Master Thesis Seminar
2026-27 Master Tracks SQD & CSS
Place: Room 2035, ENSAE, Campus Institut Polytechnique de Paris.
The objective of this seminar is to provide a dedicated space for guidance and discussion on the design and drafting of the research thesis for M2 students in the QSD & CSS tracks.
For students pursuing an internship in place of the Master thesis, there is a special session (October 22nd) in the seminar to help discuss and prepare CVs and Motivation Letters.
During the Fall semester, the objective is to guide students in the preparation of a 15-to-20-page proposal by January (submission deadline: Monday, January 18, 2027), structured as follows:
Introduction (1 p.): Identifies the research problem and addresses three core questions: What is the research question? Why is it a significant contribution? What approach is employed?
Literature Review (5–7 p.): Situates the debate, defines key concepts, and identifies opportunities to advance empirical or theoretical knowledge on the topic.
Hypotheses (2–3 p.): Presents falsifiable predictions and discusses them in relation to alternative hypotheses, logical reasoning, and existing empirical findings.
Dataset (1 p.): Describes the source, nature, and format of the data.
Measures (1–3 p.): Details the operationalization of concepts into dependent, independent, and control variables.
Empirical Strategy (2–3 p.): Outlines the statistical techniques to be used for hypothesis testing.
Preliminary Results (optional)
Bibliography (1–2 p.)
During the Spring semester, the seminar will consist of four two-hour sessions. In these sessions, each student will have the opportunity to present their ongoing thesis progress twice and submit it for collective discussion and feedback.