Regulation & Documents
Regulation & Documents
The elaboration of a Diploma Thesis is an optional compulsory course in the 8th semester for the Public Health Direction (10 ECTS) and in the 7th semester for the Community Health Direction (4 ECTS). It is supervised by a faculty member of the PCH or another Department of the University of West Attica who teaches subject(s) of the Study Program and focuses on the academic subjects treated in the Department. This regulation presents the framework and procedures set by the Assembly of the Department of Public and Community Health of the University of Western Attica for the preparation of a thesis, considering the internal regulations of the UNIWA, Official Gazette 4621/ T B’/ 21.10.2020.
The elaboration of the Diploma Thesis is carried out individually by each student or, if the nature of the subject requires it and exceptionally, by a group of a maximum two (2) students, provided that the individual work and contribution of both students is distinct both in terms of the preparation as well as during the presentation of the diploma. The time line for thesis completion is one academic semester. The completion time can be extended by one semester with the consent of the supervising professor. In exceptional cases and upon a reasoned request of the student, the completion time can be extended for another semester. After the end of the three (3) semesters, the student will have to apply again for a Diploma Thesis.
The Diploma Thesis is the written presentation of the implementation of a study and more specifically, the theoretical framework or its empirical part, or the critical review and analysis of the relevant literature. The text must have the characteristics of a scientific paper: structure, completeness, linguistic clarity, accuracy, originality and creativity. The text of the Diploma Thesis is typically made up of the cover, inside cover, page with the names of the Examination Committee and their signatures, the relevant signed author statement, acknowledgments (optional), abstract (Greek and English), acronyms, preface (optional), table of contents and tables/figures/diagrams, introduction, theoretical part/bibliographic review (in subsections), empirical part (in subsections: material and method, data analysis and results, discussion and conclusions), bibliography and appendices. If the thesis is bibliographic and does not include an empirical part, the body of the text after the introduction is structured based on criteria that serve to answer the research questions posed. Reviews are essential tools for synthesizing and critically analyzing the results of primary studies while also helping to reveal areas where research may be lacking. The registration of bibliographic references concerns reputable scientific books, scientific journal articles, conference proceedings, national, european, global organizations. Citations must follow a standard, such as the Harvard or Vancouver or APA system, and are entered in two lists, one for Greek sources and one for foreign language sources. The thesis appendices include accompanying material and sources that support the text, such as questionnaires, relevant case law, photographs, etc.
The use of special software for detecting and recording the percentage of identification of academic papers with the content of other sources from its database is foreseen for all Diploma Thesis. The check through the special software must have preceded the examination of the work. With this control, an authenticity report is obtained (Originality Report) in which the percentage of identification is indicated. The final judgment regarding the evaluation of the report is made by the supervisor. In the event that through this process the authenticity and originality of the work is verified, the supervisor approves its presentation before the Examination Committee (EC). Upon completion of the writing of the thesis, the student, in collaboration with the supervising professor and with his/her approval, submits the Application for Examination (Department website) to the Secretariat and is responsible for also submitting a copy of the Diploma Thesis, in electronic and/or printed form for the Examination Committee. At the same time, a CD with the thesis is submitted (provided that it is checked in terms of function and content by the supervisor, in which the thesis, the student’s and the supervisor’s details are fully written. The exams are scheduled by the Diplomatic Thesis Committee and the detailed program is announced on the Department’s website. The examination time is determined within the first 20 days from the end of each examination period.
The text of the thesis is sent to EC members at least one week before its presentation. The oral support of the Diploma Thesis includes a short presentation lasting approximately 15-20′ using supervisory means and 20 minutes of questions exclusively from the members of the EC. Other members of the academic community (teaching staff, undergraduate and postgraduate students, PhD candidates) may attend during the examination procedure.