Publication Based Thesis

Theses concluding a master’s degree program can be written publication based as an alternative to the conventional format. It is at the supervisors’ discretion which topics are suited for a publication based master’s thesis. Students are therefore not generally entitled to the publication based format.

In case the supervisor and the student agree on the publication based format, the supervisor offers up to three templates from renowned journals or conferences that suit the topic of the thesis. The student has to meet the requirements of both the conventional format as well as of the chosen template. The thesis must be of a quality that makes it theoretically eligible for submission at the chosen journal or conference. Both will be included in the grading of the thesis.

The supervisor and the student sign a written agreement about the use of the scientific contents of the thesis concerning an actual publication in a journal or at a conference ahead of the thesis’ start. Students are therefore not generally entitled to submit their thesis for actual publication, even if the thesis met all requirements. The master’s thesis is a graded part of the master’s degree program according to the FPSO which is why the student remains the sole author of his thesis regardless of the regulations above.

All other regulations, like the exposé or the final presentation at the end of the thesis, remain untouched.