Semester 4 aims to enhance and apply learning outcomes.

Depending on their Master’s dissertation project and career perspectives, students will:

• stay at University of Paris 13,
• return to the university where the first year of the Master’s was taken,
• or if a student’s project is related to economic policies in a specific world regional context, he may choose one of the third country (associated) partners: Seoul National University (for Asia), University of Massachusetts – Amherst (for North-America), Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (for South-America), Wits University (for Africa).

They will also choose between:

1. Writing the Master’s dissertation in a “research lab environment”.
   Students will be integrated into the relevant university research lab (with access to seminars and research meetings, databases, library and computing resources). They will write their Master’s dissertation in the chosen institution (February-July). Students will be encouraged to select a set of courses (between 20 and 60 hours) (i) to promote their induction in the university (especially in case of mobility) and (ii) to help with their master’s dissertation (methodology, specific advanced courses…). Students are strongly advised to choose the opportunity of staying in a research lab.
2. Writing the Master’s dissertation in the context of a “professional internship”
   The internship will be another opportunity to link the theory with practice and experience in a non academic job, in relation to the chosen option. It will provide experience, a head start to a career and help them to define their projects. Internships may be in industry or in national or international institutions and will last for 4 to 6 months. They must be directly related to the knowledge and skills developed within the EPOG Master’s course. The internship may not be allowed for students registered in option B. Note also that the students willing to do a professional internship will have to find the position and make sure that this position is really consistent with the theoretical issue he/she will investigate for the Master’s thesis.

Students will be jointly tutored by teachers/researchers from the University of Paris 13 and the university of the first year of the Master’s (and, whenever relevant, from the associated partner). Students choosing to work in a “professional environment” will be allocated an internship tutor.

The Master’s dissertation: timing, originality ans assesment

Work on the dissertation will start at the beginning of the 4th semester (February) alongside the internship (for students choosing that route) and alongside the non-mandatory courses described above (for students choosing a “research lab” environment). All students will dedicate at least four months (full time) to the dissertation (internship, “research lab” activities and optional courses directly related to the dissertation).

Professional internships must be directly related to the topic of the Master’s dissertation so that the time can be used as fieldwork in preparation for the dissertation.
The Master’s dissertation will rely on the written document and viva examination. The work will be assessed jointly by the universities awarding the diploma and, where relevant, the university hosting the student for the 4th semester. Associated partners and external personalities will also participate in the assessment of work, mainly for the defence (see below). The more demanding criteria of the European partners will be used as common standards to decide final marks (see below). An important criterion will be the capacity to highlight interdependencies among the economic policy issues students will be dealing with in their dissertations.

A “Global Master’s dissertation conference” (dissertation’s defence) will be held in July of the 4th semester at one of the partner’s institution. 3 “academic” and 3 “non academic” associated members (2 / option) will be invited to participate in the discussion/assessment of the work presented at the conference with tutors. It will be an opportunity for the whole cohort of students to meet and interact for the last time in the Master’s Course. All students will present their work in progress or final dissertation. Conference sessions will be chaired by students, and students will take the part of discussants. The dissertations will be available online, on a dedicated web page. Individual viva examinations will be held at the beginning of September for students who could not present the final version of their work in July (or who failed to meet the academic criteria). Final marks will be agreed following a viva examination. Students starting the 2nd year’s course will be invited to attend the viva examinations of students ending the programme.