Master's Thesis
Please see our Master's Thesis Guidelines for comprehensive and detailed information.
Each semester we offer two dates for master thesis registration (Note: students must have completed 60 ECTS in order to register their thesis). Usually, the first date is at the beginning of the semester (in early November or late April) and the second date towards the end of the semester (in early February or early September). Students can decide which date suits them best.
Next registration dates in the summer semester 2023:
2 May 2023, official topic confirmation on 9 May 2023 (start of processing time) Deadline for thesis submission: 10 October 2023
5 September 2023, official topic confirmation on 12 September 2023 (start of processing time) Deadline for thesis submission: 6 February 2024
How to register
Study and Examination Regulations 2013
- Form Engl. 'Thesis Registration' (pdf)
- Form Engl. 'Thesis Topic' (pdf)
- 'Declaration in lieu of oath' (pdf)
- Thesis Submission Instructions Engl. (pdf)
How to find a supervisor
You will have to find a first supervisor for your master thesis yourself. Normally, you ask one of the people on the list of official supervisors at the Institute. Under special circumstances, you can also ask an external supervisor. Note that external supervisors must hold a PhD, have to be authorized for examinations and must be approved by the Examination board. A second supervisor is usually appointed by the Examination Board. You can, however, suggest a second supervisor.
Lecturers have limited capacities therefore you are strongly advised to approach potential supervisors as early as possible, at least 6 weeks before the official registration date. Moreover, you should approach them with a short exposé, highlighting your research question, its relevance as well as first ideas about your theoretical framework and methodology.
When to attend the MA colloquium?
The MA colloquium is offered during summer and winter terms. Ideally, you take the colloquium parallel to writing your thesis to benefit most from it, as it involves you presenting and discussing your schedule and the preliminary findings of your thesis. However, you can also first attend the colloquium and write your thesis in the following semester (the supervisor is only needed in the moment of registering your thesis, not necessarily for attending the colloquium).
Is it required to be enrolled for writing the Master's thesis?
No, you don't have to be enrolled for registering, writing and submitting your Master's thesis. You only need your last proof of enrollment for registering your thesis. You only have to be enrolled if you have course work left to complete.
However, after exmatriculation, you will lose access to Campus Management and all other FU services (such as library or specific software programs), so you have to arrange before that all documentation in Campus Management is complete.How to complete your studies and exmatriculate
Once your Master’s thesis has been passed you have completed your studies. Now you have to exmatriculate by requesting your completion of studies.
According to the examination guidelines, you are required to make a request for the completion of studies at the Examination Office. This is also necessary for obtaining your degree documents. Since we assume that you intend to finish your studies after the examination, the request for completion of your studies can be submitted together with your Master’s thesis.
Please find all information regarding the completion of studies and relevant forms on the website of the Examination Office (please scroll down the section "Abschlussphase" in the FAQs which contains all necessary information in English).