In the fourth semester of the IMMIT programme, you will write your Master Thesis. Your Master Thesis will consist of an academic research question that you’ve developed together with your supervisor. Your thesis work can also include an internship in an internationally operating company. If so, you will be able to conduct your research by means of gathering data at your internship company. (See Internships for more information about companies that provide international internships).

Examples of subjects that students have written their Master Thesis about are:

• Optimising IT business value by increasing visibility and mutual
   understanding: A framework for end-to-end IT Processes
• Assessment methodologies for project priorisation & selection in IT
   project portfolios
• Information technology supporting student mobility
• The set-up of an enterprise master data framework and underlying
   design concepts of master data models
• Perceived risk category and level analysis of online shopping:
   a cross-cultural study
• A framework for prioritising information system requirements.

Abstract Master Thesis

To give you an idea of what the thesis subjects cover, you can read an abstract of a master thesis research.

Abstract 1
Assessment Methodologies for project priorisation & selection in IT project portfolios
Author: Sheila Santiago

In these tough economic times, an increasing number of companies are turning to project portfolio management (PPM) to optimize the selection of projects for their portfolios. By providing an overview of all projects, PPM enables the selection of a project mix that delivers the highest value to an organization, in line with a firm’s strategic objectives, resources and capability. It allows executives to identify how projects are performing, how resources are spread across different projects, how much money is being spent, and ultimately, which projects are necessary. Despite this trend towards the adoption of PPM, there is still no standard framework for implementing PPM, particularly with respect to selecting the optimal projects for a portfolio.

Through an academic and practice-oriented approach, this study proposed an evaluation, prioritization and selection framework for IT project portfolios, using a systematic approach that can be easily reapplied in other organizations. The theoretical part of this study examined the most commonly used assessment tools in the industry (financial methods, business strategy models, mapping approaches and diagrams, scoring models, checklists, comparative approaches, advanced modelling and simulation approaches), their benefits, and limitations. Already exisisting industry standards were also explored for processes that could be reapplied in the context of project assessment for IT portfolios. Lastly, the study delved into choosing the appropriate criteria to enable an objective analysis of an organization’s portfolio.

These findings were fused together to solve the prioritization problems of an energy company, using an action research methodology to design and implement an assessment framework. The framework provided detailed instructions on how to implement the methodology, while still allowing for flexibility and customization of the selection criteria to best meet the firm’s objectives, capabilities and development. Consequently, the proposed framework can be easily reapplied in other organizations with different characteristics.  The results of this research are of importance to multiple audiences, as it extends the body of academic research on IT PPM. From a practical standpoint, this study can serve as a reference and roadmap for organizations wishing to implement a formal project evaluation and selection methodology.