Master’s Thesis and Colloquium

The third semester is dedicated to the Master's Thesis which is accompanied by a colloquium.

During the Master’s Thesis the students focus on a specific topic. The subject can either be defined by a professor at the university or by a professor in close cooperation with a company which is well established in the respective field. In both cases you can and should be involved in the definition of the topic. During the thesis you are supervised by a professor. However, in general you are supposed to demonstrate that you are able to do independent research work. The result of the Master‘s Thesis is a written document which meets all standards of a scientific publication.

The Master’s Colloquium is a seminar which serves two purposes:

• You learn methods, practices and principles required to deliver high-quality scientific work, especially how to do literature research, cite, quote and reference correctly und and how to organize the thesis work.
• The colloquium provides an opportunity to present and discuss ongoing and finished Master’s Thesis. Each student has to give an effective and coherent report on content, approach, and findings of his or her Master’s Thesis (as far as the status of the thesis is concerned), prepare an adequate hand-out, and motivate and facilitate a discussion on the thesis.

As a presenter as well as a member of the audience, you have to show your conceptual and academic skills, make appropriate inferences and recommendations, show the ability to reason in a consistent methodological manner, and deal with criticism and close scrutiny constructively.