General Research profile

The General Research profile has a flexible structure that can be adjusted to different corona-related scenarios and it is described with the following formula:

x + y + z = 33 EC

Where:

• x+y is the research profile project (≥ 18 EC)
• z is the module of research courses

The profile can be extended with 6, 9 or 12 credits.

*For Medical Imaging students the General Research profile will follow the same structure with x + y + z = 20 EC.

x = #EC practical work (experiments in a wet lab/research that require the use of campus facilities and your physical presence)

y = #EC research work within the research group (not using campus facilities and totally corona-proof)*.

In all cases, the Research Profile project links the student to a research group during the total duration of the profile, with a supervisor and an examiner.

Part x – #EC practical work (in a wet lab)

This profile is designed in such a way that the value of x is flexible. As a starting point, we expect to keep the value of x low, in order to ensure that we can manage capacity in the labs for all students and also that your profile remains Corona-proof.

In practice, if Corona measures are lifted over time, x can be modified in consultation with your individual examiner and with input about capacity management from the faculties. Please also note that x may be reduced (over time) in case of another lockdown situation. In that case y can be increased. However, together they should still be at least 18 EC.

Part y – #EC research work (not using campus facilities in person)

The y component can include all following components:

• Exploring literature, learning about a specific topic
• Attending group meetings (regular work discussions, one-on-one meetings with supervisor, progress reports, journal clubs, etc.)
• Data collection (that does not require your presence in campus) and data analysis
• Writing final report or alternatively a research proposal including protocols and preliminary data
• Final presentation or research grant interview

Note: Only in case of applications for projects that do not use campus facilities (e.g., fieldwork, computer-based research, etc.), the component y can be 33 EC. The Research Profile project cannot be ONLY reading literature and working on a literature study; in all cases, the Research Profile project implies doing actual research.
 

The z component consists of (research/theoretical) courses, workshops and/or seminars that you can choose from the current offer of elective courses, from programme specific courses and/or from (approved) external (online) courses, as long as they are oriented towards making you a stronger researcher. This course module is meant to provide you with tools, amongst others, in the following fields:

• Scientific funding
• Scientific Communication
• Literature and Publishing
• Scientific Integrity and Open Science
• Graphic Design
• Data Analysis

In line with the above, we have developed 2 new courses which you will be able to use for the z component of your profile:

• Logical Argumentation in Science: Publishing, proposals and pitching
• Adobe Illustrator and InDesign for scientific purposes

Please apply for the General Research profile via OSIRIS Case. Be aware that this is a two-step application in which you first apply for the profile. After this first step is approved you can apply for the project within the profile. More information about the procedure can be found on the major research project page (the same guidelines apply) and in the OSIRIS Case manual.

You can apply for the profile throughout the year, there are no deadlines for registration. Please make sure that your application is sent in at least 20 working days before the start of the profile.

The planned components can change during the profile, maybe increasing/decreasing the weight of x, or by changing courses z. These changes should be discussed with your examiner and you should keep track of them yourself as you will be asked to fill out the assessment form at the end mentioning the final plan you followed.

At the end, the final grades for x+y are determined by the examiner and the grades for z will be the assessment results of the individual courses, seminars, and workshops.

A mandatory interim assessment should take place between two and three months after the start of your research project. The same rules and guidelines apply to this as with your major research project. Read more about it on the research project page.

The General Research profile project follows the same general guidelines in regards to the mandatory elements as your major research project. That includes:

• Handing in a written report
• Giving a final presentation of your work

Read more it on the major research project page.

Profile research projects are graded in the same way as major research projects. Read more about the procedure on the major research project page.

A number of pre-approved theoretical assignments can also be used to replace some of the credits in your project. These will be graded separately (if applicable) in the same assessment form and a weighted grade will be calculated in the end based on the time you spent on each component.

• You will be asked whether the number of credits dedicated to the project is different to what you applied for initially. If so, you will have to fill in the new number of credits dedicated to the x and y components respectively.

 Example 1 – Lars

x + y + z = 33 EC

x = 9 EC – lab work using campus facilities

y = 18 EC – research work without campus facilities

z = 6 EC – research courses

Lars is a MCLS Master’s student. He found a research position for his Research Profile at the UU, Biology department.

Part y – Lars will work for 12 weeks spread over the 23-week duration on a research project with a supervisor and examiner. This will include actively participating in work discussions and group meetings, analysing existing data on the sequence of a nanobody (finding novel targets) and planning future experiments.  He will write a report with a large introduction in the topic (including literature part) and give a final presentation. Lars worked on a research question with deliverables and included the techniques he will learn.

Part x – Lars will work for 6 weeks in the lab towards the end of his profile to perform one of the future experiments he had planned making a knock out of his potential target and analysing the antibody on it. The data obtained will be included in the final report.

Part z – Lars will register for two courses in biostatistics and sequence analysis that will be valuable for his experiments and future career. Unfortunately, one of the courses was full, so he chose his backup plan, a course to learn more about graphic design which will also be useful for making the figures in his final report.  

 Example 2 – Lara

x + y + z = 33 EC

x = 0 EC

y = 18 EC – research work without campus facilities

z = 15 EC – research courses

Lara is an RMT Master’s Student. She found a research position for her Research Profile Project at the UMCU, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery department.

Part y – Lara will work for 12 weeks spread over the total 23-week duration of her profile on the Profile Project together with her supervisor and examiner. During the first months, she will study the advanced biomaterials as bone graft substitutes for surgery and start designing experiments. She will then analyse existing data and scientific results coming out of experiments performed by her supervisor from in vitro experiments. They will work on the outcome and plan new experiments together. She will also actively participate in group meetings and journal clubs in the research group. At the end of the project, she will write a research proposal with the preliminary data that they have acquired and pitch the proposal to a grant committee.

Part z – Lara will register for several courses that will make her a stronger researcher and help her with the project. This includes Biostatistics and Graphic Design, but also Communicating Science with the Public, which she finds useful for her final grant defense. She will also participate on a small workshop in Scientific Integrity.

  Example 3 – Fleur

x + y + z = 33 EC

x = 7 EC – lab work using campus facilities

y = 17 EC – research work without campus facilities

z = 9 EC – research courses

Fleur is a Toxicology & Environmental Health student. She has found a position for her project in the Exposure Science department.

Parts x + y – Fleur will work for 17 weeks spread over the 23-week duration of her profile on the project together with her supervisor and examiner. She will participate in group meetings, collect data and do research both in existing data and collected data. In total, she will be 5 weeks in the lab in a part-time fashion in the second half of her project subjected to capacity restrictions to prepare and perform certain experiments. She will write a final report with an extensive introduction and prepare a final presentation for the research group.

Part z – She would like to participate in the challenge-based learning idea designing sustainable, healthy and safe food concepts because it goes in line with her previous research and it might open up future career possibilities.

Example 4 – Manuel

x + y + z = 33 EC

x = 0

y = 33 – research work without campus facilities

z = 0

Manuel is a student within the Bioinformatics and BioComplexity Master’s programme. He will do his Research Profile linked to the Computational Structural Biology group at the UU.

Part y – From the beginning, Manuel and his examiner discussed that the complete project can be done from home using remote access to the server at the UU. He will work on Molecular Dynamics. They will have regular online meetings with the examiner and daily supervisor. When allowed, they will also have face-to-face meetings and work together at the office. He will write a final report and prepare a final presentation for the research group.

Manuel already followed a course on Structural Bioinformatics & Modelling in his electives and he decided not to take additional courses and spend the total duration of the Profile in the ‘Profile Project’.

Upon completion of the General Research profile, the student will have further understanding of the learning outcomes from the major research project.