Frequently Asked Questions

 

This page lists some of the most FAQ related to the new Master Projects organization from candidates and supervisors. 

More questions? you can contact the new Master Project Coordinator: Alvaro Hacar (email)

 

Person-of-trust:

  • What should I do if I have a problem with my supervisor/student?

We are working for a safe working environment. If you have any problem with your supervisor/student you can contact the MPC and/or the vSPL to help you dealing with any conflict that appears between the parties (harassment, misconduct, absence, lack of proper supervision, etc). The information will be treated confidentially unless the contact person said otherwise.

Candidates:

 

  • Can I change my MSc Project once I started previous one?

Yes. You can start a new project even if you started another one and you registered it already. The candidate can decide switching projects at any time with no other obligation. If you wanted to change your project, please contact the MPC and/or our vDSP to inform them about the change as soon as possible.

 

  • Should I actually register my project when I start working on it?

Yes, definitely. According to the Studienrecht, Sect. 14, pars 1-3 (https://satzung.univie.ac.at/studienrecht/), projects need to be register even before you start the project. 

 

  • Isn't the 9 month recommendation too short?

The recommended 9 months duration is based on the equivalent times for a standard MP with 26 ECTS. The calculations are as follow:

  • 1 ECTS = 25 hours of work
    26 ECTS = 650 hours of work (including literature work, research work, and Thesis writing)
    If 20 hours/week, then 650/20 = 32.5 weeks or ~ 8 months of MP work
    If 15 hours/week, then 650/15 = 43.3 weeks or ~ 11 months of MP work

In order words, the recommended duration of ~9 months would be the standard duration for a Master Project in which the candidate spends half of his/her weekly working hours. Projects taking longer than 1 year are discouraged and only recommended under special circumstances.

Note that the expected time for completion (aka expected end-date) and the available working hours by the student will be discussed as part of the Learning Agreement to find a reasonable timescale and end-date for the execution of the project.

Note that this time is defined in accordance with the Studentrecths Sect. 14, par. 1 (https://satzung.univie.ac.at/studienrecht/).

 

  • What happens if it takes me longer than the designated recommended timescale?

We strongly encourage supervisors and candidates to observe the designated deadlines and end-dates. Both are recommended to stick to their timelines and research plans as close as possible. Still, some flexibility will be allowed due to different reasons.

 

  • I started my Master Project before Feb. 2021, what should I do?

There will be a 1-year Transition period. In your case, please ask your supervisor to register your project via Moodle as soon as possible.

 

  • Is the Learning Agreement mandatory?

The SPL will check the status of the Learning Agreement with the MPC before signing the official registration form (RF) of the project at the SSC. Please make sure you have discussed with your supervisor and the MPC beforehand.

 

  • What if my research takes longer than the recommended duration of my MP?

Research is a long process that can take years to produce results. Still, a MP is restricted to the official 26 ECTS, that is, 650 hours of work in total. Any MP should then be limited in time to this total workload and you should be evaluated only on these grounds. This does not mean that you cannot work on your research longer, but if so this should be done after you submitted your Thesis work and that this additional work should not be part of your MP grades or evaluation.

 

  • I don't like too much organization, I prefer some freedom

Organization and freedom are not conflicting terms. You are free to choose your research topic and explore different aspects of it during your research. Still, both in Academia and Industry we all have deadlines and workplans. Your MP is part of your Master's education to become an independent scientist. Learning how to work in an organized way and to deal with a working plan and deadlines is part of this and any other job.

 

  • When should I register my project?

 

As soon as you start working on it in accordance with the Study Law (Studienrecht: Sect. 14: https://satzung.univie.ac.at/studienrecht/). Please ask your supervisor to upload this information to our Moodle page.

Note also that you must register your MP at least 4 months before you can Defend your Thesis. Four months is the minimum time needed to complete of a MP with 26 ETCS working a maximum of 40 hours/week, that is, 650/40 ~ 4 months, and no project could last less than that.

 

  • Who can be my main supervisor?

Professors, Staff, and Postdocs can be your main supervisor. See more information in the section for Supervisors.

 

  • What is the Learning Agreement (LA)?

The LA is a new document in which you and your supervisor agree upon the terms of your MP, your working plan, and your timeline and deadlines. This is a fundamental part of your MP as this will allow both parties to understand the project and manage your expectations. The LA will be discussed together the MPC during the Kick-off meeting and signed afterwards. The LA is necessary to register your project in the SSC. Please make sure to discuss it beforehand with your supervisor and ask him/her to send a preliminary version via Moodle prior the Kick-off meeting.

 

  • Can I apply for my own Master Project?

If you had a good idea for a Master Project, you can directly contact a supervisor to start your MP. Still, remember the supervisor needs agree on the topic and research plan, as well as to mentor you during this project. Also, the supervisor is responsible of registering your project in our Moodle. Once this is done your project will follow the same recommendations as any other standard MP.

 

  • I found a project, who decides about my application?

The main supervisor is the ultimate responsible for the decision on whether or not accept a student to start a project and is responsible to register you as selected candidate for the project. It is therefore recommended to contact him/her in advance to discuss your suitability for the project. In the unlikely event that you couldn't find a project, please contact the MPC or the SPL.

 

  • Is there a Masters Thesis template? 

You can find a University template for Master Thesis created by the Faculty of Computer Science here: https://www.overleaf.com/gallery/tagged/univie

 

 

Supervisors:

  • How can I submit/register a project?

You should submit your project ideas and pre-registration forms using our Moodle (link).

 

  • How can I join the MP-Moodle page?

Instructions on how to self-enrol in our Moodle page will be circulated among all potential supervisors as part of the CfP.

 

  • Who can be a Master Project supervisor?

Professors, Staff, and Postdocs can be main supervisors. PhDs can only participate as informal co-supervisors of projects led by any of the previous main supervisors. Formally speaking, note that supervision by Postdocs and Staff without Habilitation or by external staff needs to be approved by all habilitated researchers and Professors. This condition can be relaxed if these supervisors are leaders of externally funded research projects (e.g. FWF, EU). External researchers cannot be formal co-supervisors.

 

  • When the Call for Projects (CfP) will be announced?

We will announce 2 CfP every year at the beginning of each Semester. This CfP will be distributed via Massmailer including instructions on how to join our Moodle page.

 

  • Can I submit/register a project outside the CfP?

Yes, you can register a project outside the CfP. However, we encourage all supervisors to submit projects ideas during the designated CfP. This can help us to organize all the necessary logistics and infrastructure. Also, it will allow candidates to have a full overview of all the available projects in our Institute as well as give visibility to your research. In any case, please use our Moodle to register all projects at any time of the year. 

 

  • Who decides about the project candidate?

The main supervisor is the ultimate responsible for the decision on whether or not accept a student to start a project. Becase of that, this decision could involve some previous interview/discussion between the supervisor(s) and the potential candidate(s) on the interest of the project.

 

  • I found a good candidate for my project, what should I do now?

Please register the project+candidate in our Moodle using the pre-registration form. This will help us to keep the list of available projects up to-date.

 

  • I designed a project for a specific candidate, do I need to submit the project to the pool?

If you have a project and a student ready to work on it you can directly pre-register the project in Moodle (and skip the Project submission). Nonetheless, remember that the project will have to be approved by the SPL.

 

  • Do I really need to create a Research Plan for the students?

Yes, you should in accordance with the Study Law (Studienrecht, Sect. 14, par 3: https://satzung.univie.ac.at/studienrecht/). Creating a research plan is essential for any project, in particular our MPs. This is fundamental to assess the feasibility of the project and estimate some timescales for its execution. Having such plan at the beginning will allow you and the candidate to discuss what is expected from both sides during the execution of your project.