- Deadline
- Format and cover
- Proposal for declaration of AI usage in assignments
- Preparation for the master's exam
- Submitting the master's thesis
- Optional to print your thesis
- Final examination
- Clearance form
- Diploma and the Diploma Registry
1. Deadline
Your individual thesis submission deadline can be found in Studentweb under your active course, GEO5960 - Geosciences. Master Thesis.
2. Format and cover
While there are no strict formal requirements regarding the typography of your thesis, prioritising readability is advisable. It is recommended to avoid exceedingly long lines and to use a font size of 12 points with margins of approximately 2.5 centimetres, as these dimensions are widely regarded as optimal for readability.
In the crafting of lengthy documents, utilising styles can be tremendously helpful in organising the layout and can facilitate the automatic generation of a table of contents.
If you plan to have your thesis printed at the Graphic Centre, ensure it is appropriately formatted for double-sided printing. This includes accounting for the need to insert blank pages to compensate for any 'ides' of printed sheets. Guidance on formatting large documents for printing is often available and may be beneficial for your final presentation.
See more information in section 6.
3. Proposal for declaration of AI usage in assignments
If you have the opportunity and wish to utilise generative artificial intelligence (AI) within your assignment, it is absolutely essential to declare its usage clearly. Please adhere to the guidelines on how to appropriately disclose the use of AI in your work. These guidelines are established to ensure academic honesty and the transparency of your research process.
4. Preparation for the master's exam
To be eligible to sit your Master's examination, the following criteria must be satisfied:
- Paid the semester fee for the semester you will have your final MSc exam.
- The Master's contract has to be submitted and approved by the supervisor(s) and the Study Administration.
- All components of the theoretical coursework, including HSE (Health, Safety and Environment) courses, must be successfully completed and passed.
5. Submitting the master's thesis
Starting 15 September 2025, all master's theses will only be submitted in Inspera for publication in the Norwegian Research Information Repository (NVA - Norsk vitenarkiv).
Your thesis must be submitted in Inspera for publication in NVA.
Should the thesis not be submitted by the deadline, admission to the Master's programme will be terminated without any additional notification.
6. Optional to print your thesis
Please give careful consideration to whether you require physical copies of your thesis. After the Master's examination, the thesis will be accessible in digital format and forwarded electronically to the examiners.
Should you need hard copies (limited to a maximum of five), these can be requested by submitting the thesis to the Graphic Centre for printing. When uploading your document for print, you must include the relevant cost codes:
Location code (koststed): 15400000
Project code (delprosjektnummer): 102424048
Please be mindful of the environmental impact and the potential unnecessary costs of printing, and opt for physical copies only if they are essential.
7. Final examination
The Master's presentation and oral examination are usually held in person at the University of Oslo at Blindern.
The student will give an overview of the thesis in a presentation of approximately 30 minutes. After this presentation, the appointed examiners will question the student based on the thesis.
Both the supervisor and the assessors (one external and one internal) will be present at the presentation, either in person or via video conference.
The presentation and the subsequent examination may affect the final grade for the thesis, although the grade will not be disclosed until after the examination is complete.
The scheduling of the presentation and examination will be coordinated with the supervisor, the examiners, and the administration. Details about the time and venue will be announced by the Department of Geosciences and are open to the public.
Immediately after the examination, the candidate will receive their final grade for the Master's thesis, along with a verbal explanation. If there are any uncertainties regarding the grading, this is the time to seek clarification. Please note that formal requests for justification cannot be made later, as this will have been provided when the result is given.
If you wish to appeal the grade, you have three weeks from the registration of the result on Studentweb to do so. Please keep in mind that only the grade for the written Master's thesis is eligible for appeal.
More regulations concerning this part can be found on the MN-faculty page concerning courses, course groups and degrees.
8. Clearance form
To obtain your Master of Science (MSc) degree and diploma, you submit a clearance form for your Master's programme. This form must be signed by staff from the University of Oslo (UiO) to confirm that you have met all your obligations to the research group or department.
The results of your Master's examination are generally registered without delay in Studentweb, where you can find information on the appeal process. The issuance of your MSc degree and diploma will not take place until you have returned the complete clearance form to us with the signatures.
Before submitting the clearance form, ensure that you have resolved how your research data will be handled.
Printed clearance form:
9. Diploma and the Diploma Registry
Please note that we no longer provide printed copies of diplomas. Your certified degree will be accessible in Vitnem?lsportalen- the Diploma Registry, which enables you to collect and share your higher education qualifications in Norway with potential employers, universities, and other relevant companies.
For access to your results in the Diploma Registry, it is essential that your Norwegian ID number is registered in your student profile within the student records. If you do not possess a Norwegian national identity number or D number, you are entitled to request a paper version of your diploma. Additionally, if there are any changes to your name or you acquire a new ID number, it is crucial to update your profile details to maintain the integrity of your records.
The Diploma Registry service is offered at no charge.
Should you need assistance or have any enquiries about your digital diploma, please do not hesitate to get in touch with the MN Student Information Centre at studieinfo@mn.uio.no.