2024-2025 / SMEM0019-1

Final thesis

Duration

Number of credits

 Master in biochemistry and molecular and cell biology, research focus25 crédits 
 Master in biochemistry and molecular and cell biology, teaching focus25 crédits 

Lecturer

Collégialité, Claire Périlleux

Coordinator

Claire Périlleux

Language(s) of instruction

French language

Organisation and examination

All year long

Schedule

Schedule online

Units courses prerequisite and corequisite

Prerequisite or corequisite units are presented within each program

Learning unit contents

Students enrolled in Master BBMC must complete a final thesis, normally at the end of their program (Block 2 course). The final thesis is produced under the scientific supervision of (i) a promoter or (ii) a promoter and a co-promoter. The promoter must hold a PhD and be a teacher involved in the Master BBMC or a scientist of the Lfe Science Department (appointed permanently, or for a fixed term, such as the postdoctorat researchers funded by the FRS-FNRS).

With the prior approval of the Jury of the M-BBMC, the thesis project can be carried out in the research department of a private company or in a research laboratory of another Department.

The thesis can not be done on the same topic as the one on which the student worked during his/her internship for the course SSTG0044-1 or SSTG0045-1of Block 2. Any proposition of thesis project must be submitted beforehand to the approval of the BBMC Master Jury, which remains sovereign to rule on any special cases.

 The thesis projects are proposed by the teachers, accompanied by a brief description of the topic and the techniques that will be used by the students. The proposals are grouped in a file that is accessible on eCampus. The choice of the host laboratories by the students must be transmitted to the President of the Jury for the 15th of November, at the latest. A form must be filled in with provisional title and summary. The jury establishes the composition of the reading committee, based on suggestions from the promoter.

Learning outcomes of the learning unit

Prerequisite knowledge and skills

Planned learning activities and teaching methods

Mode of delivery (face to face, distance learning, hybrid learning)

Course materials and recommended or required readings

Exam(s) in session

Any session

- In-person

oral exam

Written work / report


Further information:

1. The manuscript

Manuscripts must be written in French or English. They must be clear and concise. They may not exceed 65 pages of text (75 for the "Didactics" orientation) (line spacing 1.5; font size at least 11) including figures.

The structure of the text includes :

  • An introduction,
  • The aim(s) of the work,
  • A 'Materials and Methods' section,
  • A 'Results' section,
  • A 'Discussion' section,
  • A Bibliography allowing the references cited to be found (complete references with titles of the articles cited).
Manuscripts may include certain appendices such as sequences, sequence alignments, vector/promoter diagrams, and additional figures illustrating certain important results for which figures/illustrations already exist in the body of the text.

The table of contents, list of abbreviations, bibliography and any appendices are not paginated.

Manuscripts must also include a one-page summary giving the title of the dissertation, the name of the student, the year and laboratory in which the work was carried out and the name of the sponsor (and any co-sponsor). This summary describes the objectives, the main results and the general conclusions that can be drawn from the work carried out. If the manuscript is written in English, a summary in French is also written.

The cover page of the dissertation includes the following information:

  • University of Liège and logo
    Department of Life Sciences
    Faculty of Science
    Title of dissertation
    Name of the student
    Grade concerned and orientation/option + date (month, year)
    The host laboratory(ies) and the name of the supervisor (and co-supervisor) may be included.
A reading committee is made up of 3 members, in addition to the promoter and co-promoter, who hold a PhD (or equivalent qualification). It may not include more than 2 members from the same laboratory or more than 3 members from 2 laboratories co-supervising the dissertation.

On the due date, between 8.30am and 5pm, the student sends an electronic copy to the department secretary (Stéphanie Hanson; s.hanson@uliege.be), deposits it on the MatheO platform and sends a pdf to the members of the reading committee. A printed version is sent to any members of the reading committee on their request.

 

2. Oral presentation

The thesis is presented orally in 15 minutes, followed by a 15-minute public defence during which members of the Reading Committee may ask any relevant questions. Members of the Reading Committee who are unable to attend the defence are required to send the Chairman of the Jury their mark for the written work and 3 questions, which the Chairman will ask on their behalf. Moderators (including the Chairman of the Jury) are present throughout the day.

3. Assessment

For the "Approfondie" orientation


A mark is awarded by the promoter for the laboratory work corresponding to the mark for the course BBMC0020-1 (Mémoire, compléments).
One mark is awarded by the reading committee for the written work and compliance with instructions (/10), while two marks are awarded by the reading committee and moderators for the presentation (/5) and defence (/5). These last two marks may be smoothed by the moderators in order to ensure uniformity of scoring. The final mark for the dissertation (SMEM0019-1) is calculated using the following weighting: 40% for the manuscript, 20% for the oral presentation and 40% for the defence.

For the "Didactics" orientation, one mark is given by the promoter for the daily work, another by the reading committee for the written dissertation and another by the reading committee and the moderators for the oral performance (presentation, defence). The mark for the dissertation is calculated by summing these three marks and multiplying them by 0.2, 0.4 and 0.4 respectively.

 

 

 

 

 

Work placement(s)

Organisational remarks and main changes to the course

The final thesis must be presented during an exam session. An out-of-session presentation is only possible for exceptional reasons, with the agreement of the Faculty of Sciences. The choice of the presentation session must be submitted no later than 1 May.

 

Contacts

Claire Périlleux, présidente du jury du master BBMC
 
cperilleux@uliege.be
04/3663833

Association of one or more MOOCs