BE-501 Master's Thesis in Business Administration (Spring 2027)

To be assigned a supervisor for the master’s thesis, students must have successfully completed a bachelor’s degree that meets the program’s admission requirements—typically a degree in Business Administration, Accounting and Auditing, or an equivalent qualification aligned with the Universities Norway (UHR) 2018 framework for business programs.

In addition, students must have completed at least 60 ECTS credits at the master’s level, including a methodology course relevant to their chosen specialization.

Approved methodology courses include:

• ME-423 Research Methods
• BE-421 Econometrics for Business Research
• ME-431 Quantitative Methods in Finance
• SE-419 Financial Econometrics (for the Analytical Finance specialization)

Upon successful completion of the master’s thesis, the student will be able to:

• Demonstrate comprehensive knowledge of the subject area relevant to the thesis.
• Critically evaluate academic research, including identifying strengths, limitations, and relevance.
• Apply appropriate scientific theories and methods to investigate a research question, including—but not limited to—empirical analysis.
• Design and execute an independent, substantial research project in accordance with academic and ethical standards.
• Communicate research findings effectively in accordance with scholarly conventions.
• Reflect on and uphold ethical principles and academic integrity throughout the research process, including data handling, authorship, and responsible conduct of research.

The master’s thesis must be relevant to the student’s chosen specialization. In cases where two students with different specializations collaborate, the topic must be clearly aligned with both areas of study.

The thesis topic may be proposed by the student, suggested by faculty, or developed in collaboration with external partners. However, the final research question must be formulated by the student, in consultation with their assigned supervisor.

The thesis is expected to demonstrate a strong connection between its theoretical foundation and methodological approach. It should adopt an analytical perspective and, in most cases, include an empirical investigation of the research question. The work must adhere to established academic standards, including ethical research conduct and proper scholarly reporting.

Detailed guidelines for the master’s thesis will be provided by the faculty and made available in Canvas.

The master’s thesis is normally written in pairs. Students who wish to write individually must apply for approval. Supervision is provided in accordance with a formal supervision agreement. The expected workload for the course is approximately 810 hours.

At the beginning of the final semester, students participate in a thesis seminar as part of the supervision process. The seminar focuses on the research process and on how to effectively communicate findings to different audiences.

Please note that the thesis seminar is only offered during the spring semester. Students submitting their thesis in the autumn will not have access to this seminar.

The master’s thesis accounts for 100% of the final grade, which is awarded on the A–F letter scale. The grade is assigned to the group as a whole.

The thesis may be submitted in either the spring or autumn semester. Examination results will be announced within six weeks of submission.