: The student considers the impact of his/her actions on himself/herself, other people and society as a whole. |
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| Included in these programmes | Tolerance3 |
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part 3 Master of Transportation Sciences (by distance learning)
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1 Education, Examination and Legal Position Regulations art.12.2, section 2. |
| 2 Education, Examination and Legal Position Regulations art.15.1, section 3. |
3 Education, Examination and Legal Position Regulations art.16.9, section 2.
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