failing master thesis in germany

I have failed my master thesis exam

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When you fail your Master Thesis, you usually have a maximum of 2 more chances to do your Thesis. You should contact the Academic Advice Office for International students of your university (Studienberating für Internationale Student*innen). They will give you detailed information on this.

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Master's Thesis

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Choosing a professor as supervisor for Master's thesis

A suitable supervisor for your Master’s thesis can be chosen from all professors of the department who are currently teaching over the period during which you are writing your thesis. Please refer to the department information on the planned sabbatical semesters of professors.

Registering your Master’s Thesis

Supervision and topic choice will be coordinated directly through the chair of your respective department.
Upon final registration of your thesis, all details regarding your topic, deadline etc. will be filled out in a form with the department chair and then registered with the ISC (Examination Office). The required form can be found with your academic chair.
The time allotted for your thesis (22 weeks) starts on the day on which your topic assignment was registered.
A template for the title page of a Master’s thesis can be found here (in German) .
A template for the declaration accompanying your thesis can be found here (in German) .

Topic Assignment

The final topic assignment will be assigned by your professor.
You have the opportunity to reject the topic suggested by the professor one time, and it must be within two weeks of assignment.

Master’s Thesis Deadlines

After the official topic assignment through your department chair, you have a maximum of 22 weeks to work on your thesis.
In case of circumstances beyond your control (e.g. illness), interfering with your ability to work on your thesis, you may appeal for a deadline extension per written request.
You must provide sufficient evidence of these circumstances, for example with an official doctor’s note – see what to do in case of illness .

Length of Your Thesis

A Master’s Thesis is typically between 60,000 and 120,000 characters long.

Selecting Your Topic

The topic of your thesis should in principle be taken from the field of economics.
Upon written request (to turn in at the ISC, room 20), it’s possible to write your thesis in a different subject area. In the request you must provide information regarding your desired subject area, an explanation of how a topic in that field is relevant to the study of economics, as well as the name of your advisor/professor and a letter of their consent.
Your Master’s thesis may then be registered after you are informed of the decision regarding your request.

Turning in Your Completed Master’s Thesis

You are to turn in your Master’s thesis on time (i.e. before the deadline 12 p.m. on the relevant day) at the Examination Office (ISC) electronically. Printed copies are not necessary.
If the electronic copy of your thesis is less than or equal to 10 MB, it may be submitted online through the following link: Master’s thesis online submission form (in German). If the file is larger than 10 MB, please load it onto a flash drive (USB stick) and hand it in at the ISC office (please make an appointment beforehand).

Failing/Rewriting Your Master’s Thesis

Your Master’s thesis will be determined “unsatisfactory” if it is turned in after the deadline.
If your Master’s thesis is determined “unsatisfactory”, or is graded by the professor as “unsatisfactory”, it can be repeated one time during the next possible time period.
The regular period of study is 4 semesters. 1. The master’s examination counts as provisorily (temporarily) failed if the regular period of study has been exceeded by more than one semester for reasons within the student’s control, and 2. as permanently failed, if the regular period of study has been exceeded for more than two semesters for reasons within the student’s control.
If you have a reason which qualifies for a deadline extension, please consult the examination office (ISC).

Guidelines for the Master’s thesis

The master’s thesis is considered the final outcome of your master project and is also the most extensive scientific work of the study. The basis is identifying an appropriate topic, which is worked on independently, based on scientific theories and methods.

Below you will find important information and related references to the Master’s Framework Examination Regulations (M-RPO) regarding the individual steps before and during the preparation of a master’s thesis, as well as its assessment and evaluation.

You will find a summary of all the information in this downloadable PDF.

Before Registration

Before you register your master’s thesis, choose a topic that is related to your master's program and discuss it with your initial supervisor.

Important information before registration

Compensation for disadvantages.

If you are unable to complete all or part of the master’s thesis in the described form or within the deadline due to a chronic illness, a disability, pregnancy a/o maternity leave, you may apply for compensation for a disadvantage. Accordingly, the Master's Examination Committee may extend the processing time for examinations or the deadline (paragraph 10a and 10b of the M-RPO).

For this purpose, please contact the Diversity Officer ( Diversitätsbeauftragte ) of the University of Erfurt, who is supported by Department 1: Study & Teaching ( Dezernat 1: Studium & Lehre ), or the representative for Studying with Children before proposing the topic of your master’s thesis.

Language of the Master’s thesis

The master’s thesis could be written either in German or English. Should you want to write your thesis in a language other than the above mentioned, you will need to get your first supervisor’s approval before issuing the topic of the master’s thesis (paragraph 21 (6) of the M-RPO). In this case, the master’s thesis must contain a short summary in German as an appendix.

Joint-master’s thesis

The master’s thesis can also be written as a group thesis if its contribution could be assessed clearly and distinguishably. Further details are regulated by paragraph 21 (4) in conjunction with paragraph 21 (1) of the M-RPO.

Supervision of the Master’s thesis

Any professor or other person who is authorized to conduct examinations and hold a teaching position within your master's program can supervise the master’s thesis (paragraph 21 (2) of the M-RPO).

External second Supervisor

You have found a person who does not (regularly) teach at the University of Erfurt, but agrees to review your work? Then you can request the appointment of an external second supervisor. This person must have at least the university degree you are pursuing. Thus, it could be an expert from a company or another university, but their appointment must be justified and well-founded.

Formalities for appointing an external second supervisor

Clarification of the importance and advisability of appointing an external second supervisor with the first supervisor.
Submission of a written request to the M-Examination board ( M-Prüfungsausschuss ) stating why this external second supervisor would perform this task to the same extent instead of a professor, or another person authorized to examine at the University of Erfurt. This written application shall be co-signed by the first supervisor.
Submission of the application along with the contact details of the second supervisor as well as the "Application for issuing the thesis’ topic".

The official form "Application for issuing the thesis’ topic" can be found here. Please use only this form for application. A translation help is given with this document .

In principle, students who wish to peruse their degree within the standard study period (four semesters) must “apply for issuing the thesis topic with taking into account that handing in the master’s thesis shall be one month before the end of the fourth semester at the latest.” (paragraph 21 (3) of the M-RPO).

Please note that you should submit your application as well as a current Certificate of Enrolment to the Dean's Office by the 15th of (each) month so that your thesis topic and the start of the processing period can be scheduled for the 1st day of the following month.

The topic and the supervisors will then be approved by the Master's Examination Committee and communicated to you in an issue letter . This letter will be sent to you by the dean's office via e-mail a few days before the start of the processing period. Your confirmation of this letter is required so that the corresponding link can be activated in WISEflow and sent to you.

During the Master's thesis processing period

The deadline for submitting your master’s thesis is 5 months starting from the day you will be notified with the issue letter (paragraph 21 (5) of the M-RPO). As a rule of thumb, the length/word count of the master thesis should not exceed approx. 25,000 words. You should thus keep the topic appropriately brief to fit into the given word count.

The work must contain (from a purely formal point of view) the following elements:

table of contents,
list of sources/bibliography,
page numbers,
references.

The requirements of any other scientific work apply (Research question(s), research interest, state of research, theory, results, conclusion/further research…etc.).

Further remarks

Return or change of thesis’ topic.

The topic can only be returned once and only within two months after the issue of the master thesis’ topic (paragraph 21 (3) of the M-RPO). For this purpose, please send an informal letter with a short justification to the M-Examination Committee ( M-Prüfungsausschuss ) and submit it via the Dean's Office.

Changing the thesis' topic of the thesis is only possible in justified exceptions. For this purpose, a written request with reasons must be submitted to the Master's Examination Board no later than 4 weeks before the submission deadline (final deadline). This request requires a written statement from your supervisor. Adding an (additional) subtitle is possible at any time without an application. However, this addition will not (!) be shown on the certificate.

Extension of the Deadline

In case you are unable to submit on time due to an illness, you must immediately submit the sick leave notification to Department 1: Study & Teaching (Dezernat 1: Studium & Lehre). For this purpose, it is mandatory to use the given form.

If the inability to work on the thesis is recognized, the Deadline will be extended according to the respective number of days of illness or delay. After processing the documents received by the Dean's Office for this purpose, students receive a letter with the recalculated deadline.

Submission of the Master’s thesis

To verify that the submission deadline has been met, the date of receipt of the digital submission via WISEFlow applies.

On the day of submission, you upload your digital master thesis as a PDF file via the platform WISEflow . This file must not exceed a size of 20 MB and must (formally) contain the following:

list of sources and bibliography,
page numbers

Please make sure that no conclusions can be drawn about your name or address here (personal data - data protection) - i.e. do not insert the title page or declaration of independence in this document!

The the title page, the valid Certificate of enrolment and the declaration of independence signed by hand in blue must be uploaded in WISEflow as separate files under " Anhangsmaterial "; and furthermore, additional files with attachments or appendices (video recordings, statistics files, etc.) may be uploaded here - these files together must not exceed the size of 1 GB .

After that, you also add the automatically generated cover sheet in WISEflow.

As a last step, click on the "Click here to submit" field in WISEflow to complete the submission. After that, you can download a receipt for yourself and print it out if necessary.

If requested by your examiner(s) , please submit one/two bound printed version(s) of your master thesis to the Dean's Office no later than 3 days after submitting your thesis in WISEflow.

Evaluation of the Master’s thesis

After submitting your master’s thesis in due time, the Dean's Office will send it to the respective supervisors. The deadline for the evaluation procedure is based on paragraph 22 (2) of the M-RPO.

The master's thesis will be reviewed by two supervisors and evaluated in accordance with paragraph 15 (3) of the M-RPO. If the grades of both appointed supervisors differ by 2.0 or more, or if one of the two supervisors assesses the thesis as "insufficient", the thesis is to be assessed by a third examiner (paragraph 22 (2) of the M-RPO).

You will receive your grade certificate by mail shortly after the receipt of all experts‘ reports. The Dean's Office will then automatically forward a copy to Department 1: Study & Teaching ( Dezernat 1: Studium & Lehre ).

Second Attempt of Master's thesis

The master’s thesis is deemed not to have been passed if you do not complete your thesis within the deadline of the Master Examination Board or if the two supervisors rate your work as "insufficient" (grade 5.0) (paragraph 23 (2) of the M-RPO).

If the master’s thesis has not been passed for the first time, it can be repeated once on a different topic. A change of the topic of the master’s thesis is only permitted if you did not make use of this option when writing the first master’s thesis (paragraph 21 (3) of the M-RPO). The application can be submittd by the 15th of (each) month (the processing time starts on the 1st of the following month).

If the master’s thesis is also not passed in the second attempt, the right to be examined expires. If you lose your right to take an examination, you will be de-registered (ex-matriculated) (paragraph 23 (2) of the M-RPO).

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Appointments for the submission of applications and printed Master's theses are possible by individual arrangement. Appointments and confirmations are made after e-mail request.

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Final Thesis

For general information on your thesis, please see the General Study and Examination Regulations for Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree Programs (§ 26 Bachelor’s Thesis / § 30 Master’s Thesis) .

Topic assignment

Please take note of the following steps required for the assignment of the topic for your final thesis:

Select a topic and choose an adviser
Discuss the topic and find a title for the final thesis
In consultation with your adviser, find a second reader for your thesis
Fill out and download the form "Application for assigning the topic for the final thesis" via PULS ( Submit Applications / Degree Completion )
Sign the downloaded form. With your own signature you express your willingness to register your thesis
The Topic Assignment Form requires the signature of both readers of your thesis as well as of the examination board
The examination board confirms the final thesis topic (please note that a date is required on the Topic Assignment Form)

Further information:

If you decide to shorten the time frame for submitting your thesis (“ bloc processing ” as stated in BAMA-O Section 26 (5) / Section 30 (5) or BAMALA-O Section 26 (5) / Section 30 (7)), it has to be confirmed by the signature of your chair of the examination board on your application form.

If your Study and Examination Regulations allows to write your thesis in a Language other than German , you need to enclose a German summary to your thesis.

If you are enrolled in a dual-subject degree program (Bachelor’s degree) and consider registering your thesis in your second subject, please see BAMA-O Section 26 (1).

Registering the final thesis with the Student Administration Center/ Examination Office

Once the examination board has confirmed your topic, you may proceed to register your final thesis. Please note the following:

You must register your final thesis with the Student Administration Center/ Examination Office within one week of receiving confirmation of your topic from the Examination Board . To register your final thesis use the Document Upload Option in PULS . Upload a scan of the signed form.
If you fail to register your final thesis within the stipulated period, a new topic must be assigned!
The submission deadline will be determined and communicated to you.
You will receive an email or letter, stating the date of registration and the submission deadline for your thesis. You will also see the submission deadline on your Transcript of Records („Leistungsübersicht“) in PULS .

According to the Immatrikulationsordnung (Regulations on enrollment), you are not allowed to register your thesis during your leave of absence (Urlaubssemester) .

The topic can only be returned once within the first third of your processing time according to BAMA-O Section 26 (10) / Section 30 (10) or BAMALA-O Section 26 (10) / Section 30 (12).

Final thesis submission

As of November 1, 2023,

you exclusively submit your final thesis digitally via the Document Upload option in PULS to the Student Administration Center/ Examination Office. You will no longer need to submit three bound copies and an electronic version of your final thesis (e.g. on a CD), that were previously required. Should you no longer be enrolled please use following link to upload your thesis: Upload thesis .
When uploading your thesis in PULS, please check carefully that you selected the correct version for your submission. The Examination Office will forward the document you submitted first to your examiners. An updated version of your thesis, provided afterwards, will not be forwarded to your examiners.
You must submit a Statement of Originality in your final thesis. In this declaration of academic integrity you affirm, that the thesis was written by yourself and no sources or aids other than those specified were used. For more information, please see the guidelines on plagiarism provided by the senate. (E.g. “I hereby declare that this thesis is the product of my own work. All the assistance received in preparing this thesis and the sources used have been acknowledged.”) When uploading your thesis in PULS, the included Statement of Originality does not necessarily have to be signed.

According to the General Study and Examination Regulations for Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree Programs (BAMA-O / BAMALA-O) the thesis may only be submitted after at least one third of the processing time has elapsed.

The latest date for submitting your thesis, as stated by the Student Administration Center/ Examination Office, only applies if this date is still within your examination deadline according to § 7a BAMA-O/ BAMALA-O . If your examination deadline (§ 7a BAMA-O/ BAMALA- O) expires on Mar 31/ Sept 30, the latest submission date will be Mar 31/ Sept 30 respectively. In case the extension of the examination deadline has been granted, the submission date will be adapted in accordance with the processing time.

If the deadline for submission falls on a Saturday, a Sunday or a public holiday (state of Brandenburg) , the thesis can also be submitted on the next following working day.

Selection of Elective Modules Relevant to the Final Grade

If more modules have been successfully completed for an electives area on your transcript of records than are required in accordance with your subject-specific regulations, it is possible to select the modules that are to be included in the calculation of the final grade. The form “ Selection of Elective Modules Relevant to the Final Grade ” must be used for this purpose. The form must then be submitted via the Document Upload Option in PULS or by email to the Student Administration Center/ Examination Office , if you cannot access PULS anymore.

Please note that the selection of elective modules relevant to the final grade can only be made once and must be made no later than at the time of submission of the final thesis (BAMA-O Section 27(4), Section 31(2) / BAMALA-O Section 27(5), Section 31(5)). If no selection has been made at the time of submission of the final thesis then the elective modules count in the order in which they were completed until the required number of elective credit points is reached.

Evaluation of the final thesis and thesis defense

The Student Administration Center/ Examination Office forwards your thesis to your examiners (readers). The examiners provide an evaluation of the thesis, explaining the grade given. The first examiner is generally also the thesis advisor. If the second examiner agrees with the first examiner’s evaluation, she/he can shorten her/his own report by just stating her/his consent and mentioning the grade. In any case, the second examiner has to submit her/his own report. If the difference in grades between the first and the second examiner is higher than 2.0 or if one of the grades is lower than “sufficient” (4.0), the examination board will appoint a third examiner.

If your examination regulations state that you must defend your final thesis (disputation or colloquium), please make sure to contact your examiners in a timely manner to set up a defense date.

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Theses – Frequently Asked Questions

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To complete your studies successfully, you must submit a thesis at the end of your programme. On this page, we will inform you about what you need to do and bear in mind.

Before registering the thesis
While working on the thesis
After submitting the thesis

We will also give you an overview of:

Please bear in mind that the rules governing your final exam are entirely based on the examination regulations and their annexes that apply to you.

All rules for your degree programme can be found on the examination pages of your degree programme.

1. Before registering the thesis

1.1. what must i do to be able to register for the thesis.

To be admitted to the thesis part of your programme, you need to have acquired a defined minimum number of credits (ECTS points). This is usually 120 credits in Bachelor’s programmes and 60 credits in Master’s programmes.

‘Acquired’ means that the ECTS points have been credited to your academic record in Stud.IP. Even if module components have been completed, their credits will only count officially once the assessment has been completed.

On top of the minimum number of credits attained, your examination regulations and/or the annex of the regulations that deal with your subject may also require other accomplishments. For instance, you may need to have successfully completed certain subject modules, practical modules or the basic curriculum before you can be admitted to the thesis.

1.2. How do I find a topic, and how may I formulate it?

The best way to settle questions about your topic and to seek assessors is to approach the teaching unit (in other words, the institute or department within the School) within which you want to write the thesis.

Please note:

On Stud.IP you will find a wide range of topics under the tab

Thesis topics

For each topic, contact persons, a general description and the nature of the work required are shown, e.g.:

‘focus on application or other practical aspects’; or
‘conceptual/theoretical’

1.3. Who may assess and grade my work?

The thesis will be evaluated by two appointed examiners, who act as assessors . While your request is being processed, you will be supervised by the first assessor.

The topic of the thesis is determined by the first assessor. A member of the university lecturers’ and professors’ group or a private lecturer of the relevant subject must be among the assessors. In individual cases, the competent Examining Board may allow deviations from this rule.

Only holders of a scholarly university degree or an equivalent qualification may be appointed as examiners.

1.4. May the thesis be the work of a group?

This depends on specific circumstances.

If the relevant annex of the examination regulations permits, Bachelor’s theses may be the work of up to three persons.

If the examination regulations permit, group theses can also be submitted at the Master’s level.

In the case of group work, the contribution of each examinee to be assessed must meet the requirements of the examination regulations. They must be clearly definable as an individual module component that can be individually assessed (e.g. with reference to sections or page numbers).

In which cases is group work not allowed?

A group thesis is inadmissible if students are to be involved whose thesis work would be outside the scope of their own examination regulations.

For example: A group thesis is not permissible if it involves students of the MA in Education (Gymnasium) as well as students of the MA in Education (Business education) or the MA in Economics and Law. It is also not possible to take a group thesis with students who are not enrolled at the University of Oldenburg.

1.5. How do I register for the thesis, and how am I admitted?

You register for the thesis after you have selected a topic in consultation with your assessors.

For this purpose, use the Registration for the Thesis form.

The process is as follows.

Using your email address assigned by the university, address your application to the first assessor.
After consultation with the second assessor, the first assessor then confirms the topic and the assessment plan and sends the form to the Examinations Office.
If necessary, the Examinations Office will then seek a decision by the Chair of the Examining Board.
The Examination Office will inform you by email about the processing time and will admit you to the thesis. You will receive a letter of admission by post. Subsequently, your thesis will be displayed as registered in Stud.IP.

1.6. What are the rules if external persons, i.e. persons who do not belong to the university, supervise my thesis?

Information on this can be found in the following Guidance leaflet:

Information on the acceptance and processing of theses with the participation of companies and organisations outside the university

1.7. Roughly how much time will writing the thesis take?

A general answer is hard to provide.

It is your responsibility to reserve enough time for the preparation and planning of your thesis. How much time you will need will depend on various things, including personal factors.

Are you unsure about the time required or about finding a topic?

We invite you to make use of the university’s advisory services. They are there to help you.

The Learning Workshops at the Study and Career Counselling Service (ZSKB) offer training and advice on reading and writing academic texts, among other things.

Learning Workshops at the Study and Career Counselling Service (ZSKB)

Please also note these pointers and recommendations for your graduation:

Timetable for the transition from Bachelor’s to Master’s

Procedure for completing the Master of Education (primary school, secondary school, Gymnasium, special needs education)

Procedure for completing the Master of Education (Business education)

2. While working on the thesis

2.1. how long can i take to write my thesis.

This depends on the provisions of the examination regulations or their annexes that apply in your case. The Examinations Office will officially inform you of the deadline for submission of the thesis.

Note that the work will not be considered to have passed if you do not meet the deadline and do not prove any valid reasons for this failure.

A valid reason is illness on the part of the student. For information on the extension of the deadline for the thesis in case of your own illness, see 2.4. What if I fall ill while working on the thesis? Can I extend the deadline?

Please note: If, in the case of admission to the thesis or the extension of the submission deadline on valid grounds (e.g. illness), the end of the processing period falls between 24 December and 1 January, the processing time will be officially extended to the first working day after 1 January. No action is required from you in these cases.

2.2. Can I withdraw from the thesis project or change the topic after I have been admitted?

If the examination regulations that apply to you allow it, you can change the topic within a specified period.

For example, the Bachelor’s examination regulations stipulate that the student can change the topic set by the first assessor within the first month after admission without giving reasons. A later change is only possible if valid grounds are recognized.

If you are still uncertain, you are welcome to approach us.

2.3. Can I change the topic of my thesis during preparation?

Once you have been admitted to the thesis, its nature, task and topic are officially fixed. A change of topic is no longer permitted.

However, the title of the thesis may be changed with the permission of the first assessor. In the event of a change of title , you must send a confirmation of the change from the first assessor to the Examinations Office before you submit the thesis. To this end, please use the contact form for students.

2.4. What if I fall ill while working on the thesis? Can I extend the deadline for submission?

If you fall ill while working on the thesis (and can be considered incapable of taking an examination), you must provide appropriate proof to obtain an extension.

Please note: Exam stress is not considered a valid ground for extending the deadline.

How should I announce this inability?

The announcement and proof of your inability to take an examination (in this case, the thesis assignment) must be submitted to the Examinations Office without delay. You can submit proof of this inability using the contact form for students.

A certificate of incapacity for work is accepted as proof, unless another form is required by the Examinations Office.

The proof must include a statement on the probable duration of the incapacity for work.

To whom is the certificate to be addressed?

Please always address the certificate to the Examinations Office and not to the assessors. If the grounds for extension have been accepted, the assessors will receive a notification from the Examinations Office.

At what stage should I apply for an extension?

Be sure to communicate the reasons for the extension immediately, as soon as possible.

Recommendation: If you are already unwell when you start working on the thesis, do not wait to see if you will be able to submit it in time despite your illness. Instead, request an extension and provide supporting evidence immediately.

Maximum extension An extension will only be granted for a moderate lengthening of the total period assigned for working on thesis. If the extension or extensions granted would double the originally authorized processing time for the thesis, the assignment is to be replaced by a new one.

2.5. I look after my young children and/or take care of close relatives. Can I apply for compensation for the exercise of these responsibilities?

Students eligible for motherhood protection (under the Motherhood Protection Act);
students who raise and care for children in a common household; and
students who regularly care for close relations for at least 10 hours a week

can apply for an extension of the period for working on their thesis.

There is no specific form for this purpose. Use the contact form for students and send it to the Examinations Office.

Evidence and duration

To be granted an extension, you must provide appropriate evidence.

Child care: confirmation that you form a common household (Haushaltsbescheinigung), to be obtained from your town’s registration office (Meldebehörde).
Care: A certificate from your health or care insurance firm.

The Examining Board responsible for your case will decide on the duration of the extension.

Are you pregnant? Please contact the Maternity Leave Team of the Admission’s Office in Division 3. Important information and advice can be found on the webpage on maternity leave for students

Maternity leave for students

2.6. How can I get a special arrangement to compensate for chronic illness or disability?

What are the conditions for such a special arrangement.

To be able to claim a special arrangement for compensation, you must prove that you have a long-term impairment that meets the criteria of a disability or chronic illness.

If your disorder does not have the characteristics of a disability or chronic disease, you will not be able to legally claim a special arrangement for compensation.

How do I request a special arrangement for compensation?

You do not need a specific application form. Submit your application to the Examinations Office using the contact form for students.

Who will decide on my application?

The Examining Board responsible for you will decide on your application.

You will be informed of the extent of the compensation.

If the Examining Board considers the application to be unfounded in whole or in part, it will reject the application in whole or in part. The Examinations Office will issue a decision based on the decision of the Examining Board. The reasons for rejection will be communicated in this document.

Do I have to supply proof that I am entitled to a special arrangement for compensation?

Yes. The disability or chronic illness is generally substantiated by a doctor’s certificate or–in the case of mental illnesses–by a statement from a licensed psychotherapist, or by presentation of a disabled person’s pass.

Here, the main point is not the diagnosis but rather the plausibility of the disability or chronic illness. The certificates submitted must show in what way the disability or chronic illness affects the production of the thesis.

The certificate should contain a recommendation on the length of the extension.

Where can I get support and advice?

The University of Oldenburg and Studentenwerk Oldenburg offer a wide range of advisory services, tips and information. Advice for students with disabilities or chronic illnesses is open to all students who feel they are disabled or chronically ill.

Students with a disability or chronic illness

If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact the counsellor for disabled students at Studentenwerk Oldenburg:

Studying with a disability or chronic illness

2.7. How should the thesis be submitted? Must I make a sworn declaration?

Current procedure.

Send your thesis as a PDF (1 file) attached to an email to the Examinations Office.

Make sure to address it to the right section of the Examinations Office.

If your examination regulations require a signed sworn declaration (affidavit), you must send it as a PDF file attached to an email message.

Please send the bound copies of your thesis directly to the assessors.

Sworn declaration (affidavit)

The Lower Saxony Higher Education Act (NHG) ( Section 7 para 5 p. 2 NHG ) forms the legal basis for the acceptance of affidavits, in which students declare they carried out the submitted work independently and without impermissible assistance.

You must supply an affidavit if the examination regulations of your degree programme require it. This is the case, for instance, for the single-subject and dual-subject Bachelor’s degree programmes (see Section 13a of their examination regulations). The regulation serves to uphold the quality of exam procedures. It complements older tools for the prevention of scholarly misconduct.

Please bear in mind that submitting an untruthful affidavit can lead to criminal prosecution.

Text of the affidavit

I hereby declare in lieu of an oath that I wrote this thesis independently, using only the cited sources and aids. I furthermore affirm that I have followed the general principles of scholarly work and publication as set out in the Guidelines for Good Academic Practice at the University of Oldenburg.

Guidelines for Good Academic Practice at the University of Oldenburg

2.8. What do I need to know about ‘scholarly work’? What is scholarly plagiarism?

On scholarly work, please see the information provided by the Learning Workshops of the central Study and Career Counselling Service (ZKSB). Under ‘Materials and Links’, you will find helpful pointers and references to the faculties.

Learning Workshops

Materials and Links (in German)

What is scholarly plagiarism?

If you reproduce someone else’s ideas and work in a scholarly text without proper attribution, instead of formulating your own, this is plagiarism. It means passing off someone else’s work or ideas as one’s own.

You must also properly attribute reused content of your own. Otherwise, you will be committing plagiarism. When reusing your own previous work, you must explicitly acknowledge this. For example, insert a note at the beginning of the text or section that says something like: ‘This article uses the results of a seminar paper I wrote for the module [...] as part of the Bachelor’s degree programme in [...]’.

How does the University of Oldenburg deal with plagiarism?

Plagiarism constitutes scholarly misconduct and must be punished for reasons of equal opportunities.

If assessors detect plagiarism, the matter is referred to the Examinations Office and investigated further. If the suspicion of plagiarism is confirmed, the thesis will be assessed as ‘failed’.

In grave cases of fraud, for example the illicit copying of an entire work, or in the case of repeated fraud, expulsion (deregistration) may follow

3. After submitting the thesis

3.1. how and when does the assessment take place, and do i have to take an oral examination afterwards.

The rules state that all examination procedures must be carried out expeditiously. What ‘expeditiously’ means in practice will depend on the case in question. For general guidelines see the relevant examination regulations .

Assessment period

There is no standard duration for the assessment period, as the time required depends on the length of the thesis. The Bachelor’s examination regulations stipulate that theses are to be assessed ‘usually within six weeks after their submission’. Master’s theses are usually to be evaluated within eight weeks of their submission.

If the assessors take longer to assess your thesis than the duration stipulated in the examination regulations that apply to you, the Examinations Office will send them a reminder.

Has the assessment period expired and do you urgently need your final grade? First, contact your assessors. If this does not lead to a solution, contact your

School’s complaints desk

Thesis grade

The thesis is evaluated and graded according to the scale provided in the examination regulations. The grade is determined by the Examinations Office after transmission by the examiners. It is calculated as a weighted arithmetic mean of the individual grades.

After the grade has been determined, you will receive a notification from the Examinations Office by email.

Is there an oral or other examination in the thesis process?

In most of the university’s degree programmes, an accompanying event is organized as part of the thesis process. At this event, the technical foundations of the work are discussed and the achievements and results of the work are reported.

Often the author is also required to ‘defend’ the thesis in a final presentation.

In a few degree programmes (especially at the Master’s level), you are expected to orally present the results of your thesis in a final colloquium that is open to the entire university.

The purpose of these colloquia is to show that you are able to deal independently and in a scholarly manner with interdisciplinary and problem-related questions in the field of your subject and that you can present your insights comprehensibly.

Are you still wondering what the workload of your thesis module comprises and what you need to do in the framework of the module? Use the contact form for students. The Examinations Office will explain further.

3.2. Can I view the assessment reports on my thesis?

It is not standard policy to provide these reports.

If you would like to view the reports of the assessors on your thesis, you should first ask the assessors themselves.

If you are not granted access, please ask the Examinations Office to allow you to view them. In your request, you should explain why the inspection is of interest to you on legal grounds.

Please be aware that access to the assessment reports and minutes can only be granted within one year after the announcement of the thesis grade.

Please send the application to the Examinations Office via the contact form for students.

The place and time of inspection will be determined in consultation with the Examining Board .

3.3. What can I do if I disagree with the grade of my thesis?

In principle, you have the option of contesting a negative assessment of your work.

However, before launching a formal appeal , you would do well to approach the assessors and ask them to reconsider their assessment, offering persuasive considerations and arguments. Tell the assessors why, from your point of view, the assessment decision is incorrect. It is recommended that you initially contact the first assessor and approach this person with your objections to the assessment.

If the assessors uphold their assessment decision, you are free to contest the assessment in writing.

Please note that you must state very specifically in your objection:

Why the assessment decision violates your rights, and
What specifically the assessors should have assessed more favourably.

Only then will the assessment decision be reviewed in an appeal procedure.

The final decision on appeals is taken by the Examining Board .The Examinations Office supports the Examining Board and manages the whole appeal procedure. Objections must therefore be addressed to the Examinations Office.

If you have any questions, please use the contact form for students and the Examinations Office will explain further.

3.4. How many credits do I get for successfully completing my thesis? When will they be added to my record?

The number of ECTS credits awarded may vary from one degree programme to another. While at the Bachelor’s level 15 credits for the thesis module are the standard (12 for the thesis and 3 for the accompanying event), 30 credits are awarded in most Master’s programmes. In Master of Education programmes, the number of credits is different.

To find the answer to your question, consult the examination regulations that apply to you or the annex to the examination regulations that deals with the thesis module. Please feel free to contact the Examinations Office if you have any questions.

Upon receipt of the assessments or evaluations, the Examinations Office will quickly record the submitted grades. At the end of the day on which the grades are entered into the system, you will receive an email informing you that the grade has been credited to your academic record.

3.5. After passing the thesis, do I have to do something to obtain my graduation documents, and when can I expect to receive them?

Yes, the production of the graduation documents does require you to take action.

With the notice that you have been admitted to the thesis, you will also receive a Declaration on the Issuing of the Graduation Documents . Use this form to apply to the Examinations Office for the graduation documents. At the end of your degree programme, you must provide appropriate information on this form so that everything can be taken into account. Please submit this form via the contact form for students.

The form contains questions regarding matters such as:

Non-essential modules

Non-essential modules (also called additional examinations) are modules that have been successfully completed beyond the requirements of the programme. Such modules are only included in the diploma upon request. Additional notice: Master’s modules taken earlier than scheduled are not considered additional examinations.

Disregarding low grades in the overall grade

If the applicable examination regulations permit, the student’s overall grade will be calculated without taking the lowest examination grades into account. This will be done for modules amounting to a maximum of 18 credits in total.

Additional notice: The module examination grades that were not included in the calculation of the overall grade will nevertheless be shown on the diploma and the Transcript of Records.

Indication of specializations on diplomas

If a student has taken several specializations during their studies, the Examinations Office needs to know which specialization is to be shown on the diploma.

Duration of the preparation of the graduation documents

The time needed to produce the documents depends on various factors and is therefore variable.

Non-binding rule of thumb:

The Examinations Office expects its staff to need around two weeks of work.
Add to this the time needed to obtain the required signatures in the Schools;
as well as the time for the delivery of post within the university.

All in all, the production of the graduation documents will take 4-8 weeks .

4. Responsibilities and contact persons

4.1. examinations office.

The Examinations Office of the University of Oldenburg is responsible for the administration of examinations and for the implementation of administrative procedures under examination law.

Examination matters

Three administrative teams are responsible for handling general examination matters. These include:

the granting of admission to examinations;
the processing of withdrawals from examinations;
the granting of special arrangements for compensation;
the notification of failed examinations;
the preparation and issuing of graduation documents and certificates; as well as
the creation of data records for online exam management.

Besides, the Examinations Office supports the work of the Examining Board , especially its Chair, and acts as an intermediary between the students and the Examining Board. The Examinations Office participates in the meetings of the Examining Board in an advisory capacity.

Higher-level special tasks

Team for credit recognition
Typing office (e.g. for graduation documents)

Contact persons and organizational structure of the Examinations Office

4.2. Examining Board

The Examining Board perform the tasks assigned to it under the examination regulations . It is composed of several members with voting rights. In general, these are:

three members of the university professors’ group;
a member of academic staff who is engaged in teaching; as well as
a student representative.

In addition, a person from the Examinations Office takes part in the meetings of the Examining Board in an advisory capacity.

Approval by the Examining Board

The approval of the Examining Board is required in the following cases:

If neither assessor of a thesis belongs to the professors’ group.
If the thesis is to be written in an institution outside this university and is to be supervised by an external assessor from this institution.

4.3. Assessors

See 1.3. Who may assess and grade my work?

4.4. Feedback and complaints management

You can address comments and complaints on the work of the Academic Examinations Office directly to Division 3.

We will consider your concerns carefully and individually, in cooperation with staff members from the concerned sections of the university. Our objective is to identify areas for improvement and initiate any measures necessary for this purpose.

Send us your feedback via the linked complaints management contact form.

Complaints management of Division 3

Complaints offices outside Division 3

Unfortunately, we cannot deal with feedback that touches on matters outside the scope of Division 3. We hope you understand this.

However, if you, for example:

are not satisfied with the supervision by your assessors;
consider the time for assessment to be too long; or
find the topic or the workload unsuitable;

and you send us critical comments on such a matter, we will gladly take this as an opportunity to inform the School about the criticism without revealing who submitted it. However, it would be better to address such a request with direct reference to the thesis to the complaints desk of your School.

Complaints desks of the Schools

Profilschwerpunkt Urbane Systeme

Inter- und transdisziplinäre forschung und lehre, faqs master's thesis.

Characteristics of the Study Programme
M.A. Urban Culture, Society and Space
M.Sc. Sustainable Urban Development
Admission Requirements
Information on Master's Thesis
Information on Internship
Contact and Course Advisory Service
RUHR Lecture
ESD Certificate
Advanced Research in Urban Systems (ARUS)

FAQs about the Master's Thesis

The following overview is designed to help in the planning of your Thesis (Master's Thesis). Background of the questions and information are repeated requests to the academic advisor (currently Dr. Elke Hochmuth, a member of both audit committees).

Information given is based on:

The examination regulations for the Master's Program "Urban Culture, Society and Space (UCSS) ” (particularly § 20, only in German available); Chairman of the Audit Committee (Interim): Prof. Dr. Jens Martin Gurr.
as well as the examination regulations for the Master's Program "Sustainable Urban Development (SUD) ", (particularly § 20, only in German available); Chairman of the Audit Committee (Interim): Prof. Dr. Jens Martin Gurr.

The FAQ are divided into the following topics:

1. Basic information on the Master's Thesis 2. Selection of the Topic (before the official registration) 3. Registration of Thesis 4. Processing of the Master's Thesis (after registration) 5. Delivery of Thesis 6. Grading of the Master Thesis

All enrolled students from our Study Programmes study according to the new valid examination regulations (regardless of the start of their studies).

Since the winter semester 2018/19 there are new examination regulations. Major changes: The programme “Sustainable Urban Technologies” has been renamed in “Sustainable Urban Development”. Students of this programme who started their studies before the winter semester 2018/19 and still wish to have the title "Sustainable Urban Technologies" on their certificates must submit an application when registering their Master's thesis (cf. 34 (2)). Please ask Ms. Heckmann at the Examination Office.

In addition, changes have been made for both degree programmes: The overall grade of the certificate is calculated from all grades of all modules (cf. §27). This applies to all students who started their studies in winter semester 18/19 or later.

FAQ - Basic information on the Master's Thesis

Q1: How long is the processing time for the Master's Thesis? 6 months (26 weeks) after registration (written application) (see PO §20 (5)).

Q2: What text volume must have the Thesis? The text volume of the Master's Thesis must have at least 28,000 words (excluding bibliography and annex) (PO §20 (9)).

Q3: In what language I have to write the Master's Thesis? Students from "SUD" have to write their Thesis in English. Exceptions must be regulated by the Audit Committee. Students of UCSS can write the Thesis in English or in German (PO §20 (8)).

2) FAQ - Selection of the Topic (before the official registration)

Q4: How can I find a topic for my Master’s Thesis? Certainly during your studies or during your internship you come across some topics, which are more interesting for you than others. You want to have in one of these areas deeper knowledge? So perhaps that might be a topic for your Thesis. If you have found such topic, please discuss it with a potential supervisor and clarify with him/her, whether it is a practicable for a Master’s Thesis. Afterwards please define it exactly under the supervision of your supervisor. Important is also, to have one central research question. Aterwards please register your Thesis at the examination office.

Q5: Can I from a / m lecturers / in a Master’s thesis topic get? Yes of course. Please ask a lecturer of your choice, whether he/she has an idea for a topic for you. However he /she must be a lecturer of our Master’s Programmes (PO §20 (4) and (12)).

Q6: Who can supervise may Thesis ? All lecturers from the Master's Programmes SUD and UCCS can supervise your Master's Thesis. The lecturer you have chosen should be informed and should agree with your chosen topic. Please discuss the topics with him/her and please consider the hints.

Usually, the first supervisor should be from the University of Duisburg-Essen and the second supervisor can be from outside (from another University or from a non-university institution (PO §20 (4) and (12)).

Q7: Can also external persons (i.e. non university members) supervise the Master's Thesis? Yes, but external persons must have at least a university Degree (at least Diploma or Master’s Degree). However, they must be ordered from the respective audit committees. For this purpose, please contact the academic advisor.

Q8: Can I write my Master’s Thesis in another country? You can write your Thesis abroad, but it needs to be registered at the University of Duisburg-Essen and supervised by a professor of the University of Duisburg-Essen. The other supervisor can be a foreigner, who has sufficient English Language skills and have an academic background (academic Degree necessary) (see Q7 and 8).

3) FAQ - Registration of Thesis

Q9: When can I register my Thesis? The Master's Thesis can only be registered if you have acquired 75 credits in your Master's Programme (§20 (2)).

Q10: Where and how can I register for the Master's Thesis? In the examination office; currently the contact person is Ms Heckmann ([email protected]). You will receive an application template from her in which you fill the topic and the name of both supervisors. (both supervisors need to be informed by you and have agreed to the topic). After filling you can hand in the template at the examination office. Then you will receive the deadline for submission. After handing in, you are registered for your Master's Thesis.

Please note that the topic on the template is completely identical to the topic of your finished Thesis ($ 20 (3)).

Please make sure that both supervisors were informed about the topic and they have already agreed to support that topic. Otherwise there could be problems after registration.

Q11: Is there a deadline for registration of the Master’s Thesis? No.

4) FAQ - Processing of the Master's Thesis (after registration)

Q12: Is there a possibility of extension of the processing time? Yes, in justified cases, the processing time can be extended up to 6 weeks. An extension must be requested by writing and the student has to hand in the request to the examination office. The examination office must receive the request two weeks before the given deadline of the Thesis (latest) (§20 (5)).

Q13: What can I do if I get sick during the processing time of my Master's Thesis? The processing time of the Master Thesis will be usually extended for the days of illness. The student has to verify the illness by a medical certificate and has to hand in it as soon as possible to the examination office, especially if the disease is directly related to the deadline of the Master’s Thesis. The Examination Office will calculate from the time of interruption and informs the students about the new deadline. The medical certificate must include a description of the health impairment (about the reference to specific pain). The exact name of the disease is advisable, but not mandatory (Section 20 (5)).

Q14: Can I change the topic of my Master’s Thesis? The topic can only be returned/changed within the first four weeks after registration of the Thesis. The reasoned restitution must be requested and approved through the audit committee. After acceptance you can choose a new topic (§20 (6)).

Q15: Are there any guidelines on the format of the master's thesis? The Master's Thesis must have at least 28,000 words (excluding bibliography and annex) (PO §20 (9)). In addition, please hand it in in a DIN A4 printed and bound (glue binding and no spiral binding) form as well as in suitable electronic form (§20 (8)).

Please select a common and well readable format such as (this is only a suggestion, please feel free to contact your first supervisor for clarifying the format and the preferred citation):

Left Margin: 3 cm; Right margin: 3 to 5 cm; Margin Top: 2.5 cm; Border bottom: 2cm; Footnotes: same page, numbered consecutively; Line spacing (text): 1.5 spacing; Line spacing (footnotes): one line; Font Size (text): 12 point Times New Roman or Arial 11 points; Justified, hyphenation; Font size (footnotes): 10 point Times New Roman or Arial.

5) FAQ - Delivery of Thesis

Q16: Where do I have to submit the Thesis? In the examination office, currently to Ms Heckmann (examination office).

Q17: What exactly, I have to hand in to the examination office on the given deadline? You have to hand in during the processing time three print versions of your Master's Thesis. The print versions must be in a format of DIN-A4 and the prints must be casebound (glue binding and no spiral binding). And please hand in additionally an electronic version from your Master’s Thesis (§20 (8)).

Q18: What should I consider when making? You must hand in your Thesis latest at the given deadline. The Topic of the Thesis must be absolutely identical with the Topic of your application for registration. The Thesis must include a written declaration that you have written the Thesis independently and with no other than the specified sources and aids. And of course all citations have been marked (§ 20 (10)).

6) FAQ - Grading of the Master’s Thesis

Q19: When will I receive usually the grade for my Master's Thesis? According to the examination regulations, the supervisors have to proof the Thesis within six weeks. The process of evaluation, however, can take longer due to the workload of the supervisors (§20 (14)).

Q20: Is there an oral exam for Master's Thesis? The audit committees of SUD and UCSS have determined that students have to absolve only an oral examination, if the marks of the two supervisor of the Master's Thesis differs considerably (a whole or more than a whole grade).

Q21: It is possible to repeat a Master’s Thesis, when I have failed my first Thesis (grading of 5.0)? Yes, once (§21).

Q22: Is my study finished with a successfully passed Master's Thesis (grading at least 4.0)? Your studies will only be completed when you have received a total of 120 credits (incl. 30 credits for the Master's Thesis). So you have to absolve all examinations from all nine Modules.

Guidelines for Master’s Theses

There are very few formal requirements when writing your master’s thesis. We have put together the most important of these as well as additional helpful information in our guidelines for master’s theses .

You can also download a style sheet . This is a pre-formatted Word document you can directly use to write your thesis.

Information about academic writing and how to avoid plagiarizing can be found here .

We have also provided a list of past master’s theses to help you brainstorm ideas for your own thesis.

My Life in Germany

All you need to know about studying, working, and living in Germany

Thesis in Germany – Tips to write your thesis at a company

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In order to graduate from your bachelor or master studies in Germany, you will probably need to write a thesis in your last semester. Having a thesis semester was not something that I was familiar with. I did my bachelor degree in Hong Kong, where we did not have a thesis semester. When I did my master degree in Germany , I had many questions relating to the thesis semester. In this post, I will explain to you what a thesis semester is and provide some tips about writing your thesis at a company.

Moving to Germany or new in Germany? Check out our Resources Page for all the help you need!

What is thesis semester?

Thesis semester is very typical in German universities. It is normally the last semester before your graduation. By the end of your last semester, you need to submit an academic thesis called Abschlussarbeit in German. You need to find a topic that is approved by your professor, write a thesis and present it in the end. The length of your thesis depends on your department’s requirement. To give you an idea, my master thesis was around 60 pages long. A thesis is a formal document. You need to write with formal wording, and quote your sources for whatever you state in the content.

There are three ways to do your thesis. The first way is to write a thesis by yourself. An advantage is that you are quite flexible with your location. You can write it at home, or even in another country, as long as you can submit your thesis in the end. The second way is to write at the university with a topic from a professor. If you are in a technical field, your professor may have some topics on hand that you are free to choose from. In that case, you need to work with your professor to understand his expectations and requirements for the specific thesis topics.

The third way to do your thesis is to write it with a company. Some companies are looking for thesis students to help them to investigate certain topics that are of their business interest. In this case, you need to write your thesis at the company. It is like you work for this company. You get a contract for a fixed period of time and you write your thesis in the office. In the end, you have to hand in your thesis to both the company and your professor.

Why do companies hire students to write theses?

There are different reasons for that:

To research on a topic

Sometimes, companies want to get more knowledge on a certain topic. A hypothetical example: the government is planning to change the law relating to foreign investment in 2 years. The company wants to know how this law will affect their investment strategy.

Since the regular employees may not have time to do this research, the company may want to hire a student who is fully dedicated to this task. The student needs to collect all information on this new law, and investigates how this law would affect the company and what the company can do about it. It is like a consultation that the company can use for their decision making in the future.

To develop a tool

Companies want to achieve some process improvement. An example: the employees have a tedious task that they need to do daily. They need to pull all the data from system A and put into system B and do some daily analysis with this data. It is a manual process that requires a lot of copy and paste. The company wants to automate this process so that it can save time for the employees.

In this case, the company may want to hire a student to look at how this process can be improved. A tool can be developed by the students which automates this process. This can be a creation of a Macro tool or using one of the existing systems tools in the company. The student needs to develop the tool, explains in the thesis what the tool does and how it helps the company. The company can benefit from the thesis as they get a tool now which helps to improve their process.

To find potential employees

Similar to hiring interns, hiring thesis students is a way to find potential good employees. It is kind of like a probation period. The thesis students work for a few months in the company. This gives a chance for the company to see how the students perform and if they are suitable to work permanently in the company. See also this post about tips to boost your chances of getting hired.

looking for potential employee_Thesis in Germany - Tips to write your thesis at a company_my life in germany_hkwomanabroad-min

Why should you write your thesis with a company?

For me personally, I prefer to write a thesis with a company. There are some advantages relating to it:

You may get some money for it

As a student, I was living on a very tight budget. If you write your thesis for a company, you may be able to get some compensation (though not all companies will pay). For example, I got about 2000 EUR for writing my thesis. I spent around 6 months to write it. So, it was really not a lot of money. But it helped already and it was better than nothing. Check out this post as well for other ways to earn money in Germany as a student.

Writing for a company is more practical

When you write your thesis with a company, it is like you are working in this company. You work on your thesis in the office, you need to work with different people in the company, and your thesis has a business context. In my opinion, it is more practical as it relates to real life business, rather than just a student work with theory.

Interaction with other people

Writing thesis with a company is like having a full-time job in the company. You have a supervisor in the company who guides you on the topic and you need to work with other employees to collect the necessary information. In my opinion, this is more interesting than if I have to write my thesis at home on my own.

Exposure to the company’s management

After finishing your thesis, it is likely that you need to present the result to the company’s management. This is a good chance for you to practice your presentation skills in a real business setting. And it is your show time on all the hard work you put in for this thesis semester.

Future job opportunities

As mentioned before, some companies hire thesis students in order to find potential good employees. If you write a good thesis, you will have a chance to get hired after your graduation. You have an advantage since you already work in the company for a while and make some connections there. See this post about how I got my job offer after my thesis.

Besides, your thesis experience in a company will also make your CV looks good . You can request the company to give you a reference letter for future job search.

Read also: How To Write Your Cover Letter in Germany (+ English Example!)

job opportunities_Thesis in Germany - Tips to write your thesis at a company_my life in germany_hkwomanabroad-min

How to find thesis opportunities with companies?

Basically, it is the same process as when you are looking for a permanent job. Here are some of the ways:

Apply online

You can find thesis offers in different job portals or directly on the career page of the companies’ websites. If you are curious about the compensation that you may get, check out my post about salary in Germany . Below are some of the portals that I used:

– Gehalt.de

– Jobs.de

– Monster.de

– LinkedIn

– Xing

It is quite common that some companies participate in job fairs to advertise their companies and find potential employees. These job fairs sometimes take place in universities. Each company has its own booth and it is a great chance for students to ask any questions relating to the companies and job positions. You can also ask around in the job fairs for any thesis opportunities.

Through an internship

I had an internship semester right before my thesis semester. During my internship, I made connection with different people in the company and asked about any thesis opportunities. I had an advantage since I knew the people and had some understanding of the business already through my internship. And this was how I got my thesis contract afterward.

How to generate a thesis topic by yourself in a company?

Let’s say you are doing an internship in a company now and you would like to write a thesis for this company afterward. How easy it is to get a thesis topic in the company depends a lot on your field. For example, if you study in a technical field like engineering, the company may have some thesis topics available already that you can just pick from.

However, if you are in a general business field like me, there may not be as many topics available in the company. What if you really want to write a thesis in the company, but they tell you that they have no thesis topic available?

Instead of waiting for the company to give you a topic, it is better to be proactive and suggest a topic by yourself. Think of a topic and suggest this to the company to see if they are interested. At least this was what I did. Below are some tips on how you can generate a topic for the company:

Research online or ask your classmates

Let’s say you study supply chain management. To get some ideas, you can research online to see what kind of thesis topics are out there. Besides, if your classmates are writing theses for other companies, you can also ask them what topics they are writing about and see if this topic applies to your company as well. The point here is not to pick a topic you find online or from your classmates. But it is more to give you an idea of what a potential thesis topic in your field is. This can help you to generate ideas for yourself which are also potentially interesting for your company.

Networking in your company

During your internship, you should try to network as much as possible. Networking should not be limited to the team you are working for, but also to other teams in the company. Tell the people that you are searching for a thesis opportunity and ask if they need help on any topic. The more connection you have, the better your chance is to get a thesis contract.

Think about what is your company’s interest

Companies like proactive students. You should be there to help the employees to solve problems, rather than to create more work for the employees. So, instead of begging people for a topic, you should be proactive and tell the people why you think writing on a certain topic is beneficial for the company. During your internship, you should already have some understanding of the business. Do you see a gap somewhere? Should any processes be improved?

For example, let’s say you are working in a local real estate company that is growing rapidly. Do you know if the company has a plan to expand internationally as well? If yes, which countries make sense for them to expand? What about expanding in Austria? How is the real estate market in Austria? What factors should the company consider for this expansion?

Another example: your company has recently acquired another company. Can you write a thesis regarding the acquisition? How does it affect the work and the employees? What should the company consider to have a smooth transition? What has the company done and how effective is the process?

These are just some hypothetical examples. You should think from your company’s perspective on what kind of topics can be interesting for them. If you don’t have an idea, start with networking and talk to as many people as possible in your company. Ask them what they do in their daily jobs and what kind of improvement they would like to see in their tasks/company. It may help you to think of a topic which is helpful for the people.

Improve your technical knowledge

Companies like practical and useful tools. The best is that you can create a tool that can improve their daily process. If you study in general business like me, you will probably think that “developing a tool” is too complicated and it is something for the technicians.

This is not completely true. For example, a tool can be as simple as an excel macro. I did not know anything about macro before. During my internship, I bought a book to learn about it because I know this can be beneficial for my thesis or future jobs. It never hurts to learn one more technical skill.

Some companies use enterprise resource planning systems for their operation. During your internship, you should try to learn the system as good as you can. This knowledge will be very helpful in case you want to do data analysis or develop a tool for your thesis.

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Have you written your thesis in a company? Leave a comment below to share your experience!

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4 Replies to “Thesis in Germany – Tips to write your thesis at a company”

Its informative blog, thanks.

Glad that you like it. Hope it helps you!

Many thanks for practical tips! Now I have much more clear picture of how I can organize my thesis at a company.

Thanks for your comment! I am glad to hear that my article helped you 🙂