Regulations for Master Thesis

I am looking forward to supervising your Master theses in the following areas:

  • Social Choice
  • Taxation
  • Fiscal Federalism
  • Public Debt

If you consider writing your thesis, please take note of the following information.

Applying for a master thesis

  • In general, you are responsible to ensure that you fulfil all the necessary requirements to be eligible to write a thesis and that you comply with all the rules prescribed by your study program. You need to ensure this by consulting the Prüfungsordnung and/or the Studienbüro regarding the official regulations for Master theses.
  • You have attended and successfully accomplished a module from my teaching portfolio and/or a Master seminar.
  • You need to submit a formal application by e-mail. It should include the following information:
    • The study program you are enrolled in and the number of semesters you have been studying
    • Your most recent transcript
    • A recent CV
  • A proposal for a topic. Please make sure your proposed topic or area of interest is within the scope of the areas we supervise Master theses in. Be as specific as possible. In particular, it is not sufficient to propose something like "Taxation". Rather, express a specific topic / question. It is very useful to name a paper on which you wish to build up your thesis.

Exposé:

Before application and after our consent on the topic, submit an exposé of around four pages describing the aim and scope of your thesis. The exposé shall include a preliminary table of content.

Procedures after your application

  • After having received your exposé you will be notified of the success of your application. Since we receive many applications, we reserve the right to decline your application.
  • If you are accepted and registered by the Studienbüro, you can start your work on the thesis.

Writing your thesis

  • During your processing phase please contact your supervisor to arrange office hours. There is no formal limit on the number and structure of office hours, rather this depends on individual arrangements with your supervisor with regard to your concrete topic and the corresponding supervision requirements.
  • Please use LaTeX on Overleaf. A template is available.
  • After each office hour (within 1 or 2 days) you need to send your supervisor a brief summary documenting your main points of discussion and in particular anything you agreed upon during the office hour.
  • If you use data, submit all your scripts (e.g. R-Scripts) on the git platform of our university. It is your responsibility that any result can easily be reproduced by your scripts.

Colloquium

The colloquium will take place shortly after your submission.