Class Dissertation Seminar

The Dissertation Seminar is designed to make a decisive contribution to the consolidation and systematisation of abstract concepts and practical, immediately applicable knowledge concerning the design, planning and execution of a Master's dissertation. Essentially, the module provides students with a unique opportunity to anticipate, explore and experiment with possible approaches to their forthcoming dissertation in a supportive, non-committal environment. To this end, the module introduces, explains and helps students operationalise a range of well-established research approaches and methodological frameworks, which are then adapted to the specific content, choices and objectives of each student.

Not applicable

Research in International Relations: an intensive exploration of themes and research horizons Practical stages and challenges in International Relations research: an overview Practical stages and challenges in International Relations research: personalised guidance Formal requirements: thesis preparation guidelines, procedural requirements, and thesis presentation Practical guidance on thesis defence

Sessions alternating between lectures, reflection and practical work, progressing in accordance with each student's specific choices and objectives. Continuous assessment will take into account two sets of elements: attendance, punctuality, attentiveness, participation, practical work and in-class presentations (40%); and a final-semester test (60%). Non-continuous assessment will consist of a final examination (100%).

CORBETTA, Piergiorgio - Social research: theory, methods and techniques. Londres: SAGE Publications, 2003. GEORGE, Alexander L. & Bennett, Andrew - Case studies and theory development in the social sciences. Cambridge: MIT Press, 2004. HALPERIN, Sandra & HEATH, Oliver - Political research: methods and practical skills. 3ª Edição. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2020. HOWARD, Christopher - Thinking like a political scientist: a practical guide to research methods. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 2017. LAMONT, Christopher - Research methods in international relations. London: SAGE Publications, 2015. NINA, Susana R., SILVEIRA, Pedro, TERRENAS, João, REIS, Liliana (Eds.) - Manual de métodos de investigação em ciência política. Coimbra: Almedina, 2024. ROSELLE, Laura, SHELTON, Joel T., & SPRAY, Sharon - Research and writing in international relations. 3ª Edição. Milton Park: Routledge, 2020.