The Master's Thesis in Primary Teacher Education

Schools need teachers with a strong capacity to meet the school's mandate. One of the innovations Norway implemented in 2017 to strengthen teacher education was the introduction of a master's thesis as the final component of the five-year program. However, there is limited knowledge about students’ capacity building, both their readiness to embark on the master's thesis and how they perceive the thesis as a contribution to their professional competence. Through focus group interviews with eight students who had submitted their master's theses, we gained insight into their experiences with the thesis as part of their education. They clearly expressed that they were poorly prepared for what the master's thesis would entail and spoke of significant struggles in building their capacity throughout the process, both through individual work and reflection with others. When asked whether the master's thesis is an innovation that enhances education, the students were uncertain. Although several students emphasized the need for more subjects in the program to increase academic breadth, they also recognized that the academic depth developed through the thesis contributes to strong professional capacity for entering the teaching profession.