Faculté des sciences Faculté des sciences

Master's thesis

The Master's thesis (approx. 50 pages, on average) should be written in English and structured as follows:

  1.  Title page with title, see template page
  2. Table of contents
  3. Abbreviations page, if necessary
  4. Abstract (in English and in French)
  5. General introduction of the topic
  6. Material and methods
  7. Results
  8. Discussion / conclusion
  9. Bibliography that contains full references cited in the text. In the absence of instructions from the director, choose the Vancouver format and/or consult the librarians.
  10. Annexes (if applicable)
  11. Statement on the Use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) Tools

Figures (numbered, with captions), tables (numbered, with titles) and references should be cited in the text.

If applicable, the number of the animal experimentation authorization must be mentioned in the chapter "materials and methods".

Note the exact sources for figures borrowed from other texts.

Ensure that the quotes are consistent with the literature and, especially, that the bibliography is treated in a strictly uniform way. In case of doubt, for example about the abbreviations, it is best to consult the librarian. The full title of the articles must be included in the bibliography.

Where appropriate, the authorization number of animal experiments must be in the “Materials and Methods” section.

Once accepted, the work will not be returned for editorial corrections. The style, clarity and presentation of text (including references), as well as the graphs’ quality, will affect the rating.

Some examples of Master’s theses can be consulted the open archive (Archive ouverte ) by selecting "Master" for the document type, "Faculty of Science" and "included non-public masters".

Use of Generative Artificial Intelligence  

The use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) for document writing have to be presented explicitly (text in italics and/or colour), clearly referenced and disclosed in the statement on the use of generative artificial intelligence (AGI) tools. The student must follow the recommendations published by the Faculty of Science.

 

The oral presentation is in English. It is not a summary of your written thesis, but rather an opportunity to present its most important points with the help of a visual aid. It is generally structured as follows:

  •     An introduction with a summary of the literature
  •     Presentation of the problem
  •     Work methodology
  •     Main results
  •     Limitations of the work
  •     Possible future developments

The presentation lasts 25 to 30 minutes, followed by 15 to 20 minutes of questions.

 

-> See evaluation criteria and deadlines for submission of dissertation and oral defense.

 

Once the master's thesis has been corrected and accepted by the supervisor, the procedure is as follows:

1.     A complete PDF version including the Declaration on the use of generative artificial intelligence (AGI) tools, must be sent to the Biology Section student secretariat by e-mail to secretariat-biologie(at)unige.ch. A PDF version without figures and bibliography must also be sent for submission to the anti-plagiarism software.

!! DEADLINES !! The thesis must be sent to the secretariat by Aug. 31, the oral defence must take place before Sept. 10 and the grade must be submitted by Sept. 15 to Secretariat-Etudiants-sciences(at)unige.ch (grades submitted after this deadline will not be recorded for the Spring semester). 

2.     After validation of the master's work (dissertation and oral defence) and receipt of the mark, the secretariat will send confirmation to the student by e-mail.

3.     The student must then deposit the thesis (in electronic form) in the Open Archive  and send official confirmation (including the link) of the deposit in the Open Archive to the Biology Section Student Secretariat.

4.     The Biology Section Student Secretariat will forward the mark to the Faculty.

5.     You will receive your diploma by post within approximately 3 - 12 weeks.

Every year, the ARDITI Foundation awards two science prizes, one of which is awarded for the best diploma thesis in biology.

 

  • Your PI and/or direct supervisor
  •     A co-juror, who is not a member of the research group (e.g., a senior researcher from the Department or Section) or the Section referee if the Master's thesis is carried out outside the Section.

All jury members must hold a PhD. The defence may be public, but the question part is reserved for the jury.