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Module Area M

M1 - Master Research Seminar

The Module M1 is intended to accompany you through the process of writing your thesis. In order to benefit from the academic exchange with your fellow students it is advised to visit a research seminar or colloquium offered by your supervisor or the respective department. Some departments organise collective thesis seminars, in other cases it will be your supervisor’s own seminar or an individual solution. Discuss the best solution with your supervisor as early as possible.

In the research/thesis seminar or colloquium you will usually discuss your research design, theoretical foundations and empirical strategy. You will enter into exchange with your fellow students on opportunities, challenges, and obstacles that you might face.
Formally, to pass module M1 you are required to give a presentation on work-in-progress or on your final results and to write a thesis exposé, the shape of which will be defined by your supervisor.

M2 - Master Thesis

The Master's thesis is a research project that serves as the completion of your Master's degree. It allows you to demonstrate your ability to conduct independent research, critically analyze information, and present findings in a clear and structured manner. The Master Thesis should focuses on a specific topic within the scope of Development Studies as understood at the University of Bayreuth.

The process involves identifying a research problem, reviewing relevant literature, collecting and analyzing data, and drawing conclusions based on the findings. The thesis is written under the guidance of a supervisor will be evaluted by two reviewers (one of whom is your supervisor). It is both a learning process and a way for you to showcase your expertise which you have gathered throughout your studies.

How do I choose a topic for my MA thesis?Hide

You are free to choose your own topic in the field of Development Studies as long as you find a supervisor that agrees with you on the topic. We recommend to draw inspiration from your study courses at the University of Bayreuth. You might have come across theories, concepts or questions which are of specific interest to you. Before you engage in further research, we strongly advice and encourage you to speak to lecturers associated with your fields of interest about your ideas and to solidify a relevant research topic.

Who is eligible as my MA thesis supervisor?Hide

Generally, all professors and lecturers who are part of the departments and units listed in the ‘Programme Overview’ section are eligible as MA thesis supervisors. You will have one supervisor and two reviewers. The supervisor will automatically serve as one of the reviewers. At least one of the reviewers must be part of the department, which is responible for your individual focus, i.e. Economics, Human Geography, or Sociology/Politics. You are not required to look for a second reviewer yourself. If you do not suggest a name for the second review, the board of examiners will select an appropriate second reviewer according to your thesis topic. As a general rule, the two reviewers cannot be part of the same chair/professorship. Exceptions might apply.

If you seek to have a supervisor/second reviewer who is not part of the listed units, please get in touch with the programme advisor (Prof Stroh-Steckelberg). In cases of general uncertainty, you can get in touch with the programme coordinator (Dr Barbara Polak).

How to register the MA thesis? Hide

Once you have established a research idea and have found a supervisor, you can register your thesis via her or his office.

How much time do I have for writing my thesis? Hide

Once you have registered you are given 5 month (10 month for part-time students) to complete the thesis project. Keep the deadline in mind and plan your time accordingly.

How long is my thesis supposed to be? Is there a word limit? Hide

As stated in the Examination rules the Master's Thesis should not exceed 120,000 characters. Depending on the formatting, 120,000 characters correspond to approximately 50 pages of pure text (from introduction to conclusion, but excluding title, indexes, bibliography and any appendices).

Is it possible to extend the deadline for my Master‘s Thesis? Hide

Under specific circumstances the board of examiners might extend the deadline up to 12 weeks (24 weeks for part-time students). However, you should consult your supervisor about this and present sufficient reasoning. Please find more information on the extension requirements in the examination rules and the website of the Examination Office. A written application to the examinations office will be required.

How do I submit my thesis? Hide

The Master's thesis must be submitted in electronic form (printable PDF document) before the deadline. Submission is carried out by uploading the document via the form server. You can find the link on the website of the Examination Office. The Examinations Office will note the date of submission. The thesis will then be handed over to the reviewers by the Examination Office. Abstain from sharing your final thesis version individually with the reviewers.

What is a statutory declaration / consent ?Hide

The statutory declaration at the end of your thesis is a statement in which you need to confirm that you wrote the thesis independently and did not make use of any sources or materials that are not cited in the thesis. This includes the undeclared use of artificial intelligence. You also need to confirm that the thesis was never before submitted to any other academic institution.

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An Interdisciplinary Programme of the University of Bayreuth

Development Studies (M.A. Programme)

Module Area M

M1 - Master Research Seminar

M2 - Master Thesis