What is the TFM follow-up programme?

An important part of the official master's degrees’ curricula involves putting together and defending the Master's Thesis (TFM), an indispensable requirement for obtaining the degree.

A programme has been developed for increased accompaniment during the TFM's preparation, given the important contribution that the TFM represents for acquiring professional skills and competences, the complexity its development involves and the special risk of students’ dropping out that arises during this period.  

This programme complements the individual tutoring carried out on by master's degree teaching staff and represents added value to the way this process is usually organised.

How does the TFM follow-up programme work?

The programme consists of three tutorials that are temporarily sequenced and broken down into the following components: 1) chosen subject matter and goals, 2) methodology used and 3) Results and conclusions.

During these tutorials, students present the state of their work before a group of teachers from several areas for each of the components using software soft to make presentations that they choose. The teachers suggest improvements and contribute ideas for the work’s continued development.

At the same time, students prepare a document where they develop in writing each of the sections asked for in each tutorial and make a collection of the contributions made by the teachers to help with including the comments received in the following phase as well as also the individual follow-up from the tutor.

An important part of the students’ TFM qualification involves assistance in follow-up tutorials and presentations of corresponding documents.

What can it bring to participation in the TFM's follow-up programme?

Participation in this follow-up programme has many advantages for the student. In first place, it gives them to a broader vision of their work thanks to the contributions made by teachers from several areas. It also helps to build up their confidence in displaying their work and taking decisions over its development. It also helps to improve their time management as the tutorials are arranged in a temporary sequence that requires constant work.

In addition, it cuts the risk of students’ dropping out of the TFM as it provides increases the educational team's accompaniment throughout the process and reduces the stress that comes with the fact that the TFM’s assessment depends exclusively on the qualification obtained during the defence.