Goethe-Universität — B.A. and M.A. Theses

Students

B.A. and M.A. Theses

Update on the submission of theses

Please submit the paper as a PDF by E-Mail (pra.fb03@soz.uni-frankfurt.de) and the printed copies either in person during the office hours indicated on the homepage or send your paper by mail. The address can be found on our homepage.
When submitting hard copies, please check with your reviewers in advance if a hard copy is desired. If
- Yes: Bachelor thesis 3 times, Master thesis 3 times and submit it to the Examination Office
- No: Bachelor's thesis 1 time, Master's thesis 1 time and submit to the Examination Office.
Please do not forget to sign the Declaration of Examination Performance and add it to both the printed and the digital version (PDF) of the thesis.

Looking for a Supervisor

Procedure for the search for a supervisor

1. first decide on the topic

You should first think about the topic you would like to write about. Ideally, you should then summarize the topic in an exposé.

2. search for the first supervisor

You should look for a supervisor/first reviewer for your thesis one to two semesters before you start writing it. If you are unsure who is suitable for a topic, please contact the Student Counseling Service. Pay particular attention to the information about theses on the professorships' websites. There you will usually also find information on how best to apply for a thesis. If there is no information on this, we recommend that you always visit the office hours of the potential supervisor. If you make a request by email, you should make it very clear in writing exactly what you want to do for your thesis.

Please note that some examiners want to know their candidates, so you should have taken a final module examination with them. Please also refer to the information on the pages of the professorships.

You should look for your first examiner or supervisor yourself.

If you cannot find anyone, you still have the option of being assigned a supervisor by the examination committee. However, we only recommend this procedure in an emergency. If you want to use this option, write an informal application in which you ask to be assigned a supervisor. The application should include the desired topic and also details of who has already rejected you. The application should be submitted to the Examinations Office by email. The examination committee will then assign someone to you.

3. Search for a second assessor if necessary

You can also look for a second assessor yourself, although the supervisor can recommend someone. If you register your thesis without a second assessor, the examination committee will automatically appoint someone. Please also note the specific requirements regarding your degree program and your study regulations.

4. final determination of the topic in consultation with the supervisor

Together with the supervisor (first reviewer), you then determine the final topic.

5. registration of the thesis

Finally, register your thesis with the Examination Office. The formalities are explained below.

Who may supervise my thesis?

Below you will find information on which groups of people are authorized to supervise theses. Please note that there are differences between the individual degree programs and study regulations. You should therefore pay particular attention to the general explanations listed for your degree program and your study regulations regarding who may supervise a thesis. If you are unsure, you can also ask the Examinations Office.

Here you will find all the essential information about which groups of people are authorized to supervise a thesis as first or second supervisor:

Tips for writing theses

Registering your thesis

There is no fixed period for registering a bachelor's or master's thesis. You can register your thesis at the Examination Office at any time using the registration form. You can post the registration form in the letterbox in front of the Examination Office at any time; it is not necessary to come in person during office hours. Please make sure that you have completed it in full.

You can find the form in the download area under your field of study.

After submitting the registration form, you will receive a confirmation letter from the Examination Office, which will also indicate the submission date for your dissertation.

To register for the dissertation, you must have completed the following modules or earned the following CP.

	Completed modules or CP earned
Bachelor's programmes	7 modules
MA Political Science	56 CP
MA Political Theory	56 CP
MA International Studies / Peace and Conflict Research	56 CP
MA Sociology	56 CP
MA Economic Sociology	5 modules
MA Comparative Democracy	56 CP

Returning the topic, language, group work

The agreed topic can be returned once only and only within the first third of the processing time. The new topic must differ in content from the returned topic.

As a rule, you must write your thesis in German (exception: M.A. Comparative Democracy). In agreement with the examiners or the chairperson of the Examination Committee, you may write your thesis in English.

Theses in the form of group work can also be allowed if the individual student's contribution to be assessed as an examination achievement is clearly distinguishable and assessable through the indication of sections, page numbers and other objective criteria that enable a clear differentiation.

Processing times and scale

You must submit your thesis to the Examination Office of the Faculty of Social Sciences in due time. If the thesis is not submitted on time, it is deemed to have been failed.

Processing time is as follows:

	Processing time from time of registration	Extension (only on justified request)	Scale
Bachelor's programmes	9 weeks	Up to 31 days	Approx. 12,000 words
MA Political Science	5 months	Up to 1 month	Approx. 20,000 words
MA Political Theory	4 months	Up to 2 months	Approx. 20,000 words
MA International Studies / Peace and Conflict Research	4 months	Up to 2 months	Approx. 20,000 words
MA Sociology (2015 Study Regulations)	5 months	Up to 2.5 months	Approx. 22,000 words
MA Economic Sociology (2019 Study Regulations)	16 weeks	Up to 8 weeks	As agreed
MA Comparative Democracy	5 months	Up to 2,5 months	Approx. 20,000 words

If the first deadline cannot be met for reasons beyond the student's control (e.g. the student or a child cared for by the student is ill), the chairperson of the Examination Committee extends the processing time in accordance with the respective Study Regulations (see above). The student must apply for this informally to the Examination Office before the first submission date.

The thesis can be submitted at the earliest after 50% of the processing time.

Formal Requirements

Bachelor's theses:

Submission of the thesis in 3 bound copies
The Declaration on Examination Achievements must be bound in (see download area under your field of study. ).
You can discuss further formalities with your supervisor.
On the cover sheet only the following: degree programme, thesis topic, author's name and submission date.

Master's theses:

Submission of the thesis in 3 bound copies
The Declaration on Examination Achievements must be bound in (see download area under your field of study.).
You can discuss further formalities with your supervisor.
On the cover sheet only the following: degree programme, thesis topic, author's name and submission date.