1. When can I start writing my thesis?

You can write your thesis while you are still enrolled in the program or after completing all modules. Writing your thesis while enrolled means that you must complete one or more modules at the same time as working on your thesis. If you write your thesis while enrolled, the time you have to complete it is extended (for deadlines, see also Question 4).

• Bachelor’s: Although there are no formal rules regarding when the Bachelor’s thesis must be written, we recommend that you begin it no earlier than the final third of your studies. This way, you will have gained a better overview of potential topics and examiners and acquired a broader range of academic skills.
• Master’s: In the Master’s program in Diversity and Social Inequality, the thesis can only be registered after successful completion of the MDS 10 module. In the Master’s program in Antinomies of Social Dynamics, there are no specific requirements.

You are welcome to contact potential examiners during the semester before you begin your thesis to inquire whether they have the capacity to supervise you. Of course, you may also inquire if you wish to start your thesis relatively soon.

2. What topic can I choose for my thesis?

The choice of topic and the associated sociological research question is initially up to you. Unlike in other departments, the Institute of Sociology does not usually advertise specific thesis topics. On the one hand, this offers a great deal of freedom in your choice of topic; on the other hand, this high degree of freedom can also be a challenge. Formulating a research question is an important skill in itself, so we encourage you to accept the challenge and develop your own research question. There are various ways to develop a topic and a research question.

You can start by thinking about interesting topics that you have encountered during your studies. Ideally, you will already have some prior knowledge on the topic. Think, for example, about term papers that you enjoyed. What questions remained unanswered? What new questions arose? Another possibility is to review current sociological journals and look for interesting debates and theses to which you can connect your work. A third possibility is to let a scientific topic emerge from observations of everyday life. What social phenomenon have you always wanted to understand, but haven't yet had the time to examine it in detail from a sociological perspective? Fourthly, the topic selection can be based on career fields that are relevant to you in the future. What forms of knowledge and content are of particular importance for your intended career field?

It is important to note: Especially with your bachelor's thesis, when choosing a topic and formulating your research question, you should pay attention to the availability of sociological literature on the subject, as these are generally written exclusively literature-based, without conducting your own empirical research. On the other hand, depending on your supervisor, it is also possible to write small empirical studies. Therefore, you are neither expected to conduct independent empirical work, nor is it excluded. Discuss these questions with your examiners.

3. Which examiners can I write my thesis under, and how do I best contact them?

After narrowing down your topic and developing a research question, you also need to clarify who will supervise and examine your work. It is recommended that you first consider which person might be a good fit for your topic and refer to their research areas on their individual pages.

You will need a primary and a secondary supervisor. However, it is advisable to start by looking for a primary supervisor and discuss the possibility of a secondary supervisor with them later. Once you have identified someone you would like to be your primary supervisor, don't hesitate to contact them and inquire about the possibility of supervision. The best way to do this is directly in seminars or during office hours, or via email. Please note that personal contact is significantly more effective than an email.

In any case, it is helpful to write down your own thoughts on your bachelor's or master's thesis in a short summary or exposé with a preliminary timeline or work plan. This will give you and the examiners a concise overview of your project. It's best to send the proposal to your prospective supervisor before the meeting. During a consultation, you can then discuss the next steps, revise and finalize your topic, agree on a timeline, and clarify expectations. If you find it difficult to develop a research question, a six-line essay, or a proposal, you can also ask if your potential supervisor would be willing to discuss and develop it with you beforehand.

Important: Make sure your potential examiners are authorized to conduct examinations for your degree program!

4. What formal aspects do I need to consider?

Basically, the rules of academic writing, which you are already familiar with from your term papers, apply to Bachelor's and Master's theses in Sociology. Essentially, this means: Cite all sources you have used for your work, both in the text and in the bibliography, according to a uniform standard and explain your methodology in a way that is intersubjectively comprehensible. You can also find basic information on academic writing in the guide by Dr. Katrin Späte.

A suggestion for a title page and formatting for theses can be found in this document.

The exact formal requirements for your thesis are defined in more detail in the examination regulations of the individual degree programs. The processing time begins on the date your thesis registration is confirmed by the examiners (see point 6).

• In the single-subject Bachelor's program in Sociology, the thesis should, according to the examination regulations, have a length of approximately 15,000 words and not exceed 50 pages. You have 10 weeks to complete it. If you are writing your thesis alongside your studies (one or more modules not yet completed), you have 14 weeks.
• In the double-subject Bachelor's programs in Sociology and Social Sciences, the length of the Bachelor's thesis is defined as 10,000 to 12,000 words. The processing time is set at 8 weeks. If you are writing the thesis alongside your studies, you have 12 weeks to complete it.
• In the Master of Arts programs in Diversity and Social Inequality and Antinomies of Social Dynamics, the Master's thesis should not exceed 80 pages, and you have 4 months to write it. Furthermore, in the Master's program in Antinomies, you are required to present and defend your thesis in an oral examination (45 to 60 minutes).

Important: Please note that the examination regulations for the single-subject Bachelor's program in Sociology and the Master's programs only define the maximum length. Typically, many bachelor's theses are 30-40 pages long, and master's theses around 60-70 pages. Even very good and good theses don't necessarily have to be the maximum length. Please discuss the exact expectations with your examiners!

5. How many and which sources do I need to use?

This question is frequently asked, but it's difficult to answer generally. The answer will vary depending on whether you're engaging extensively with a classic sociological work, investigating a research question based on (sometimes short) journal articles, or even collecting and analyzing your own data.

Therefore, the same advice applies here: discuss the scope and type of sources with your examiners.

6. How do I register my thesis?

You can register your thesis after consulting with your examiners (see point 3). Instructions for the exact procedure are provided. Simply send an email with the specified wording to the examination office, copying your primary and secondary supervisors, and attaching your transcript of records.

7. Can I change my topic after registering?

If you have developed the topic and research question as described (see points 2 and 3) in consultation with your examiners, it should almost never be necessary to change the topic of your thesis. Many examination regulations stipulate that you may only change the topic of your thesis once in exceptional circumstances, and only within one week of the start of the processing period.

8. Is it possible to extend the submission deadline?

Upon justified request, the examination office may grant a one-time extension of the processing deadline for theses in serious exceptional cases.

Serious reasons include, for example, acute illness, the need to care for one's own children up to the age of twelve, or the need to care for a spouse or partner.

9. How do I submit my thesis?

Theses must be submitted to Examination Office I in two printed and bound copies. Both printed copies must be submitted to the Examination Office by the deadline. It's best not to plan too tightly, but rather allow sufficient time for submission. The Examination Office will then forward your printed thesis to your examiners.

If you are submitting documents in person for time-sensitive matters, please use the drop box at Schlossplatz 2. For documents sent by mail, the postmark date will be considered the submission date. You may also submit your work in person at the Examination Office I during business hours. The address is:

Universität Münster
Prüfungsamt I
Scharnhorststraße 44
48151 Münster

A digital version of the thesis should be sent to both examiners by email (a separate CD is no longer necessary). The email must also include a declaration confirming that the submitted printed copies correspond to the submitted digital PDF copies:

"Hiermit versichere ich, dass die von mir am XX.XX.XXXX eingereichten/per Post verschickten Druckexemplare mit dem in dieser E-Mail übermittelten digitalen PDF-Exemplar vollständig übereinstimmen."

If you are conducting empirical research: Please discuss with your examiners exactly how the data should be made available.

10. When do I need to register my thesis to receive my certificate by a specific date?

The Examination Office I provides sample calculations for both Bachelor's and Master's theses on its website, which you can use to calculate your transition period.

11. How long does the grading process take and how do I receive my grade?

The grading process typically takes a maximum of 8 weeks. Please factor this time into your planning, especially if you are applying for a postgraduate program or have other deadlines to meet. Your grade will be recorded by the examination office after the assessments have been submitted, at which point you will be able to view it.

12. How many attempts do I have if I fail my thesis?

If you fail your thesis on the first attempt, you can retake it once.

13. Can I write my thesis in sociology if I'm not studying sociology?

Yes, we are happy to supervise theses in other social science teacher training programs and in educational sciences (BA G and HRSGe, MEd Gym/Ges and BK).

14. Can my thesis be supervised by someone from another disciple?

Yes, in exceptional cases, an application for individual examination authorization can be submitted. Please contact the service office to find out to whom the application for individual examination authorization should be sent.

15. Will I be automatically deregistered after passing my thesis?

No. At the end of the semester in which you receive your graduation documents, you must deregister, have your completed degree program removed from your record, or apply to transfer to another degree program (e.g., doctoral studies or a second degree). You can find more information here.

Further Tips

• Talk to your examiners! – and not just before registering your thesis. Expectations and misunderstandings can usually be clarified quickly and easily this way. Expectations regarding theses can sometimes vary between individual examiners. Therefore, always check with your examiners to find out what they expect from your work.
• Don't rely on the use of AI tools! AI tools like Chat-GPT and others can support scientific research on various levels. At the same time, these systems are very error-prone and controversial. The department's recommendations on the use of generative AI in studies and examinations point out these problems and your obligations should you decide to use AI. In any case, you, and not the AI ​​systems, must be the author of the texts formulated in your work, and you should consult with your examiners about this.
• If you find writing academic texts difficult, take advantage of the professional development opportunities offered by the University of Münster! The University of Münster offers support for writing term papers and theses through its Writing and Reading Center, as well as various seminar formats on academic writing. You are also welcome to contact your examiners for assistance.
• Read literature on how to write theses! There is a wealth of literature that can help you structure your thesis process and offers writing tips – for example:
  • Samac, Klaus; Prenner, Monika; Schwetz, Herbert (2014): Die Bachelorarbeit an Universität und Fachhochschule: Ein Lehr- und Lernbuch zur Gestaltung wissenschaftlicher Arbeiten. Wien: Facultas
  • Leuze, Kathrin; Unger, Hella von (2015): Wissenschaftliches Arbeiten im Soziologiestudium. Paderborn: Fink (available online via the university network)
  • Bänsch, Axel; Alewell, Dorothea (2020): Wissenschaftliches Arbeiten, 12. überarbeitete Auflage. Berlin/Boston: de Gruyter (available online via the university network)
• Have your work proofread! If you spend weeks or months working on your project, you risk becoming somewhat "blind" to minor errors. Once you've finished, it's advisable to have at least one person proofread your work. Allocate sufficient time for this and for making corrections.
• Don't forget the declaration of originality! With the updated declaration of originality, you confirm that you wrote your work independently and only with the assistance of the cited sources.