Part 1 of Research Project

This page describes the process of Part 1 of your Research Project. It usually takes roughly one period and follows after the process described in the step Preparation. The duration of the Research Project starts now.

Follow the instructions on this page to complete Research Project Part 1.

Part 1 comprises 15 EC and focuses on the project proposal and preparation. While the proposal is its main part, it encompasses much more. It does not just include the specification of a research problem, but everything that is necessary before finding and implementing the actual solution in part 2 – for example a thorough literature study on the topic. Its minimum duration is 10 weeks of full-time work. After you have done this, Part 1 will give a Go/No-go decision towards Part 2.

A project proposal must include:

the MSc research application form in OSIRIS
a completed literature research for the project
a clear (list of) research question(s)
a skeleton of the thesis
a time plan for the second part of the thesis
a description of the research methodology
a plan for the evaluation of the results/outcome

Additionally, depending on the nature of the project, your supervisor may require additional actions or deliverables. These will be discussed and agreed upon at the beginning of this part. Examples include but are not limited to some initial research work to provide a convincing argument towards the prospect and feasibility of your Part 2, initial implementations, for example, of a necessary infrastructure, research on or creation of necessary datasets for Part 2, etc.

Ethics and Privacy Quick Scan (mandatory)

By the end of the Part 1 phase of your project, you must submit the Ethics and Privacy Quick Scan. This document helps you identify any ethics or privacy issues with your project and to address them on time, before starting your main Research Project work in Part 2.

Submitting the Ethics and Privacy Quick Scan before the start of Part 2 of your project is mandatory.

All information about the Ethics and Privacy Quick Scan

When you submit the Qualtrics version of the scan, you and your project supervisor/first examiner will receive the ethics and privacy scan outcome report by email and as a PDF. In case no issues have been found, or if your project supervisor/first examiner already has ethical approval for their line of research in which the master thesis will take place, then the Part 2 project phase can start from an ethics and privacy perspective.

Keep the Quick Scan report

If the Quick Scan does not provide any warnings regarding your project you can add “The Ethics and Privacy Quick Scan of the Utrecht University Research Institute of Information and Computing Sciences classified this research as low-risk with no fuller ethics review or privacy assessment required” to your Part 1 document, as well as your thesis manuscript and eventual publications.

Please also attach the anonymized Quick Scan report as an Annex to Part 1 of your thesis. For more details, please see 'Guidance'-section of the Ethics and Privacy website.

Tips to complete the Ethics and Privacy Quick Scan:

Read the Word version of the Quick Scan. Do this early, as some participants/data/topics raise more ethical and privacy concerns than others. Consider beforehand the possible issues and adapt your research questions and research designs if needed, in agreement with your supervisor.
Once you and your project supervisor/first examiner are satisfied with the outcome, submit the Quick Scan using the Qualtrics version, also found on the aforementioned Ethics and Privacy website.

In case issues are found, please send the PDF with the Ethics and Privacy Quick Scan result to the programme coordinator (also serving as the programme’s ethics & privacy moderator): coordinator.cosc@uu.nl , using the email title: ‘Ethics & Privacy scan issue’.  

Part 1 assessment criteria: 

Scientific quality: this concerns the quality of the literature study, the relevance and impact of the research questions, the merit of the proposed research method. 
Writing skills: this concerns the quality of your writing, use of English, textual structure, and coherence/consistency of your text. 
Planning: this concerns the clarity and feasibility of the proposed planning. 
The quality of additional work, if such is required.

In these rubrics (part 1) you can find more detailed criteria. Use this document only as a guideline. If one of your examiners/supervisors is not from the Faculty of Science, please share this document with them.

Go or No Go decision

There are three options for the Go/No Go decision:

Sufficient: means that you automatically continue with part 2.
Insufficient with re-take exam: means that your project supervisor/first examiner explains which parts need improvement. A date to re-evaluate part 1 will be set. After re-evaluation, your (first) supervisor/first examiner will send the updated assessment to the Student Desk.
Insufficient without re-take exam (fail): means that you have failed on the above-mentioned learning goals and have to abort the research project. Your project supervisor/first examiner will report his/her findings to the programme director who will invite you and the Study Advisor. The programme board, after consulting you and possibly other people, will decide whether starting up a new project will make sense.

From 1 September 2025:

This is what you need to do if you foresee a delay of your Research Project or extension/addition to the project is necessary.

The protocol*

Please carefully read the entire delay protocol (pdf)*. Make sure to also discuss this document with your examiner(s).

Some important remarks:

You must submit the extension request before the original end date.
You can receive multiple extensions if necessary, but each extension has a maximum duration of three months.
If the end date is exceeded and you did not submit an extension request, you lose the right to graduate cum laude.

Possible reasons for an extension

There are different reasons why you might need an extension. Check below which category belongs to you, so you know which approvals to obtain:

Personal circumstances: there are (unforeseen) circumstances in your or your examiner(s)’ personal life.
Study-related circumstances: circumstances that affect your study planning, e.g. you are following extra courses or an internship at the same time.
Project-related circumstances: unforeseen circumstances in your project, e.g. when working together with a company.

Note: The absence of positive or significant results, new insights within the research group, the writing of a scientific article, and other aspects of daily research practice are not considered valid reasons for requesting an extension.

Steps to submit an extension request

Discuss and agree on a new end date with your first and second examiner. Important: the end date refers to the date on which your grade is registered by your examiner, not the date on which you submit your thesis.
Obtain the necessary approval statements. This can be a screenshot of an e-mail or Teams chat that shows the person in question agrees with the new end date.

Personal: project supervisor/first examiner, second examiner, study advisor

Study-related: project supervisor/first examiner, second examiner, study advisor

Project-related: project supervisor/first examiner and second examiner. For second or later extension in this category, also an approval from the study advisor and programme coordinator is needed.

Start the Osiris Case via Osiris Student > ‘My Cases’> ‘Start Case’ > ‘Request to the Board of Examiners’ > New end date thesis project and complete all the information.

The Research Project Coordinator will review your request for an extension. You will receive a notification of the outcome. If the extension is approved, the end date of your research project will be changed in Osiris.

Why do I need to receive approval to extend my end date?

Please note: In most cases, especially when personal circumstances are involved, your request will be approved. The extension request serves as a tool to identify potential issues early on and, if necessary, guide both you and your examiners toward appropriate support.

Questions?

Contact your study advisor and/or the research project coordinator.

Proceed to 'Part 2 of Research Project' ⋙

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Part 1 of Research Project

Follow the instructions on this page to complete Research Project Part 1.

A project proposal must include:

Instructions Ethics and Privacy Quick Scan (mandatory)

Ethics and Privacy Quick Scan (mandatory)

Keep the Quick Scan report

Tips to complete the Ethics and Privacy Quick Scan:

Part 1 assessment criteria:

Go or No Go decision

What do I need to do if I foresee that my project will be delayed?

From 1 September 2025:

The protocol*

Some important remarks:

Possible reasons for an extension

Steps to submit an extension request

Why do I need to receive approval to extend my end date?

Questions?

Proceed to 'Part 2 of Research Project' ⋙

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Contact

Follow UU

Part 1 assessment criteria: 