Bachelor’s Thesis
All information regarding the Bachelor’s thesis can be found in the General Study and Examination Regulations (German) as well as in the Subject-Specific Study and Examination Regulations (German).
The Bachelor’s program in Geosciences prepares students for careers in industrial companies, engineering offices, government agencies, and comparable institutions. The program also provides the foundation for advanced Master’s and doctoral studies.
Prospective students who wish to gain an overview of the basic knowledge in geology and the natural science minor subjects are referred to the following recommended literature (German).
When can I write my Bachelor’s thesis?
The Bachelor’s thesis can be assigned no earlier than after the end of the lecture period of the fifth semester and after earning at least 110 ECTS credits.
How is the Bachelor’s thesis graded?
The total workload of a Bachelor’s thesis is credited with 15 ECTS points.
A successfully completed Bachelor’s thesis corresponds to a workload of 12 ECTS points, and the presentation of the thesis in a colloquium accounts for 3 ECTS points.
How do I find a Bachelor’s thesis topic?
A list of Bachelor’s thesis topics is available from the respective research groups upon request. The topic must be finalized no later than the beginning of your last semester of the standard study period.
How much time do I have for the Bachelor’s thesis?
The Bachelor’s thesis must be completed within 8 weeks. An extension of up to 4 weeks is possible in justified exceptional cases, subject to approval by the Examination Committee. The “Application for Extension of the Thesis” form (in German) must be used for this purpose.
Who can supervise my Bachelor’s thesis?
Faculty members of the Faculty of Sciences and full-time habilitated research group leaders at the GeoZentrum are authorized to supervise a Bachelor’s thesis. Exceptions may be granted by the Examination Committee.
How and when do I register my Bachelor’s thesis?
The topic and start date of the Bachelor’s thesis must be communicated to the Examination Committee via the Examination Office by April 1st of the respective year at the latest. Registration is done using the form for registering a Bachelor’s thesis (German).
Where do I submit my Bachelor’s thesis?
Two bound copies of the thesis must be submitted to the Examination Office together with the student’s declaration of disclosure (German) and contact information (German).
Who evaluates my Bachelor’s thesis?
The Examination Committee appoints all full-time faculty members and full-time habilitated research group leaders at the GeoZentrum Nordbayern as reviewers. The evaluation of the Bachelor’s thesis is carried out using the review form (German) provided by the Examination Committee.
Possible grades:
1.0 / 1.3 / 1.7 / 2.0 / 2.3 / 2.7 / 3.0 / 3.3 / 3.7 / 4.0 / 5.0 = fail
Structure of the Bachelor’s Thesis
The Bachelor’s thesis should be structured according to the rules of scientific publishing. The total length of the thesis should not exceed 7000 words (including references, figure legends, tables, etc.) as specified by the Examination Committee.
The sample title page (German) must be used.
The thesis must also include the declaration of independent work (German) and the contact information (German) of the student.
The main text should consist of the following chapters:
- Abstract (maximum 250 words)
- Introduction
- Materials and Methods
- Results
- Discussion
- References
Font and Size
Recommended fonts are Times New Roman and Arial. The font size for the main text should be 12 pt; headings can be 14 pt, and footnotes as well as figure captions can be 10 pt.
Line Spacing and Alignment
Line spacing should be 1.5. The text should be in justified print.
Page Margins
Standard page margins are:
- Top: 2 – 2.5 cm
- Bottom: 2 – 2.5 cm
- Left: 3 – 3.5 cm
- Right: 2 – 2.5 cm
Page Numbering
Page numbering should begin with page 1 at the Introduction.
Overview of All Files to Be Used in the Bachelor’s Thesis (all in German):