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General Regulations – Masters Degrees

The following regulations apply to all Masters degrees published in this Calendar unless otherwise stated. As far as possible they are to be read in conjunction with the specific degree regulations for each Masters degree.

(i) a Masters is a Research Masters if it includes a thesis or research portfolio of at least 90 points, otherwise it is a Taught Masters

(ii) a research essay or research project will normally be worth no more than 45 points

(iii) a dissertation will be worth at least 40 points and less than 90 points

(iv) a research portfolio or thesis will normally be worth 90 or 120 points

(v) for the purposes of these regulations only, full-time enrolment is 50 points or more in one semester or 25 points or more in one quarter, otherwise the semester or quarter enrolment (and any Summer School enrolment) is part-time.

General Requirements

1 A student enrolled for a Masters degree at this University must pass the full points value specified in the degree regulations. The total enrolment may not exceed the minimum points requirement for the degree by more than 40 points.

Duration of Enrolment

2 a The requirements for a Masters degree must be completed in accordance with the following time limits and the thesis or research portfolio due dates in Regulation 2e.

(i) The date of initial enrolment is deemed to be:

(a) the start date of the enrolment in the thesis or research portfolio where the programme commences with a thesis or research portfolio enrolment

(b) the first term in which a student enrolled for a course which is assigned or reassigned to the programme.

(ii) One period of Summer School enrolment counts towards the time limit as one semester of part-time enrolment, but is not counted if a thesis or research portfolio enrolment has already commenced.

(iii) Where a student’s enrolment is partially full-time and partially part-time, the part-time time limit applies, provided that:

(a) one semester of full-time enrolment counts as two semesters of part-time enrolment

(b) one quarter of full-time enrolment counts as two quarters of part-time enrolment.

(iv) Where a student’s enrolment is entirely full-time, it must be in consecutive semesters or quarters.

(v) Where a student’s enrolment is at least partially part-time, up to a maximum of four semesters or four quarters of non-enrolment may occur provided that:

(a) One semester of non-enrolment counts towards the time limit as one semester of part-time enrolment.

(b) One quarter of non-enrolment counts towards the time limit as one quarter of part-time enrolment.

(c) Any semesters or quarters of non-enrolment occur prior to commencement of a thesis or research portfolio enrolment.

b Enrolment in a Research Masters degree must conclude with the submission of the thesis or research portfolio.

c Enrolment in the thesis or research portfolio must commence on either 1 December, 1 March or 15 July and continue until the submission of the thesis or research portfolio.

d A student must enrol in thesis or research portfolio points in no fewer than two and no more than four consecutive semesters until the thesis or research portfolio points requirement is satisfied and subject to the time limits in Regulation 2a.

  e    A thesis or research portfolio must be submitted by the following due dates:

1 The final semester of enrolment depends on the start date of the thesis or research portfolio and the number of semesters (either two, three or four) in which a student is enrolled in thesis or research portfolio points before they satisfy the thesis or research portfolio points requirement.

2 These due dates provide 12 months of continuous enrolment in the thesis or research portfolio for students completing their thesis or research portfolio points enrolment in two consecutive semesters, and 18 or 24 months of continuous enrolment for other students (by enrolment in thesis or research portfolio points in three or four consecutive semesters respectively).

3 This due date occurs within the final semester of enrolment.

4 This due date is in the same year as the final semester of enrolment

5 This due date is in the year following the final semester of enrolment.

f A student enrolled in a 240 point Research Masters must complete at least 105 points of coursework prior to enrolment in the thesis or research portfolio.

g A student enrolled in a 300 point Research Masters must complete at least 180 points of coursework prior to enrolment in the thesis or research portfolio.

h A student enrolled in a 360 point Research Masters must complete at least 240 points of coursework prior to enrolment in the thesis or research portfolio.

Completion of Requirements

3 a A student enrolled in a thesis or research portfolio must complete at least one progress review during their research. Failure to complete a progress review by the required due date may result in enrolment in the thesis or research portfolio being suspended.

b Thesis or Research Portfolio Extension of Time

(i) If, in exceptional circumstances beyond the student’s control, a thesis or research portfolio has not been able to be completed by the due date specified in Regulation 2, the Supervisor may approve a limited extension of time, not exceeding one month in total, and the Associate Dean Postgraduate Research may approve a limited extension of time, not exceeding eight months in total (including any extension approved by the Supervisor), for the work to be completed. The Supervisor may not decline an application for an extension but may refer it to the Associate Dean Postgraduate Research with a recommendation that it be declined.

(ii) If an extension application is declined by the Associate Dean Postgraduate Research, the student may make an application for a review of that decision. An application for review must be made in writing to the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Education) within one month of the decline being officially communicated to the student. The application must clearly set out the grounds for the review, and all relevant documents relied upon must be submitted with the application for review. The decision of the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Education) will be final. 

(iii) If an application is received for an extension of beyond eight months, or the application is received more than two weeks after the deadline for submission of the research component to which it applies, then the application must be forwarded, with a recommendation from the Associate Dean Postgraduate Research, to the Pro-Vice Chancellor (Education) for a decision.

(iv) The Pro Vice-Chancellor (Education) may approve a limited extension of time of up to eight months or more than eight months. The decision of the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Education) will be final.

(v) If an extension is approved, a student will be enrolled in an extension course and pay tuition fees at the rate of 5 points for each one-month period or part thereof. This will only apply when the student’s current enrolment period in the thesis or research portfolio has ended.

(vi) In extraordinary circumstances the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Education) may approve extensions of time beyond those permitted in 3b(i) for an individual or nominated group of students and may waive part or all of any tuition fees for extension courses related to theses or research portfolios for these students.

c Dissertation/Research Essay/Research Project

(i) The specified date for submission of a dissertation, research essay or research project that is included in a masters degree is the last day of the final term of enrolment in the dissertation, research essay or research project. If, in exceptional circumstances beyond the student’s control, the dissertation, research essay or research project has not been able to be completed by the last day of the final term of enrolment in the dissertation, research essay or research project, the Supervisor may approve a limited extension of time, not exceeding one month in total, and the Associate Dean Postgraduate Research may approve a limited extension of time, not exceeding two months in total (including any extension approved by the Supervisor), for the work to be completed. The Supervisor may not decline an application for an extension but may refer it to the Associate Dean Postgraduate Research with a recommendation that it be declined.

(ii) If an extension application is declined by the Associate Dean Postgraduate Research, the student may make an application for a review of that decision. An application for review must be made in writing to the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Education) within one month of the decline being officially communicated to the student. The application must clearly set out the grounds for the review, and all relevant documents relied upon must be submitted with the application for review. The decision of the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Education) will be final.

(iii) If an application is received for an extension of beyond two months, or the application is received more than two weeks after the deadline for submission of the research component to which it applies, then the application must be forwarded, with a recommendation from the Associate Dean Postgraduate Research, to the Pro-Vice Chancellor (Education) for a decision.

(iv) The Pro Vice-Chancellor (Education) may approve a limited extension of time of up to two months or more than two months. The decision of the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Education) will be final.

(v) If an extension is approved, a student will be enrolled in an extension course and pay tuition fees at the rate of 5 points for each one-month period or part thereof. This will only apply when the student’s current enrolment period in the dissertation, research essay or research project has ended.

(vi) In extraordinary circumstances the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Education) may approve extensions of time beyond those permitted in 3c(i) for an individual or nominated group of students and may waive part or all of any tuition fees for extension courses related to dissertations, research essays or research projects for these students.

d  Other courses

Extensions of time to complete work in courses other than a dissertation, research essay, research portfolio, research project, or thesis will not be granted beyond the end of the semester(s) or quarter(s) of enrolment in the course.

e  Failed courses

A student who has failed a course or courses totalling no more than 40 points may be approved by the Associate Dean Postgraduate Research to enrol for no more than one further consecutive semester or quarter beyond the duration of enrolment for completion specified in Regulation 2 in order to complete the degree.

4 a Where the specific degree regulations include a provision for Honours, a Masters degree may be awarded with Honours where a student’s overall grade is sufficiently high and where the student has passed a research component of at least 30 points, comprising a single identifiable course.

b There are two classes of Honours: First Class Honours and Second Class Honours. Second Class Honours are awarded in either First Division or Second Division.

c First Class Honours may be awarded where a student has achieved an overall Grade Point Average of 7.0 or higher. Second Class Honours First Division may be awarded where a student has achieved an overall Grade Point Average between and including 5.50 and 6.94. Second Class Honours Second Division may be awarded where a student has achieved an overall Grade Point Average between and including 4.0 and 5.4. The overall Grade Point Average will be rounded to one decimal place for the purpose of this Honours calculation.

d For the purposes of the calculation of the award of Honours only courses completed at the University of Auckland will be included. Fail grades and Did Not Sit and Did Not Complete grades will count as zero.

e Where the requirements for a Masters degree including a research component of at least 30 points have been completed with an extension granted in accordance with Regulation 3, a student’s eligibility for honours will be retained.

Distinction or Merit

5 a Where the specific degree regulations include a provision for Distinction or Merit, and Honours has not been awarded, the Masters degree may be awarded with Distinction or Merit where a student’s grade is sufficiently high.

b Distinction may be awarded where a student has achieved an overall Grade Point Average of 7.0 or higher. Merit may be awarded where a student has achieved an overall Grade Point Average between and including 5.50 and 6.94. The overall Grade Point Average will be rounded to one decimal place for the purpose of this Honours calculation.

c For the purposes of the calculation of the award of Distinction or Merit only courses completed at the University of Auckland will be included. Did Not Sit and Did Not Complete grades will count as zero.

6 a The student is to submit a digital copy of their thesis to the relevant faculty in accordance with Regulations 2 and 3.

b The digital thesis shall be formatted as specified in the Guidelines for Formatting a Digital Thesis at the University of Auckland.

c The Associate Dean Postgraduate Research (or nominee) of the faculty is responsible for transmitting copies of the thesis to the examiners.

d Where the outcome of the examination is to award a thesis a passing grade:

(i) Within one month of being advised of the outcome of the examination, the student must complete any minor corrections required to the satisfaction of the supervisor and deposit a digital copy of the thesis in ResearchSpace in the University Library. The relevant faculty will confirm that the thesis has been deposited in ResearchSpace.

(ii) The thesis will be accessible through the University’s digital repository unless embargoed under Regulation 25 of the Examination Regulations.

e Where the outcome of the examination is to award a thesis a fail grade the thesis will not be held in the University’s digital repository.

Research Portfolios

7 a The student is to submit a digital copy of their research portfolio to the relevant faculty in accordance with Regulations 2 and 3.

b The Associate Dean Postgraduate Research (or nominee) of the faculty is responsible for transmitting copies to the examiners.

c Copies of research portfolios are not deposited in the University’s digital repository.

Dissertations/Research Essays/Research Projects

8 a The student is to submit a digital copy of their dissertation, research essay or research projects to the supervisor or department in accordance with Regulations 2 and 3.

b The relevant academic unit is responsible for transmitting copies to the examiners.

c Copies of dissertations, research essays and research projects are not deposited with the University’s digital repository.

Substitutions and Failed Courses

9 Masters students may not change their enrolment in a course after the last date approved for Changes to Current Enrolment except as outlined in the Enrolment and Programme Regulations.

10 A Masters student may not normally re-enrol in a failed course except as provided for in the regulations relating to aegrotat and compassionate passes. In exceptional circumstances, the student may apply to the Associate Dean Postgraduate Research, on the recommendation of the Programme Director, for permission to re-enrol in the course.

11 a (i) In exceptional circumstances the Associate Dean Postgraduate Research, on the recommendation of the Programme Director, may grant a period of suspension from enrolment not normally exceeding one year for enrolment in a thesis or research portfolio or two consecutive semesters, or four quarters, for enrolment in other courses. In such cases the period of suspension will not count towards the time limits for the degree.

(ii) If a suspension application is declined by the Associate Dean Postgraduate Research, the student may make an application for a review of that decision. An application for review must be made in writing to the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Education) within one month of the decline being officially communicated to the student. The application must clearly set out the grounds for the review, and all relevant documents relied upon must be submitted with the application for review. The decision of the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Education) will be final.

b In exceptional circumstances the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Education) may approve a period of suspension of enrolment exceeding two consecutive terms on the recommendation of the Associate Dean Postgraduate Research. In such cases the period of suspension will not count towards the time limits for the degree. The decision of the Pro-Vice Chancellor will be final.

c If a suspension application is received from a student after an extension application for the same research component has been approved, or for a term prior to the current term of enrolment, the application must be forwarded to the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Education) for a decision. If approved the period of suspension will not count towards the time limits for the degree. The decision of the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Education) will be final.

Transfer Credits, Cross-credits and Reassignments

12 a Transfer credits

(i) Transfer credits may be awarded for a Taught Masters degree or the taught component of a Research Masters degree with a total points value of more than 120 points as specified in the Credit Regulations.

(ii) Except as provided for in the Credit Regulations, transfer credits may not be awarded for a Research Masters degree.

b Cross-credits

Courses may not be cross-credited into or from a Masters degree.

c Reassignments

(i) With the approval of the Programme Director, courses may be reassigned as specified in the Credit Regulations.

(ii) If enrolment in the Masters degree is not being discontinued, approval to reassign must not be given if the courses proposed to be reassigned meet the requirements for the Masters degree and the reassignment will result in an increase in the grade point average for the Masters degree. 

Certificate of Proficiency

13 a The Certificate of Proficiency regulations under ‘Other Programmes’ apply.

b A course passed for a Certificate of Proficiency may be reassigned to a Taught Masters degree, or the taught component of a Research Masters degree with a total points value of more than 120 points as specified in the Credit Regulations.

c A course passed for a Certificate of Proficiency may not be reassigned to a Research Masters degree except as specified in 13b above.

Transitional Certificate

14 The Transitional Certificate regulations under ‘Other Programmes’ apply. A Transitional Certificate course may not be reassigned to a Masters degree.

Appeal of Thesis, Research Portfolio, Dissertation, Research Essay or Research Essay examination outcome

15 a A student may appeal the outcome of a thesis, research portfolio, dissertation, research essay or research project examination only on the grounds that the result was materially impacted by a procedural flaw in the examination process.

b Any application for appeal must be lodged within three months of the result of the examination being officially communicated to the student.

c Appeals will be considered in accordance with the Examination of Sub-Doctoral Postgraduate Research Components of 30 Points and Above Procedures.

Delegation of decision-making

16 a The decision makers named in these regulations may delegate their decision-making power under these regulations to another nominated role. This delegation must be in writing.

b Where decision-making authority is delegated:

(i) The delegated authority can be exercised in the same way and to the same effect as if the original listed decision maker performed or exercised it .

(ii) The decision maker that made the original delegation remains responsible for the performance or exercise of the authority. 

17 In exceptional circumstances the Provost may approve a variation to the General Regulations – Masters Degrees.

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THESIS PROPOSAL GUIDELINES

Pharmacology graduate students are required to prepare a written Thesis Research Proposal describing the scope and aims of your thesis project. This necessitates that you put careful thought into your research and develop in writing the hypotheses you are testing and the detailed proposed approaches to investigate them. The Steering Committee will review your status after the semester of your proposal defense to determine whether you should be advanced to candidacy for the PhD. The Committee will consider your record in course work, evaluations from faculty mentors and the reports from your Qualifying Exam and Thesis Proposal defense when taking this decision.

 The defense of your proposal should take place within the Fall  term of your third year (second year for MSTPs). By setting up an early defense, we hope to help you meet our program’s goal for students to finish in 4 - 5 years.

 Unlike for the Qualifying exam, you are responsible for selecting your own committee for the Thesis Proposal Defense. Your committee should consist of three faculty. One faculty member at least must be part of the Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology Graduate program

( https://www.stonybrook.edu/commcms/mcp/faculty/index.php#Alphabetical )

and one must be an external member (i.e., not listed in the faculty page linked above, but could be a faculty member at Stony Brook). The third member can be internal or external. Only an internal member can serve as committee Chair. (The composition of this committee can change over time and does not need to be identical to your final thesis defense committee.)

 Your thesis advisor should help you with preparation of the proposal, but should not participate in the proposal defense. At the end of the meeting, the advisor can be invited to discuss with the committee members the evaluation of your defense. Your advisor, together with the three other committee members, will become your research advisory committee for all subsequent committee meetings.  Please submit an email to the Graduate Program office before the beggining of the semester in which you will defend your proposal with the names of your committee members.

 It is expected that a full thesis project will be sufficiently ambitious to encompass at least one (or more) publication(s) in leading journals.  The proposal should represent your best current view of the goals of your project. However, as results are obtained, the focus of your project may evolve. During the course of research, you may find that some of your original aims were unrealistic, or you may uncover a new, more interesting line of experimentation.

 As you write your Thesis Proposal please observe a limitation of 8 single-spaced pages incorporating the following sections:

 1)         Summary (including a clearly defined hypothesis)                      1 page

2)         Specific Aims                                                                                                          1 page

3)         Research Strategy                                                                                              6 pages

4)         Bibliography (no page limits)

You should aim to craft a proposal that could then be submitted to the NIH as a fellowship (NRSA) application, if possible. The guidelines from NIH for the written document are listed below:

Project Summary/Abstract ( one page. )

The Project Summary must contain a summary of the proposed activity suitable for dissemination to the public. It should be a self-contained description of the project and should contain a statement of objectives and methods to be employed. It should be informative to other persons working in the same or related fields and insofar as possible understandable to a scientifically or technically literate lay reader.

  Specific Aims are limited to one page.

State concisely the goals of the proposed research and summarize the expected outcome(s), including the impact that the results of the proposed research will exert on the research field(s) involved.

List succinctly the specific objectives of the research proposed, e.g., to test a stated hypothesis, create a novel design, solve a specific problem, challenge an existing paradigm or clinical practice, address a critical barrier to progress in the field, or develop new technology.

Research Strategy is limited to six pages.

Organize the Research Strategy in the specified order using the instructions provided below. Start each section with the appropriate section heading — Significance, Innovation, Approach. Cite published experimental details in the Research Strategy section and provide the full reference later in the Bibliography and References Cited section (Bibliography does not count towards the page limit).

 (a) Significance

• Explain the importance of the problem or critical barrier to progress in the field that the proposed project addresses.
• Explain how the proposed project will improve scientific knowledge, technical capability, and/or clinical practice in one or more broad fields.
• Describe how the concepts, methods, technologies, treatments, services, or preventative interventions that drive this field will be changed if the proposed aims are achieved.

(b) Approach

• Describe the overall strategy, methodology, and analyses to be used to accomplish the specific aims of the project. Include how the data will be collected, analyzed, and interpreted.

-Discuss potential problems, alternative strategies, and benchmarks for success anticipated to achieve the aims.

- If the project is in the early stages of development, describe any strategy to establish feasibility, and address the management of any high risk aspects of the proposed work.

- Point out any procedures, situations, or materials that may be hazardous to personnel and precautions to be exercised.

If an applicant has multiple Specific Aims, then the applicant may address Significance, Innovation and Approach for each Specific Aim individually, or may address Significance, Innovation and Approach for all of the Specific Aims collectively.

Preliminary Studies.

Please include information on preliminary studies, if any. Discuss the preliminary studies, data and/or experience pertinent to this proposal.

When applicable, provide a succinct account of published and unpublished results, indicating progress toward their achievement.

Bibliography & References Cited

Provide a bibliography of all references cited. Each reference must include the names of all authors (in the same sequence in which they appear in the publication), the article and journal title, book title, volume number, page numbers, and year of publication. Include only bibliographic citations.

You should be able to complete this proposal and present it in print (and/or electronically) to your Research Advisory Committee at least one week before your defense. The proposal defense is a closed event, but it can be preceded by a public seminar where you outline your plans and/or discuss your preliminary results. Since you and your classmates will be scheduled to present your first departmental/program seminar this Fall, one option is to schedule the oral defense following your seminar. Alternatively you can select any other time during the Fall semester. If for any reason you feel that you cannot meet this deadline, please contact the program director. Remember that you do not need to have extensive preliminary results for this proposal.

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Customer Reviews

PhD position at RIVM on statistical methods to prevent information bias

Jan van de Kassteele

National Institue for Public Health and the Environment – RIVM

Bilthoven, the Netherlands

PhD student: “Statistical methods to prevent information bias”

Would you like to contribute to improving research methods in public health and to ensure that these are implemented? Are you comfortable with statistical methods? Does thinking about information bias make you enthusiastic, and even more the thought of providing solutions to it? I you answer yes, this PhD position may fit you well!

Research purpose

Misclassification of exposure or outcome status occurs frequently in surveillance and epidemiological studies and can lead to information bias. This complicates interpretation of results and can lead to incorrect conclusions. Statistical methods have been developed that can reduce information bias. However, these are poorly implemented due to lack of awareness and experience. The research project DEMISTIFY (DEbugging MIclassification: STatistical methods for correction of InFormation bias in epidemiologY) will start mid-2024. We want to study the validity and applicability of statistical methods for information bias due to misclassification in representative cases from the RIVM. We will also develop guidelines for implementation and communication strategies to improve the use of these methods. In this way, we want to improve the monitoring of public health programs and communication about results, in order to achieve larger impact on public health. The research project is funded from the Strategic Research Programme RIVM, an internal research program for research, innovation, and knowledge development. With this program, the RIVM targets subjects that deserve specific attention because they may influence public health and environment in the future.

Tasks of the PhD student

DEMISTIFY is part of the Strategic Research Program RIVM. With this project, you contribute to the RIVM’s capability to perform her public health tasks in the future. You also generate knowledge that can improve the quality of research both within and outside the RIVM. The PhD student is central to the research project. During the study, different centers and departments of the RIVM will get involved. You will collect interesting case studies from them and investigate how information bias plays a role and – more importantly – how to best solve this. During the project, you will frequently discuss interim results with them and the research team to decide together which direction the project will take. You will also develop yourself as expert on statistical methods for information bias. One of your important tasks is to ensure that knowledge that has been developed in the project is embedded in the RIVM. At the same time to ensure that this is available for researchers across the globe.

Specifically, your tasks are:

•             Coordination of the study, including to connect with the different departments involved

•             Analyzing 3-5 concrete cases, which includes validation of different existing statistical methods in the context of these cases

•             Development of practical guidelines for application of the study results

•             Giving in-house trainings about the study results for RIVM employees

•             Presenting the study results at national and international congresses

•             Publishing the study results in scientific journals

Together, this is a job with challenges and responsibilities, variety in tasks, and ample opportunity to develop yourself. The scientific papers will form the basis of your PhD thesis.

What do you bring?

You find this research important and look forward to work on this for the upcoming 4 years. You are interested in methodology of scientific research and are eager to improving it. You have a collaborative attitude. A coordinating role fits you well or you want to develop these skills.

Next to this we ask for the following:

•             You have a master’s degree in statistics, preferably including epidemiological (elective) courses. Or you have a master’s degree in epidemiology and have followed several statistical courses.

•             You are proficient in English. Proficiency in Dutch is not required but is preferred.

•             You have an affinity with issues in public health.

•             You enjoy working in a multidisciplinary team and know how to value your colleagues’ contributions.

Center for Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Surveillance

At the RIVM over 2300 colleagues work together towards a healthy population living in a sustainable, safe and healthy environment. The center for Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Surveillance (EPI), part of the Center for Infectious Disease Control, collects data to follow the situation regarding infectious diseases in the Dutch population. For this purpose, EPI uses data from surveillance to obtain timely insights into trends and risks related to infectious diseases. EPI conducts epidemiological research, including in case of infectious disease outbreaks. Also we assess the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of control measures. EPI focuses on the effectiveness of the National Immunisation Programma, healthcare-associated infections, antimicrobial resistance, respiratory infections, enteral and vector-born infections, and zoonotic infections. This work is supported by strong methodological expertise in the area of surveillance, biostatistics, and mathematical modelling. The results of our work are used by, amongst others, the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sports, the Health Council and Municipal Public Health Services, to develop policy or advice. As RIVM we also provide recommendations on potential interventions.

EPI consists of various professional teams, which is characterized by professional expertise and respect for everyone’s input.

Interested?

Take the next step in your career as a researcher and apply via https://rivm.career.emply.com/apply/phd-statistische-methoden-om-informatiebias-te-voorkomen/rgzjxg . Address your application to Hester de Melker, head of the department of RVP. Do you have questions related to the position? Please, contact Henri van Werkhoven on +31-6-41245544 or Mirjam Knol on +31-6-31116713. You can also contact our Corporate Recruiter, Joep Staps, on +31-6-86555180 (also WhatsApp). React before May 29th, 2024. Also see https://www-werkenbijdeoverheid-nl.translate.goog/vacatures/phd-statistische-methoden-om-informatiebias-te-voorkomen-RIVM-2024-0058?_x_tr_sl=nl&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=nl&_x_tr_pto=wapp

Έναρξη των αιτήσεων για το ακαδημαϊκό έτος 2024-2025, 8 Μαΐου 2024.

Για να μεταβείτε στη φόρμα των αιτήσεων, πατήστε  here .

Θα πραγματοποιηθεί εκδήλωση παρουσίασης του Διατμηματικού Προγράμματος Μεταπτυχιακών Σπουδών “Βιοστατιστική και Επιστήμη Δεδομένων Υγείας”. Για περισσότερες πληροφορίες πατήστε here .

MSc in Data Science & Information Technologies

MSc Thesis presentation of Mr. Marios Gavrielatos, Thursday 23/5/2024, 15.00

On Thursday, May 23, 2024, at 15:00 , Mr. Marios Gavrielatos of the graduate program “Data Science and Information Technologies”, concentration on “Bioinformatics – Biomedical Data Science”, will present on a zoom meeting his MSc thesis titled:

“Interpretable Machine Learning for the classification of Mild Cognitive Impairment patients using actigraphy data”

Early and accurate diagnosis of Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) is crucial as it is often a precursor stage to Alzheimer’s disease, allowing for timely intervention and treatment that can potentially slow the progression of cognitive decline. A non-invasive diagnostic approach would be highly beneficial, as it would be more comfortable and accessible for patients, increasing the likelihood of early detection and enabling prompt action to preserve cognitive function and quality of life. Developing easy and non-invasive digital medicine methods for diagnosing MCI could lead to earlier intervention and better management of this condition, which is a major step towards preventing or delaying the onset of Alzheimer’s disease and its devastating effects on individuals and their families.

Actigraphy, which involves the continuous monitoring of physical activity and rest-activity cycles using wearable devices, can offer valuable insights into the presence of MCI. This graduate thesis project was conducted in collaboration with the Aiginition Longitudinal Biomarker Investigation of Neurodegeneration (ALBION) study at the University of Athens, Greece. 7-day actigraphy time series data from individuals with normal cognitive function and those with MCI were collected via an actigraph device. We extracted parametric features, including Mesor (average activity), Amplitude (highest magnitude of activity), and Acrophase (the timing of the largest peak), via a multi-cosinor analysis. We then developed a machine-learning pipeline that uses exclusively these parametric features of recent actigraphy to classify MCI vs. Normal samples, trying to predict the “Diagnosis” endpoint, a binary label assigned by expert clinicians after a patient’s biannual evaluation. Our workflow performs a wide range of signal preprocessing steps, examining a variety of machine learning setups, and thus explores the full range of the parametric feature set’s class separation capabilities. The selected models are analyzed via a thorough SHAP (SHapley Additive exPlanations) visualization pipeline to distinguish the most informative features and their effect on the classification results, providing valuable insights to clinicians.

We have established that for the ALBION dataset in its current state, lower Mesor, Acrophase, and Amplitude feature values are associated with the MCI class. Specifically, lower Mesor, Acrophase, and Amplitude values have a strong correlation with the MCI samples, while higher Acrophase is associated with the Normal class. Our results are in general agreement with the available recent literature. Moreover, we identified a collection of machine learning models reaching expected specificity 0.88 at recall (sensitivity) level of 0.5 on unseen data. Notably, the developed computational pipeline allows us to fully explore the very large space of predictive model solutions in terms of their sensitivity vs. specificity tradeoff. As ALVION is an ongoing longitudinal study, we expect the generalization abilities of interpretable machine learning models to get better as the dataset size increases and the class balance improves over the years.

EXAMINATION COMMITTEE:

Prof. Elias Manolakos, Department of Informatics and Telecommunications, University of Athens (thesis supervisor)

Prof. Nikolaos Skarmeas, Professor of Neurology, Department of Medicine, University of Athens.

Dr. Stavros Perantonis, Research Director National Center for Scientific Research “Demokritos”

Join Zoom Meeting:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88933643720

Meeting ID: 889 3364 3720

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Την Πέμπτη 23 Μαΐου 2024 , στις 15:00 , ο κ. Μάριος Γαβριελάτος μεταπτυχιακός φοιτητής του προγράμματος «Επιστήμη Δεδομένων και Τεχνολογίες Πληροφορίας», με ειδίκευση «Βιοπληροφορική – Επιστήμη Βιοϊατρικών Δεδομένων», θα παρουσιάσει διαδικτυακά την διπλωματική εργασίας του με τίτλο:

Ερμηνεύσιμη μηχανική μάθηση για την ταξινόμηση ασθενών με ήπια γνωσιακή διαταραχή χρησιμοποιώντας δεδομένα ακτιγραφίας

Η έγκαιρη και ακριβής διάγνωση της Ήπιας Γνωσιακής Διαταραχής (ΗΓΔ) αποτελεί σημαντικό πρόβλημα, καθώς η ΗΓΔ συχνά είναι πρόδρομο στάδιο της νόσου του Αλτσχάιμερ. Μια μη επεμβατική διαγνωστική προσέγγιση ευρέως προσβάσιμη στο πληθυσμό θα ήταν εξαιρετικά σημαντική, αυξάνοντας την πιθανότητα έγκαιρης ανίχνευσης και επιτρέποντας την άμεση αντίδραση για τη διατήρηση της γνωσιακής λειτουργίας και της ποιότητας ζωής των ατόμων με ΗΓΔ. Η ανάπτυξη μη επεμβατικών μεθόδων ψηφιακής ιατρικής χαμηλού κόστους για την έγκαιρη διάγνωση της ΗΓΔ μπορεί να οδηγήσει σε καλύτερη διαχείριση αυτής της πάθησης και αποτελεί σημαντικό βήμα προς την πρόληψη ή την καθυστέρηση της εμφάνισης της νόσου του Αλτσχάιμερ και των καταστροφικών επιπτώσεών της στους πάσχοντες και τις οικογένειές τους.

Η ακτιγραφία, η οποία περιλαμβάνει τη συνεχή παρακολούθηση των κύκλων σωματικής δραστηριότητας και ανάπαυσης με χρήση φορητών συσκευών, μπορεί να προσφέρει πολύτιμες πληροφορίες για την παρουσία της ΗΓΔ σε υποψήφιους ασθενείς. Η παρούσα διπλωματική εργασία πραγματοποιήθηκε σε συνεργασία με την ομάδα της μελέτης ALBION, του Αιγινήτειου Νοσοκομείου του Εθνικού και Καποδιστριακού Πανεπιστημίου Αθηνών. Τα δεδομένα ακτιγραφίας (χρονοσειρές επτά (7) ημερών) από άτομα με φυσιολογική γνωσιακή λειτουργία και άτομα με ΗΓΔ συλλέχθηκαν μέσω συσκευής ακτιγράφου πριν την επίσκεψη στο Νιοσοκομείο. Μέσω της ανάλυση συνημίτονου, υπολογίσαμε παραμετρικά χαρακτηριστικά του σήματος, όπως η μέση δραστηριότητα, (Mesor), το Εύρος (μεγαλύτερο μέγεθος του σήματος, Amplitude) και η Ακρόφαση (ο χρόνος της μεγαλύτερης κορυφής του σήματος, Acrophase). Στη συνέχεια, αναπτύξαμε μια ροή εργασίας μηχανικής μάθησης που χρησιμοποιεί αυτά τα χαρακτηριστικά του σήματος για την ταξινόμηση δειγμάτων ΗΓΔ έναντι φυσιολογικών, προσπαθώντας να προβλέψουμε την ανεξάρτητη μεταβλητή (endpoint) «Διάγνωση», μια δυαδική ταξινόμηση των δειγμάτων που πραγματοποιείται από ειδικούς ιατρούς μετά από αξιολόγηση του κάθε ασθενούς στη κλινική χωρίς τη χρήση των δεδομενων ακτιγραφίας. Η ροή εργασιών που αναπτύξαμε εκτελεί ένα ευρύ φάσμα βημάτων προεπεξεργασίας του σήματος δραστηριότητας, εξετάζοντας μια ποικιλία ρυθμίσεων, και με αυτόν τον τρόπο διερευνάται το πλήρες εύρος των δυνατοτήτων διαχωρισμού των δύο κλάσεων μέσω των παραμετρικών χαρακτηριστικών. Τα επιλεγμένα καλύτερα μοντέλα πρόβλεψης ερμηνεύονται μέσω SHAP (SHapley Additive Explanations) ανάλυσης για να εντοπιστούν τα πιο σημαντικά χαρακτηριστικά και η επίδρασή τους στα αποτελέσματα ταξινόμησης, παρέχοντας πολύτιμες πληροφορίες στους κλινικούς γιατρούς για κάθε δείγμα.

Συμπεράναμε ότι για το σύνολο δειγμάτων της μελέτης ALBION, στην τρέχουσα κατάστασή του, οι χαμηλότερες τιμές Μέσορ, Ακροφάσης και Εύρους συσχετίζονται με την κλάση ΗΓΔ. Συγκεκριμένα, οι χαμηλότερες τιμές Μέσορ, Ακροφάσης και Εύρους έχουν ισχυρή συσχέτιση με τα δείγματα ΗΓΔ, ενώ υψηλότερη Ακροφάση σχετίζεται με την κλάση των φυσιολογικών δειγμάτων. Τα αποτελέσματά μας συμφωνούν με τη διαθέσιμη πρόσφατη βιβλιογραφία. Επιπλέον, παρουσιάζουμε μια συλλογή μοντέλων μηχανικής μάθησης που φτάνουν τιμές για την αναμενόμενη ειδικότητα (specificity) 0,88 και ευαισθησία (sensitivity) 0,5 σε νέα δεδομένα για το μοντέλο. Συγκεκριμένα, η ροή εργασίας αυτή, μας επιτρέπει να εξερευνήσουμε πλήρως τον μεγάλο χώρο των πιθανών λύσεων που προσφέρουν τα ανεπτυγμένα μοντέλα μηχανικής μάθησης όσον αφορά την ευαισθησία και την ειδικότητα των προβλέψεών τους. Καθώς το ALBION είναι μια συνεχιζόμενη μελέτη, αναμένουμε ότι οι ικανότητες γενίκευσης των ερμηνεύσιμων μοντέλων μηχανικής εκμάθησης που μπορούν να αναπτυχθούν θα βελτιώνονται καθώς αυξάνεται το πλήθος των δειγμάτων τη μελέτης και η ισορροπία των κλάσεων σε αυτά

ΕΞΕΤΑΣΤΙΚΗ ΕΠΙΤΡΟΠΗ:

Δρ. Ηλίας Μανωλάκος, Καθηγητής, Τμήμα Πληροφορικής και Τηλεπικοινωνιών Εθνικό και Καποδιστριακό Πανεπιστήμιο Αθηνών (Επιβλέπων)

Δρ. Νικόλαος Σκαρμέας, Καθηγητής Νευρολογίας, Τμήμα Ιατρικής Σχολής, Εθνικό και Καποδιστριακό Πανεπιστήμιο Αθηνών

Δρ. Σταύρος Περαντώνης, Διευθυντής Ερευνών, Ίδρυμα ΕΚΕΦΕ, Δημόκριτος

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88933643720 Meeting ID: 889 3364 3720

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Related posts, call for applications for the academic year 2024-25, παρουσίαση των μεταπτυχιακών προγραμμάτων σπουδών (πμσ) και διατμηματικών προγραμμάτων μεταπτυχιακών σπουδών (δπμσ) του τμήματος, δηλώσεις μεταπτυχιακών μαθημάτων και διπλωματικών εργασιών εαρινού εξαμήνου 2023-24, time table -spring semester dsit 2024, σημαντικεσ διευκρινησεισ για το προγραμμα εαρινου εξαμηνου του dsit.

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Your online help and support centre, intention to submit doctoral thesis.

What should I do when I am ready to submit my doctoral thesis?

• Doctoral Thesis Policy and Procedures
• Doctoral Thesis Submission Pre-Examination Procedures
• Doctoral examination process
• PhD :  PhD Statute
• Named Doctorates : Regulations for Named Doctorates
• Select Examinations
• Visit Wahapū
• Select My thesis
• Examinations
• Thesis submission
• Does your thesis contain work contributed by others?
• Does the work submitted for examination contain the contributions of others? 
• A submission appointment is not required. More information about Submissions and Examinations can be found here: Doctoral Examination Process .  
• The date on which you submit your thesis must be at least one month before your performance/exhibition.
• If your submission includes an exhibition or performance, this will take place at the same time as your oral examination.

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Writing Thesis Proposal

Proposal maker.

Going towards the end of a semester is always the most stressful. Apart from paper works and final exams, you also need to worry about the thesis proposal that will help you complete your year as a student, whether you’re taking an undergraduate degree, a master’s degree or a doctorate degree. Writing a thesis has to be one of the most challenging parts of being a student, considering how it serves as a requirement to complete a course.

• Business Proposal Examples
• Request For Proposal Examples

But developing a good thesis proposal can be quite daunting. Not only do you need to find an interesting topic to discuss, but you have to make sure your proposal document is good enough for you to move forward.

Thesis Proposal Example

• Google Docs

Size: A4, US

Thesis Proposal: What You Need to Know

The average thesis proposal is composed of the following elements:

• Table of contents
• Introduction
• Statement of the problem
• Significance of the study
• Methodology
• Review of Related Literature
• Definition of terms
• List of references

What is written in your proposal will very much be the same as your actual thesis document, except for a few minor adjustments. Understanding the structure of each element is also important, as this will help you construct your statements properly. Remember, a thesis proposal is a lot similar to a business proposal where formality is advised. Pay close attention to spelling, grammar, and sentence construction to avoid any misinterpretations. Keep it brief yet concise enough to send a clear message to your audience.

Guidelines to Achieve a Successful Thesis Proposal

1. choose a research topic you are interested in.

You can never pursue a good thesis proposal unless you are fully invested in the topic you are studying about. There will always be good days and bad days. One moment, you are filled with motivation and enthusiasm to finish your thesis. During the bad times, you’ll start to question whether or not you made the right choice. But if you’re really passionate about what you do, you’ll come to realize how much you want something so bad and strive to reach your academic goals . It might be an emotional and physically draining journey ahead, but the results will definitely be worth the hard work.

2. Ask open-ended questions.

Most people define the success of a thesis proposal on its possible outcomes. For instance, a thesis that generates negative results tend to be less interesting and unpublishable. This is because positive outcomes are more inspiring than those that are not. So, when constructing your thesis questions, make sure they are open-ended. This will serve as a basis for the rest of your study, allowing you to properly get your point across. You may also like free proposal examples .

3. Identify your objectives.

What do you wish to accomplish with your study? In your thesis proposal sample , it’s important to define your objectives clearly for readers to comprehend. This will guide you in your journey of uncovering hidden mysteries and information that are yet to be discovered. While you can’t guarantee the success of your thesis with just a proposal, this can serve as a guide for you to follow.

4. Collect data from reliable sources.

Writing a thesis proposal involves a lot of research. You need to invest your time and energy into reading and studying various journals, facts, concepts, and theories regarding your topic. But in doing so, you need to make sure this information comes from a valid source. The best way to do so is to look for published articles, ideas, and sample statements from different reading materials. A trip to your local library will definitely be much of help. Be sure to cite these references at the end of your proposal to give credit where it is due.

5. Prepare an outline.

Similar to writing a school speech of any type, preparing an outline can help you keep your material organized. This means jotting down the important points you want to convey in each chapter, giving you subtopics to support your central message. This is one step that must be done before you begin writing your proposal to ensure a smooth flow of words and ideas.

FAQs in Writing a Thesis Proposal

Here are some frequently asked questions when writing a thesis proposal:

1. What format do I follow?  Most guidelines suggest using Arial and Times New Roman with a font size of 12. Double spacing and justifying each paragraph may also be necessary. But all these may change depending on the instructions given to you by your instructor or thesis adviser. To avoid confusion, it would be best to have this clarified before you begin printing.

2. How many respondents do I need?  The number of respondents needed to answer a survey questionnaire for your study may depend on the data that must be acquired. Research projects that greatly rely on demographics tend to require a larger number of respondents than those that don’t. If you want to generate precise and reliable data, an average of 30-50 respondents would be recommendable.

3. Do graphs, tables, and diagrams need to be accurate?  Truth is, the data attained from studies, researchers, and surveys are never completely accurate. This is because data is usually acquired from a relatively small group of individuals compared to the vast majority, simply saying that this does not represent every single person of a population. Whatever is seen in a graph, table, and diagram should be properly presented and explained to readers. While the data isn’t fully accurate, it’s as close as it can get. You may also like proposal examples in PDF .

Planning on how to write your thesis proposal is one thing, but getting it done is another. You will go through a number of drafts before you are finally satisfied with what you have made, so prepare yourself for that. The best thing you could do is to start early, seek guidance from your supervisors, and don’t give up. It’s a long journey of sleepless nights and cups of coffee, but it will all be worth it in the end. You may also like proposal templates .

Text prompt

• Instructive
• Professional

Generate a proposal for a new school recycling program

Compose a proposal for a school field trip to a science museum.

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• Ngā tauira | Students
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• You are currently on: Doctoral examination process

Doctoral examination process

A step-by-step outline of the examination process for PhD and named doctorate candidates.

The examination process can be a time of great stress. This page aims to relieve that stress by giving you, as a doctoral candidate, an idea of what to expect.

Examination process overview

A successful examination usually follows the following basic steps:

• Intention to submit notification
• Initial thesis submission
• Thesis examination
• Oral examination
• Outcome and final submission

The Doctor or Fine Arts examination process is a little different: the oral examination takes place before the thesis examination and at the same time as the performance or exhibition. Find out more by reading the regulations at Doctor of Fine Art Examination Procedures .

Timeline and updates

The examination process runs from initial submission to final submission. The process generally takes up to 6 months, though it may be longer in some cases. Your examination will be managed by a dedicated Examinations team at the School of Graduate Studies.

Candidates on Wahapū will receive regular automatic updates at key stages of the process, and will be able to log into the system at any time to check the progress of the examination.

Important documents

It's a good idea to familiarise yourself with the following important documents (or the appropriate documentation for your programme of study/Statute) before the examination process begins:

• Doctoral Examination Procedures
• Doctoral Thesis Examination - Pre-Examination Procedures
• Doctoral Oral Examination Process
• Doctoral Thesis Examination - Post-Examination Procedures
• PhD Statute / Regulations for Named Doctorates

Stage one: Intention to submit

Preparations for your examination begin when you notify the School of Graduate that you are preparing to submit your thesis via an Intention to Submit. This nudges your supervisors to begin the process of appointing your examiners. It must be done at least three months in advance of your proposed submission date to ensure that your examiners are in place before you submit your thesis.

If your examiners are not in place, there will be a delay to your examination process.

Find out more at Intention to submit doctoral thesis .

Stage two: Initial thesis submission

Once your thesis is fully up-to-date and you have prepared the required forms and/or additional material, you can make your initial submission online via Wahapū (or in person if completing the process manually).

Your enrolment at the University ends when you make your initial submission, but you will continue to have access to the library and the University's IT services.

International candidates who plan to stay in New Zealand after they have submitted their thesis are eligible to apply for a Post Study Work Visa. Learn more at  Post Study Work Visas for international doctoral candidates.

Stage three: Thesis examination

Once the School of Graduate Studies has accepted your thesis it will be made available to your examiners if they are in place. If they are not in place, the examiner nomination and approval process may cause a delay to your examination.

The timeline for returning the examiner reports is 6 weeks, but it is common for thesis examinations to take longer than this. All examiners are followed up regularly until the reports are submitted.

Stage four: Thesis examination recommendation

You will be informed via email once your thesis examination recommendation has been confirmed.

Possible recommendations are:

• Proceed to oral (with or without revisions)
• Minor corrections or resubmission of the Portfolio of Clinical Research (DClinPsy only)

Revise and resubmit

Award another degree, stage five: oral examination.

When the School of Graduate Studies approves a ‘Proceed to oral’ recommendation, the Examinations team will begin organising your oral exam. You will be asked to provide your oral examination preferences, such as dates and invitees. Once you have done this, you will be able to access the examiner reports via your Wahapū Examination record.

Once your exam has been organised, you will receive an email notification with all the details. 

For more information about the oral examination, please see the Doctoral Oral Examination Procedures .

Stage six: Outcome advised

The School of Graduate Studies will advise you of the official outcome of your oral examination by email once it is approved. Any prior indication of the outcome is not official until approved by the Board of Graduate Studies (or delegate).

The possible outcomes are:

Stage seven: Final submission

You can make your final submission only once you have been directed to do so by the School of Graduate Studies.

Final submission occurs after you have:

• Completed your oral examination; and
• Received an email from the School of Graduate Studies informing you of the result of your degree and directing you to make your final submission; and
• Satisfactorily completed any required corrections or revisions to your thesis (if relevant)

Read more about the requirements for your final thesis submission on AskAuckland, here: Final thesis submission.

Other outcomes

A Revisions outcome means that your thesis will meet the required standard once the specified minor changes have been made. A list of revisions required may be provided by a member of the examination committee (usually the AH Nominee). You will not be re enrolled but will be given a time limit in which you are required to complete the revisions.

A Revise and resubmit outcome means that your work is not yet at the required standard for your degree, but that the Examiners and/or Examination Committee believe that you will reach the required standard with a little more time. You will meet with members of your Examination Committee to discuss the required revisions and will be provided with a report to guide you.

You will be re-enrolled in your programme for the requisite number of months and will be liable for all fees for this period.

When you come to resubmit your thesis, you must create a new examination record in Wahapū. The process starts at the Initial thesis submission stage.

This outcome means that your work does not meet the standard required for your programme, but instead makes you eligible for an alternative award.

You will be offered the opportunity to graduate and be awarded the specified degree. This will be organised within your faculty or LSRI.

This outcome means that your work does not meet the standard required for an award. You will not be offered the opportunity to graduate and will be awarded no degree.

Related links

• School of Graduate Studies
• Examinations
• Doctoral forms