3.1 – Language

The Master thesis has to be written in English and Bachelor thesis in English or German, comprehensibly and in an appropriate style. It is recommended to have the thesis corrected by a third person before handing it in.

3.2 – Formal Layout

If the research group, in which the thesis project is carried out, does not have formal guidelines for the layout of the thesis, the following are recommended:

Format: A4
Page margins: top and bottom: 3 cm, left 3 cm, right 2 cm
Font & Font size: 11-12 points, Arial recommended
Columns: single-column
Paragraph: line spacing 1.5, justified
Page numbers: bottom, starting from introduction
Paper quality: minimum 80 g/m2 paper

There may be additional (partially discipline specific) guidelines for figures and reference formats. Ask your supervisor.

3.3 – Number of Pages

The number of pages is no criterion for the quality of a bachelor or master thesis. The content and the engagement with the subject are the key factors (quality is more important than quantity; a typical range is 20-30 pages for the Bachelor thesis and 30-50 pages for the Master thesis).

3.4 – Paper Form

It is possible to write the master thesis directly in the form of a scientific paper. This possibility will be discussed and agreed with the Examiner as early as possible (see section 2.6 Affiliation with Publications). In this case, the formal requirements of the corresponding journal apply (e.g. layout, number of pages). It is even more important in this situation that the contribution of the student is traceable for grading purposes.