Examination arrangement

Course content

The master's thesis consists of an independent project work relevant for Health Management in Aquaculture. This project work is normally linked to ongoing research activity at the department. During the master thesis, students will learn to work systematically within a specific area and also learn to acquire detailed knowledge and skills through practical work and literature study.

Learning outcome

A candidate with a completed a master thesis in MSAQUAH should have the following learning outcomes in terms of knowledge, skills and competence:

Knowledge is an understanding of theories, facts, concepts, principles and procedures in relevant health and welfare issues and/or professions.

After completing the master project the candidate should have:

• Detailed scientific knowledge of main health and welfare issues in aquaculture
• Knowledge of the scientific and legal basis for aquaculture health-oriented studies and be familiar with how such studies are conducted and reported in a scientific format
• Have a scientific methodological foundation as a basis and be able to expand this to answer new questions in health and welfare in aquaculture
• Be familiar with past and recent developments of relevant methodology in aquaculture health and welfare and be able to analyze new upcoming issues in the field.

Skills are the ability to apply knowledge to solve problems and tasks.

After completing the master project, the MSAQUAH master candidate should, based on new knowledge in health and welfare management in aquaculture, be able to:

• Critically evaluate different sources of aquaculture health and welfare information on new relevant methods that can be used in their field.
• Analyze and evaluate the scientific relevance and suitability of methods for investigation of aquaculture health and welfare management, among these newer digital methods that generate large datasets.
• Use new and established methods to independently determine health and welfare of farmed fish
• Participate in a relevant research project and, under supervision, be able to carry out an independent part of the research work and report the results in a scientific format

General competence is the ability to apply knowledge and skills independently in different situations in educational and professional contexts by showing collaboration ability, responsibility, ability to reflect and critical thinking.

Upon completion of the course, the MSAQUAH master candidate should, based on his new knowledge and skills in aquaculture health and welfare management, be able to:

• Have an active relationship to relevant issues within the scientific basis of aquaculture health and welfare management and with ethical issues of research, especially issues of animal welfare
• Apply their knowledge and skills to carry out advanced projects and other tasks in the field of aquaculture health and welfare management
• Master written and oral scientific rhetoric’s as a basis for dissemination and other communication in their field
• Communicate academic issues and important conclusions within their methodical subject area with professional experts, colleagues and with the public
• Contribute to new concepts and methodology for aquaculture health and welfare management, including use of digital methods and handling of big data.

Learning methods and activities

All students doing their master's thesis at the Faculty of Natural Sciences should conclude an agreement regarding counselling. The standard contact period with the supervisor(s) is 25 hours for a master thesis of 30 credits. Any contact between supervisor/s and student beyond this, depends on the supervisor(s) choice of supervision methodology. It is expected that the student works independently beyond the standard contact period.

Further on evaluation

The ordinary deadline for submission of the thesis is 15th of May, unless otherwise agreed with the Department.

The oral defense of the thesis project consists of a presentation and a discussion. Oral presentation of max. 30 min. Questions and discussion related to the presentation and thesis usually have a duration of 60 min. Partner university representatives will join.

Permitted examination aids are to be determined in cooperation with your supervisor. Normal rules apply for appealing the grade. A new oral defense is only arranged if the new examiners disagree with the grade given in the original evaluation.

Specific conditions

Recommended previous knowledge

The student must have been accepted, followed the teaching in first semester in UGent, and taken the exams of MSAQUAH in the learning line of NTNU.

Required previous knowledge

Knowledge, skills and competence achieved through semester 1-3 in MSAQUAH, Erasmus Mundus master program in Health Management in Aquaculture