Patterns in Undergraduate Theses Supervision in Business and Economics

Tănase, M. O. & Harba, J. (2020). Patterns in Undergraduate Theses Supervision in Business and Economics. CACTUS - Journal of Tourism Business, Management and Economics, 2 (1).

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Abstract

Looking at three-year long BA (Hons) courses from the Bucharest University of Economic Studies, thesis writing and supervision play a crucial part for both students and lecturers, especially in the second semester of the third year of the course. Through the guidance provided, effective communication and constructive feedback, tutors have the ability to influence students’ perception of their learning process and contribute to their personal development, as well as build their self-confidence. The aim of this scientific paper is to present the advantages and disadvantages of thesis supervision, through discussion of published literature, as well as primary research result analysis. The literature review discusses the ever-changing roles of lecturers and students in the thesis supervision process, the similarities between thesis supervision and distance learning, as well as the advantages of individual meetings and group tutorials. The study uses a mixed research methodology: qualitative - a focus group with lectures from the Bucharest University of Economic Studies and quantitative - a questionnaire aimed at third year Bachelors students. Ultimately, this study provides answers to a knowledge gap, aiming to support fellow teachers to improve their way of interacting with students during the final stage of their Bachelors program.

Keywords

Thesis Supervision, Bachelor Program, Business and Economics, Higher Education.

JEL Classification

A22, I21, I23

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