Mogens Jin Pedersen & Rune Møller Stahl
Abstract
Cluster Supervision in MSc Dissertation Supervision
While individual supervision is still dominant, cluster supervision is gaining ground as a format for the supervision of MSc dissertation. At the Department of Political Science at KU, this format have been mandatory since 2019. In order to test the experience with the new supervision format we have conducted a survey on cluster supervision among the political science students currently writing their master dissertation with mandatory cluster supervision (n=35). The analysis show mixed results. Our sample students prefer a mix of supervision formats involving more individual supervision than cluster supervision. While the students perceive that individual supervision is associated with greater overall learning outcome, they also report that cluster supervision provides some learning gains.
Based on the result we suggest a series of action points for the department to take into consideration regarding cluster supervision and provide a checklist that supervisors may use for improving their cluster supervision practice.