Masters Thesis in Network and system administration (MS100A)

Your master thesis should be a project that can be completed in the time allocated of one semester (17 weeks). You should plan this in advance. No extra time will be given. (Any parallel courses that you take are your own responsibilty and you should allow time for catastrophes and normal hindrances.)

Most students will want to choose a project of their own design. If you want to do this, you must discuss this with your tutor by presenting a plan that addresses the necessary content requirements below. The project must be approved by the master course coordinator by the start of November in the autumn/fall semester.

A book you can use for this project: Philip Weaver, Success in Your Project, A Guide to Student Systems Development Projects. Prentice Hall.

Your project must be submitted, printed and bound, and in electronic PDF format. The project must be written in English.

You should try to find a thesis in a subject that is both interesting and which admits analysis. Since the project will be graded mainly on the submitted documentation, it must be a suitable topic on which to write. It could be measurement, or programming or a combination of both. The project must demonstrate:

• That critical questions are asked about an aspect of system administration.
• That previous work has been read and understood, placing the questions in the context of a larger framework.
• A methodology is formulated that aims to resolve those questions.
• Creative design to achieve the goals (programming, experimentation).
• Analysis of data with estimated uncertainty.
• Thoughtful conclusions that address the questions in the project.

Your project should be between 60-100 pages of A4 (equivalent to about three lab reports plus a literature survey essay). It may be on any topic of relevance to Network and System Administration. You should discuss a proposed topic and have it approved by your tutor to make sure that it is suitable. You will have an "internal" advisor at the University of Oslo and an "external" advisor at the College.

The spring semster will be like this:

• Start of master thesis, Monday in week 3 of the new year (January)
• Submission of thesis (printed and bound) Monday on week 21
• Grades are determined by committee.
• Oral presentation of accepted work in weeks 24/25
• A3 posters for each project must be submitted.
• Grades are adjusted and announced.

Deadlines are absolute; extra time for printing and binding of the thesis will not be given.

The oral presentation will be 30 minutes in total, including questions. You are required to submit an A3 poster summary of your project for display.

If your submitted thesis (or oral presentation) does not receive a pass grade, you will not be allowed to present it orally. You may revise and resubmit the work within three months, giving a new oral presentation after acceptance. The maximum grade you can receive on resubmission is E. Theses that receive grades A-E may not be resubmitted.

If the revised thesis fails again, the candidate will lose the right to further study in the Master's programme for a minimum period of two years. After this time the candidate may reapply for the study programme as a new student.

Each student who submits an acceptable thesis must give an oral presentation of 30 minutes that gives an overview of the thesis. This should touch on the following topics:

• Motivation for the project
• Methodology and theory
• Literature survey
• Results and conclusions

Grading of the thesis

• An ability to investigate and solve a problem.
• An ability to be independent.
• An ability to communicate your results, both in text and supporting data.
• Originality: new ideas, creative solutions, elegance.

A - Outstanding. Candidate demonstrates a high level of knowledge and skill in the chosen subject matter and good analytical ability and independent thinking. The project is clearly placed within the framework of an existsing body of knowledge and shows special insight. The candidate demonstrates the ability to use knowledge and analytical methods critically and to communicate results clearly. Relevant references have been read, understood and cited. An outstanding project must show special elegance or originality to distinguish it from a "very good" thesis.

B - Very good. The candidate presents the thesis within a larger framework of research and shows independent thinking, analytical ability and a strong command of the subject matter. The project is skillful in its application of methods and ideas. Relevant references to an existing body of knowledge have been read and understood.

C - Good. The candidate has shown an ability to master the most important elements of the chosen subject matter with a degree of independence. A basic analytical ability is demonstrated. References to earlier work are cited and have been read and understood adequately.

D - Ok. The candidate shows a reasonable level of ability in the chosen area, but lacks the ability for independent work or analysis. Some analytical content is shown, but insufficient to be considered "good". References are lacking or the candidate has not shown a larger picture of the subject matter.

E - Sufficient. A sufficient amount of work has been documented, but the quality of analysis and understanding is limited and incomplete. The candidate does not demonstrate a sufficient understanding of the chosen field.

F - Fail. The candidate has not shown a sufficient understanding of the material to warrant a pass grade. Inadaquate analytical content and understanding or unacceptable plagiarism.

Special Circumstances

Any confidential materials must be clearly declared in advance of submission of the thesis, e.g. work leading to patentable inventions.