The student writes a 30 ECTS thesis (50-70 pages) on a topic to be approved by the assigned supervisor. The thesis is a substantial piece of original research or criticism and should demonstrate the student's ability to collect, arrange, interpret, and report pertinent material. The thesis is defended in a seminar. The thesis work is an exercise in developing a defined research project from an original idea, through the choice of methodology to a completed research report. Students are, through this process, being prepared for Ph.D. studies.