Master's Dissertation

- Ability to creatively integrate knowledge to solve a problem in a professional context.
- Proficiency in report writing.
. Proficiency in the oral presentation of a project, using the most common audiovisual media.
- Ability to structure a solid defense of personal viewpoints supported by scientific-technical foundations and critical reasoning.

Integrative or synthesis exercise that enables the application of the competencies acquired in the program's courses. This involves the development, presentation, and individual defense before a university panel of a project in any of the fields related to Molecular Biosciences, synthesizing and integrating the competencies acquired throughout the Master’s program.

The Master's Thesis may be carried out within one of the research lines offered by the program’s professors. The specific topic of the project will be assigned to each student by the academic committee of the Master’s program, considering the available research lines, the students’ expressed preferences, and faculty availability.

To assess the relevance or feasibility of a topic to be developed as a Master’s Thesis (TFM), the student must submit a proposal using a standardized form to the Committee of the Master in Biomolecular Sciences. Once the proposal is approved, the TFM may be developed and submitted for public defense.

The TFM regulations of the Faculty of Sciences for this program define the aspects related to the Master’s Thesis.

It will depend on the type of project the student undertakes and its content.

Comp02 – Develop leadership skills to provide timely and creative solutions in complex professional situations.
Comp07 – Ability to gather and interpret relevant data (usually within their area of study) to make judgments that include reflection on relevant social, scientific, or ethical issues.
Comp08 – Ability to communicate conclusions and knowledge in a well-argued manner to both specialized and non-specialized audiences, with clarity and precision, including in foreign languages, primarily English.

Con03 – Understand the fundamentals and applications of leading-edge experimental methods and advanced analytical and molecular techniques used in the field of Molecular Biosciences.


H/D06 – Interpret experimental results and identify consistent and inconsistent elements.
H/D08 – Apply acquired knowledge to the planning and implementation of research projects.
H/D09 – Properly apply acquired knowledge and techniques to analyze a complex situation or concept and find a way to resolve it.

The Master’s Thesis consists of an integrative or synthesis exercise that allows the application of competencies acquired throughout the program. It is fundamentally a personal work module for the student, which also includes personalized tutoring hours with the TFM supervisor.

To carry out and present the TFM, the instructional support methodology will consist of individual tutoring, in order to meet the specific needs of each Master’s Thesis, which must be an original and individual piece of work.
The use of the USC virtual platform will streamline the bidirectional flow of information between student and supervisor, improving the efficiency of the course and facilitating student access to documentation.

The Master’s Thesis will be evaluated by a university panel according to the criteria established in the TFM Regulations.

In cases of fraudulent completion of assignments or tests, the “Regulations on the evaluation of academic performance of students and the review of grades” will apply.

Study Time and Independent Work
The student, along with the proposal, must submit a timeline detailing the actions to be taken and their temporal distribution, in a way that justifies the total number of hours needed to complete the TFM: 300 hours.
The academic activity comprises 12 ECTS credits, distributed as follows:
Seminars: 6.5 hours
Individual tutorials: 18.5 hours
Master’s Thesis: 425 hours of student work

Make frequent use of tutorials for any type of issue related to the course.

Nature of the Master’s Thesis: It consists of the development of an individual project that must be an original piece of work demonstrating the knowledge and skills acquired during the Master’s program. According to the Regulations for Enrollment, Preparation, and Defense of Bachelor's and Master’s Theses of the University of Santiago de Compostela, approved by the Governing Council on March 10, 2016, it will include, at a minimum, tasks involving literature search and review, reading and integration of information, preparation of relevant content, writing, presentation, and public defense.

Master’s Theses must have a supervisor who will guide the student throughout the process. Co-supervisors may also be appointed with predefined roles. The methodology for the work will be defined by the supervisor and co-supervisors, depending on the type of TFM the student is to carry out.

Once the work is completed, the student must prepare a report to be submitted to the corresponding panel.

The TFM will be evaluated by a university panel according to the criteria set forth in the TFM Regulations and based on the TFM Assessment Rubric.

Both the regulations and the rubric will be prepared by the Academic Committee of the program in accordance with the Regulations for Enrollment, Preparation, and Defense of Bachelor’s and Master’s Theses of the University of Santiago de Compostela and the course syllabus.



Regulations on Data Protection and Use of Images in Academic Work and External Internships
According to the Rectoral Resolution on the procedure for prior evaluation of academic work involving human participation, sample collection, or processing of personal data, Final Degree Projects (TFG), Master's Theses (TFM), as well as external internships and the Practicum, must strictly comply with current data protection regulations.
This means that students must:
• Clearly identify what personal data is being collected and for what purpose.
• Obtain the necessary consent from the individuals involved.
• Ensure the confidentiality and security of the processed information.
• Respect the rights of the participants at all times.
In any case, if the academic work or internship involves processing personal data, it is mandatory to obtain a favorable report from the USC Bioethics Committee. To do so, students must first submit a request for evaluation to the Preliminary Evaluation Committee for Academic Work at the Faculty of Sciences.
Protection of Personal Image and Use of Audiovisual Content
• It is prohibited to take photographs or record videos of individuals or facilities without the explicit authorization of the host institution.
• Even with prior authorization, images or videos must not allow the identification of minors or professionals (for example, they must be taken from behind or only show hands).
• It is strictly forbidden to publish any audiovisual material or information about minors or educational centers on social media or any other platform, beyond what is included in the Final Report.
For more information on legal obligations regarding personal data protection, please consult the USC privacy policy at:
https://www.usc.gal/en/politica-privacidad-proteccion-datos
https://www.usc.gal/gl/institucional/goberno/area/secretaria-xeral/prot…