Undergraduate dissertation

To apply the knowledge acquired throughout the degree in the planning and development of a specific communication project that covers all the processes related to media communication, from research and media communication skills to the ability to project a business project.

The TFG consists of the preparation of an original work in which the knowledge, competences and skills acquired during the studies carried out in the Degree programme are accredited. It will include, as a minimum, tasks such as literature search and review, reading and integration of information, elaboration of relevant information, writing, presentation and defense. The TFG has the objective of issuing reflections of a social, scientific, professional, technological or ethical nature; on the other hand, to resolve products that renew and complete those models, applications and paradigms learned during the degree, and which are the result of an original ideation and production by their authors.

The specific ideas of the TFG lines are proposed and approved each year, so the contents of the TFG must be adjusted to what is established in the annual call published by the Faculty of Communication Sciences.

The TFG involves the completion by each student of an original work under the supervision of one or more academic tutors. It may be carried out individually or in a group (not exceeding five people), in Galician, Spanish or English. There are two types of TFG:
a) written theoretical study;
b) applied practical project.

The two types of work will respond to the minimum structure and presentation of an academic presentation and, as advised by the tutors depending on the characteristics of the work, this may be:
- Outside cover: USC logo, degree, academic year, title of the work, full name of the student and tutor(s).
- Inside cover: title of the work in Galician, Spanish and English.
- Abstracts (max. 200 words) and keywords (5) in Galician, Spanish and English.
- Index of chapters and sections.
- Development of the contents depending on the type of dissertation. In the case of a theoretical study, the following sections should be included: (a) introduction (state of the art or background, theoretical framework, motivation, formulation of the problem, objectives, questions or hypotheses); (b) methodology (type of research, research design, working methods, techniques and instruments used); (b) results (description and interpretation of the data, analysis). In the case of an applied practical project, it is appropriate to present a production report with the contents agreed with the tutor.
- Conclusions.
- References (APA style).
- Annexes, if applicable.


Formal requirements

Written theoretical study

This is a written work of research or exploration of a subject in which theoretical concepts or principles are related, or also, of verification of a certain methodological procedure that provides a new vision on a subject or concept studied in one or several subjects of a module or subjects of several modules of the degree. On the other hand, this type of theoretical work includes bibliographical reports focused on the review of concepts, principles or methods that compare, review the trajectory or development of knowledge in one or several authors.

This category also includes those written proposals that are oriented towards a reflective and applied realisation of a specific scientific or professional practice. Also those works specifically focused on the estimation, evaluation and applied interpretation that attempt, from the data obtained in the practice of exploration, to promote a specific idea or action, or to resolve a problem of a social and/or cultural nature (institutional, groups, organisations, etc.).

In any case, the theoretical study must provide an update or innovation through theoretical argumentation, analysis or interpretation of the data or procedures, integration of the information gathered by the author of the work, defining the elements, agents, contexts... that intervene in the process or that are necessary to resolve a theoretical contribution, a procedural design or a bibliographical review in a research.

The length of the study, according to the hours of dedication to the work, must reach 50 written pages (15,000 words), excluding notes and references that will be provided at the end of the document.


The TFG consists of the preparation of an original work in which the knowledge, competences and skills acquired during the studies carried out in the Degree programme are accredited. It will include, as a minimum, tasks such as literature search and review, reading and integration of information, elaboration of relevant information, writing, presentation and defense. The TFG has the objective of issuing reflections of a social, scientific, professional, technological or ethical nature; on the other hand, to resolve products that renew and complete those models, applications and paradigms learned during the degree, and which are the result of an original ideation and production by their authors.

The specific ideas of the TFG lines are proposed and approved each year, so the contents of the TFG must be adjusted to what is established in the annual call published by the Faculty of Communication Sciences.

The TFG involves the completion by each student of an original work under the supervision of one or more academic tutors. It may be carried out individually or in a group (not exceeding five people), in Galician, Spanish or English. There are two types of TFG:
a) written theoretical study;
b) applied practical project.

The two types of work will respond to the minimum structure and presentation of an academic presentation and, as advised by the tutors depending on the characteristics of the work, this may be:
- Outside cover: USC logo, degree, academic year, title of the work, full name of the student and tutor(s).
- Inside cover: title of the work in Galician, Spanish and English.
- Abstracts (max. 200 words) and keywords (5) in Galician, Spanish and English.
- Index of chapters and sections.
- Development of the contents depending on the type of dissertation. In the case of a theoretical study, the following sections should be included: (a) introduction (state of the art or background, theoretical framework, motivation, formulation of the problem, objectives, questions or hypotheses); (b) methodology (type of research, research design, working methods, techniques and instruments used); (b) results (description and interpretation of the data, analysis). In the case of an applied practical project, it is appropriate to present a production report with the contents agreed with the tutor.
- Conclusions.
- References (APA style).
- Annexes, if applicable.


Formal requirements

Written theoretical study

This is a written work of research or exploration of a subject in which theoretical concepts or principles are related, or also, of verification of a certain methodological procedure that provides a new vision on a subject or concept studied in one or several subjects of a module or subjects of several modules of the degree. On the other hand, this type of theoretical work includes bibliographical reports focused on the review of concepts, principles or methods that compare, review the trajectory or development of knowledge in one or several authors.

This category also includes those written proposals that are oriented towards a reflective and applied realisation of a specific scientific or professional practice. Also those works specifically focused on the estimation, evaluation and applied interpretation that attempt, from the data obtained in the practice of exploration, to promote a specific idea or action, or to resolve a problem of a social and/or cultural nature (institutional, groups, organisations, etc.).

In any case, the theoretical study must provide an update or innovation through theoretical argumentation, analysis or interpretation of the data or procedures, integra tion of the information gathered by the author of the work, defining the elements, agents, contexts... that intervene in the process or that are necessary to resolve a theoretical contribution, a procedural design or a bibliographical review in a research.

The length of the study, according to the hours of dedication to the work, must reach 50 written pages (15,000 words), excluding notes and references that will be provided at the end of the document.

In the case of group work, it is advisable that the number of authors does not exceed three people. In any case, in accordance with the regulations, tutors may coordinate group studies between several TFG, from different treatments or approaches, with the same objectives and convergent production results. The texts must be longer than the length required for individual projects, reaching the length considered appropriate by the tutor for the best development of the work. After the text of the study and its respective notes and references, the authors will add a commentary of five pages (1500 words) per person, indicating: name and surname of the student and the following sections: (a) functions and tasks performed; (b) procedures used to solve their tasks; (c) experience and training obtained; (d) constructive criticism regarding the study carried out in group, indicating possible discrepancies or personal proposals that would improve that work.

Applied practical project

This is an experimental type of work that gives rise to products in different arts and media -graphic, sound, audiovisual, digital, multimedia, etc.-, in one medium or in the combination of several of those expressed and possible, paying attention to the final outcome and its dissemination, to the considerations of the context and artistic, technical, professional resources and/or to the production processes. The projects must reflect the learning of the subjects of the degree.

Students and teaching staff are advised, in view of the length of these projects, to take into account, in their production forecast, the deadlines for the completion and delivery of the TFG defense.

In any case, the effort in the project work will have to be equivalent in hours to the number of credits awarded for the subject in this degree.

For its defense, in addition, an explanatory written report will be provided with a length that must be in accordance with the complexity of the project and the hours spent on the work carried out. Its dimension, as part of the delivered product, must be considered and mutually agreed between the tutor and the student.

In the case of group projects, this work may not be carried out by more than five students. However, in accordance with the regulations, tutors may coordinate projects between several works, from different treatments or approaches, with the same objectives and convergent production results. Following the report, the authors will add a five-page commentary (1500 words) per person, indicating: name and surname of the student and the following sections: (a) functions and tasks performed; (b) procedures used to solve their tasks; (c) experience and training obtained; (d) constructive criticism regarding the study carried out in group, indicating possible discrepancies or personal proposals that would improve that work.

It will be recommended by the tutor, depending on the specific needs of each TFG.

BASIC AND GENERAL COMPETENCES (CB and GC)
CB2 - Students must be able to apply their knowledge to their work or vocation in a professional manner and possess the competences that are usually demonstrated through the development and competences usually demonstrated through the elaboration and defense of arguments and the resolution of problems within their area of study
CB3 - Students have the ability to gather and interpret relevant data (usually within their field of study) in order to make judgements which include reflection on relevant social, scientific or ethical issues
CB4 - Students are able to communicate information, ideas, problems and solutions to both specialist and non-specialist audiences
CB5 - Students should have developed the learning skills necessary to undertake further studies with a high degree of autonomy
GC1 - Basic contextual competence of transdisciplinary order
GC2 - Contextual competence to situate journalism in the communication field
CG3 - Competence to exercise the profession with professional ethics and civic commitment

TRANSVERSAL COMPETENCES (CT)
CT1 - Organisational and planning skills
CT2 - Information management skills
CT3 - Teamwork
CT4 - Autonomous learning
CT5 - Creativity
CT6 - Initiative and entrepreneurial spirit
CT7 - Basic knowledge of the profession

The methodology will be proposed by each tutor according to the specific needs of each project. Depending on its nature, it may require technical facilities and equipment.

Each student will have a teacher in charge of their tutoring from among the teaching staff of the areas that teach on the degree. The function of the tutors is to authorise and prepare with the student the work proposal to be presented in the corresponding call, to advise on research methodologies and instruments, references and materials for the achievement of the work and to monitor the student's tasks until the defense of the work. The tutor, at the same time, will organise a schedule of attention to the student in tutorings according to the teaching load of the TFG corresponding to the degree.

The tutors must issue a report of conformity with the defense (prior to the application) and an assessment report, either to qualify the completion of the individual work of a single student or the individual assessment of each of the authors, in the case of group work. This assessment report will be submitted to the examining board at the time of the defense for its consideration.

The assessment system considers the work prepared and its presentation in a public act, through two types of defense that students can choose. In accordance with the regulations, the student must have passed the rest of the credits of the Degree in order to carry out the defense of the TFG.

The following aspects will be taken into account in the assessment:
- Relevance of the object of study selected for the profession, both in terms of scientific knowledge and contribution to professional practice.
- Justification of the decision-making process in the preparation of the dissertation.
- Written presentation of the TFG.
- Oral presentation and defense of the TFG (maximum presentation time: 15 minutes).

The final grade will consist of:
- Assessment of the written TFG: 70%.
- Presentation and defense of the TFG: 30%.
In the case of group work, the grade will always be individual, with the participation of each student being evaluated in the overall result.

1) Defense to the examining board
The work will be assessed by a panel made up of three faculty members of the USC who teach in the Degree in Journalism, of which the tutor may be a member. The members of the panels that will assess the TFG and the substitutes will be appointed by the Academic and TFG Committee for each call. The evaluation by a panel in public defense will be a requirement to opt for a qualification higher than "Notable" and the mention "With Honours". The examining board will take into account the tutor's assessment report during the examination, with informative character but without specific weight in the grade.

2) Defense to the tutor
In this case, the tutor will be in charge of the evaluation and grading, which may not be higher than a "Notable".

The evaluation system in the second opportunity will be the same as in the first opportunity.

• In the case of plagiarism or improper use of technology in the performance of tasks or tests: "For cases of fraudulent performance of exercises or tests, the provisions of the Regulations on the assessment of students' academic performance and review of qualifications shall apply".
• The defense of the work will take place on the date and at the time stated in the notification. If the student does not attend the defense, his/her grade will be No Show.

The TFG in the Degree in Journalism requires the completion of 12 ECTS credits (300 hours). For this, the student must dedicate a total of 10 hours to tutoring and the remaining 290 hours to personal work on the project and the preparation of its presentation.

For a better monitoring of the TFG, it is recommended to read the Regulations of the Final Degree Project and the call published by the Faculty of Communication Sciences each academic year.

TFG website of the Faculty of Communication Sciences:
https://www.usc.gal/es/centro/facultad-ciencias-comunicacion/tfg