SPS604 Dissertation Preparation Seminar
SPS604 Dissertation Preparation Seminar
Syllabus | International University of Sarajevo - Last Update on Mar 03, 2026
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Social and Political Sciences
Emel Topcu
Course Lecturer
Course Objectives
This course guides the students in the process of choosing the dissertation topic, generating the research questions and hypothesis, writing the literature review, selecting a theoretical and conceptual framework, selecting the research methods and models, making data presentation and analysis, preparing the dissertation proposal, and writing of the dissertation and preparation of the defense. Another purpose of this course is to guide the students regarding dissertation requirements, mentor-student relationships, dissertation schedules, time, writing, and defense processes.
Learning Outcomes
After successful completion of the course, the student will be able to:
Course Materials
Required Textbook
Booth, W. C., Colomb, G. G., & Williams, J. M. (2008). The craft of research (3rd ed.). University of Chicago Press.
Additional Literature
Carol Roberts and Laura Hyatt. The Dissertation Journey A Practical and Comprehensive Guide to Planning, Writing and Defending Your Dissertation. London: CORWIN PRESS, SAGE, 2019; Fred C. Lunenburg and Beverly J. Irby, Writing a Successful Thesis or Dissertation. CORWIN PRESS, SAGE, 2008; Lorrie Blair, Writing a Graduate Thesis or Dissertation. AW Rotterdam: Sense Publishers, 2016Teaching Methods
This course employs a range of teaching and learning methods such as lecturing
Written assignments
Presentations
Group debates.
Weekly Topics
| Week | Topic | Readings / References |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Course Introduction | Assigned Reading |
| 2 | What Exactly is a Dissertation? | Assigned Reading |
| 3 | Evaluating and Choosing the Dissertation Topic | Assigned Reading |
| 4 | Writing the Introduction through Generation of Research Problem, Objectives and Questions | Assigned Reading |
| 5 | Conducting and Writing Dissertation Literature Review | Assigned Reading |
| 6 | Understanding and Selecting Theoretical and Conceptual Framework | Assigned Reading |
| 7 | Writing the Dissertation Proposal | Assigned Reading |
| 8 | Selecting Appropriate Research Methodology | Assigned Reading |
| 9 | Collecting and Analyzing Data | Assigned Reading |
| 10 | Mastering the Academic Style and Format | Assigned Reading |
| 11 | Effective Approaches to Mentor-Student Relationship | Assigned Reading |
| 12 | Presenting at Conferences and Publishing a Journal Article | Assigned Reading |
| 13 | Defending the Dissertation | Assigned Reading |
| 14 | Dissertation Proposal Presentations | NA |
| 15 | Dissertation Proposal Presentations | NA |
Course Schedule (All Sections)
Office Hours & Room
Assessment Methods and Criteria
Assessment Components
Dissertation Proposal
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 1 2
Dissertation Review
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 2 3 5
Assignment & Presentation
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 1 2 3 4
Assignments & Presentation
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 1 2 3 4
Assignments & Presentation
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 1 2 3 4
Participation
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 6
IUS Grading System
| Grading Scale | IUS Grading System | IUS Coeff. | Letter (B&H) | Numerical (B&H) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 - 44 | F | 0 | F | 5 |
| 45 - 54 | E | 1 | ||
| 55 - 64 | C | 2 | E | 6 |
| 65 - 69 | C+ | 2.3 | D | 7 |
| 70 -74 | B- | 2.7 | ||
| 75 - 79 | B | 3 | C | 8 |
| 80 - 84 | B+ | 3.3 | ||
| 85 - 94 | A- | 3.7 | B | 9 |
| 95 - 100 | A | 4 | A | 10 |
Late Work Policy
Information about late submission policies will be shared during class and posted in this section. Please check back for official guidelines.
ECTS Credit Calculation
📚 Student Workload
This 6 ECTS credit course corresponds to 150 hours of total student workload, distributed as follows:
Lecture Hours
45 hours ⏳ (15 week × 3 h)
Dissertation Review
6 hours ⏳ (2 week × 3 h)
Participation
12 hours ⏳ (6 week × 2 h)
Home Study
26 hours ⏳ (13 week × 2 h)
Dissertation Proposal Presentation
17 hours ⏳ (1 week × 17 h)
Dissertation Proposal
24 hours ⏳ (1 week × 24 h)
Research Article
20 hours ⏳ (2 week × 10 h)
150 Total Workload Hours
6 ECTS Credits
Course Policies
Academic Integrity
All work submitted must be your own. Plagiarism, cheating, or any form of academic dishonesty will result in disciplinary action according to university policies. When in doubt about citation practices, consult the instructor.
Attendance Policy
Students are expected to adhere to the attendance requirements as outlined in the International University of Sarajevo Study Rules and Regulations. Excessive absences, whether excused or unexcused, may impact academic performance and eligibility for assessment. Mandatory sessions (e.g., labs, workshops) require attendance unless formally exempted. For detailed policies on absences, documentation, and penalties, please refer to the official university regulations.
Technology & AI Policy
Laptops/tablets may be used for note-taking only during lectures. Phones should be silenced and put away during all class sessions. Audio/video recording requires prior permission from the instructor.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) Usage: The use of AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Copilot, Gemini) varies by assessment component. Please refer to the AI usage indicator next to each assessment item in the Assessment Methods and Criteria section above. Submitting AI-generated content as your own work, where AI is not explicitly allowed, constitutes an academic integrity violation.
Communication Policy
All course-related communication should occur through official university channels (institutional email or SIS). Emails should include [SPS604] in the subject line.
Academic Quality Assurance Policy
Course Academic Quality Assurance is achieved through Semester Student Survey. At the end of each academic year, the institution of higher education is obliged to evaluate work of the academic staff, or the success of realization of the curricula.
Learning Tips
Be prepared to contribute thoughtfully during class discussions, labs, or collaborative work. Active participation deepens understanding and encourages critical thinking.
Complete assigned readings or prep materials before class. Take notes, highlight key ideas, and jot down questions. Aim to grasp core concepts and their applications—not just facts.
Use course frameworks or methodologies to analyze problems, case studies, or projects. Begin early to allow time for reflection and refinement. Seek feedback to improve your work.
Don’t hesitate to reach out when something is unclear. Use office hours, discussion boards, or peer networks to clarify concepts and stay on track.
Syllabus Last Updated on Mar 03, 2026 | International University of Sarajevo
Print Syllabus
Referencing Curricula Print this page
| Course Code | Course Title | Weekly Hours* | ECTS | Weekly Class Schedule | ||||||
| T | P | |||||||||
| SPS604 | Dissertation Preparation Seminar | 3 | 0 | 6 | Wednesday 17:00-20:00 | |||||
| Prerequisite | None | It is a prerequisite to | - | |||||||
| Lecturer | Emel Topcu | Office Hours / Room / Phone | Currently not available |
|||||||
| etopcu@ius.edu.ba | ||||||||||
| Assistant | Serap Fiso | Assistant E-mail | sfiso@ius.edu.ba | |||||||
| Course Objectives | This course guides the students in the process of choosing the dissertation topic, generating the research questions and hypothesis, writing the literature review, selecting a theoretical and conceptual framework, selecting the research methods and models, making data presentation and analysis, preparing the dissertation proposal, and writing of the dissertation and preparation of the defense. Another purpose of this course is to guide the students regarding dissertation requirements, mentor-student relationships, dissertation schedules, time, writing, and defense processes. | |||||||||
| Textbook | Booth, W. C., Colomb, G. G., & Williams, J. M. (2008). The craft of research (3rd ed.). University of Chicago Press. | |||||||||
| Additional Literature |
|
|||||||||
| Learning Outcomes | After successful completion of the course, the student will be able to: | |||||||||
| Teaching Methods | This course employs a range of teaching and learning methods such as lecturing, written assignments, presentations, group debates. | |||||||||
| Teaching Method Delivery | Hybrid / blended | Teaching Method Delivery Notes | ||||||||
| WEEK | TOPIC | REFERENCE | ||||||||
| Week 1 | Course Introduction | Assigned Reading | ||||||||
| Week 2 | What Exactly is a Dissertation? | Assigned Reading | ||||||||
| Week 3 | Evaluating and Choosing the Dissertation Topic | Assigned Reading | ||||||||
| Week 4 | Writing the Introduction through Generation of Research Problem, Objectives and Questions | Assigned Reading | ||||||||
| Week 5 | Conducting and Writing Dissertation Literature Review | Assigned Reading | ||||||||
| Week 6 | Understanding and Selecting Theoretical and Conceptual Framework | Assigned Reading | ||||||||
| Week 7 | Writing the Dissertation Proposal | Assigned Reading | ||||||||
| Week 8 | Selecting Appropriate Research Methodology | Assigned Reading | ||||||||
| Week 9 | Collecting and Analyzing Data | Assigned Reading | ||||||||
| Week 10 | Mastering the Academic Style and Format | Assigned Reading | ||||||||
| Week 11 | Effective Approaches to Mentor-Student Relationship | Assigned Reading | ||||||||
| Week 12 | Presenting at Conferences and Publishing a Journal Article | Assigned Reading | ||||||||
| Week 13 | Defending the Dissertation | Assigned Reading | ||||||||
| Week 14 | Dissertation Proposal Presentations | NA | ||||||||
| Week 15 | Dissertation Proposal Presentations | NA | ||||||||
| Assessment Methods and Criteria | Evaluation Tool | Quantity | Weight | Alignment with LOs | AI Usage |
| Dissertation Proposal | 1 | 30 | 1,2 | Not Allowed | |
| Semester Evaluation Components | |||||
| Dissertation Review | 1 | 25 | 2,3,5 | Not Allowed | |
| Assignment & Presentation | 1 | 10 | 1,2,3,4 | Not Allowed | |
| Assignments & Presentation | 1 | 10 | 1,2,3,4 | Not Allowed | |
| Assignments & Presentation | 1 | 10 | 1,2,3,4 | Not Allowed | |
| Participation | 1 | 15 | 6 | Not Allowed | |
| *** ECTS Credit Calculation *** | |||||
| Activity | Hours | Weeks | Student Workload Hours | Activity | Hours | Weeks | Student Workload Hours | |||
| Lecture Hours | 3 | 15 | 45 | Dissertation Review | 3 | 2 | 6 | |||
| Participation | 2 | 6 | 12 | Home Study | 2 | 13 | 26 | |||
| Dissertation Proposal Presentation | 17 | 1 | 17 | Dissertation Proposal | 24 | 1 | 24 | |||
| Research Article | 10 | 2 | 20 | |||||||
| Total Workload Hours = | 150 | |||||||||
| *T= Teaching, P= Practice | ECTS Credit = | 6 | ||||||||
| Course Academic Quality Assurance: Semester Student Survey | Last Update Date: 27/03/2026 | |||||||||