Analysis of Students’ Difficulties in Completing Master’s Final Projects at UT Palangka Raya

Abstract

The Final Project of the Master Program (TAPM) is a required project for postgraduate students at the Open University. Based on the lecturer’s experience, many students struggle to complete their studies on time due to challenges in completing TAPM. This study aims to analyze and describe the difficulties students face in finishing TAPM at the Open University of Palangka Raya. The research uses a qualitative case study approach, with 20 informants consisting of active students and alumni. Data was collected through interviews, observations, and documentation, with analysis using the Interactive Analysis technique. The study identified several difficulties: (1) identifying and describing "empirical problems" and presenting tables and images; (2) distinguishing between "theory" and "policy," explaining the "novelty" of research, and developing a framework; (3) creating research instruments and conducting trials; (4) presenting data systematically and discussing it coherently. Additionally, the analysis revealed that descriptive statistical results were not discussed, and only inferential statistical results were elaborated. There was limited mastery of theory, and the "Results" section was longer than the "Discussion" section