Regulation of research work for postgraduate programmes

Agreement by the Official Postgraduate Programme Committee of 9 April 2009, amended by the Official Postgraduate Programme Committee on 30 November 2009, 14 October 2010, 10 July 2013, 27 March 2014 and by the Masters' Academic Committee on 31 July 2014 and on 18 May 2021

 

1. The research paper

Credits are approved based on the submission of a research paper that demonstrates the student's ability to do research and which must be publicly defended before a panel of three doctors from the faculty committee.

The purpose of the research paper is to demonstrate the student researcher's intellectual maturity and capacity. It must be an original work and the result of an individual effort made under the guidance of a supervisor. With regards to an applied research paper, the final project may be signed by a maximum of two authors, but each of them will be responsible for writing their own report. In this case it will be supervised by one single supervisor.

The research must be conducted in accordance with the procedure established to this end for pre-Bologna research-oriented master's and doctoral programmes approved by the Official Postgraduate Programme Committee at its meeting on 1 July 2008. Those master's programmes including this modality of final project will indicate so specifically on their final project website and in all information making reference to it.

 

2. Workload

Each ECTS credit for the research paper is equivalent to 25 hours. This time includes library research and data collection, meetings with the supervisor, and writing.


3. The research paper supervisor

The research is conducted under the supervision of the supervisor assigned to the student by the master's programme coordinator at the tutorial session.

Research papers can be supervised by: doctors who teach on the master's programme; doctors from the department; doctors from the UPF in conjunction with doctors from the department; and doctors from outside the UPF in conjunction with doctors from the department.

In all other cases, the master's programme coordinator must ask for approval from the Official Postgraduate Programme Committee.


4. Delivery of the paper


Upon completion of the paper, one digital copy PDF by email to [email protected] and four hard copies of the paper must be delivered to the department secretary's office. These copies must adhere to the official guidelines.

In the event of any unexpected situations that may prevent in-person submission of the final project, either in general force majeure cases or in a student's specific situation, there may be the option to deliver the project in PDF online. This option may also be chosen as the only means of submission by a specific master's programme coordination.

Form for the delivery of the Master's Final Project

The paper must meet the following formal requirements:

  • Abstract: Maximum of 150 words in the language of the document.
  • Keywords: a list of keywords with a maximum of 200 characters. 
  • The cover must include the following information:
    1. Title of the document 
    2. Author of the document 
    3. Supervisor
    4. Date published: Academic year 20--/-- 
    5. Name of the collection: Department of Communication: Research-oriented postgraduate programmes 
    6. Subcommunity name: Department of Communication 
    7. University's name: Universitat Pompeu Fabra

      Sample cover
  • Format: The document must be in PDF format. Any associated files (images, programs, audio files, video clips, etc.) can be uploaded with text files. It is recommended that widely used file formats be used. Files must be less than 40Mb. Consequently, students may include as many files per document as needed.  

 

5. Defence

The paper must be defended before an assessment committee made up of three doctors assigned by the department to teach the subject 'Research Project'.

Research papers awarded the mark of 'excellent' must be published, once the student has made the changes indicated on the mark certificate, if any, in RECERCAT, a digital repository for Catalan research universities and research centres, with a view to increasing their visibility. So that this can be done, in case the student gets an A grade, they must submit an authorization. Amendments can only be made in case the committee specifies so in the minutes grading document, and with the previous approval from said committee.

 

6. Calendar

The schedule for the final project submission and the defences will be duly announced to students through the usual means (email and website). The period between the submission and the public defence will never be less than fifteen calendar days. During this period, the work will be available to doctors via the department's website.

The period between the appointment of the assessment committee and the defences will never be less than fifteen calendar days. During this period, the work will be available to the appointed committee.

 

7. Rules

These rules and any amendments hereto must be approved by the Official Postgraduate Programme Committee.