Bachelor Thesis

Applications to complete a Bachelor thesis in Winter Semester 2024/25 at the Chair of Economics and Social Policy are due by September 15, 2024. The Chair supervises Bachelor and Master theses with a focus on:

• Social Policy
• Housing Policy
• Regional and Urban Economics
• Tax Policy
• Cooperatives
• Political Economy.

Individual proposals related to these topics are generally welcome. In addition, the chair provides concrete thesis topics that are announced each semester on this page. The thesis can be written in either German or English.

Prerequisites

Empirical analysis, literature reviews, and model-based theses are possible, but require suitable existing knowledge.

The prerequisite for working on an empirical topic is proof of appropriate prior knowledge (e.g., good experience with Stata/R and multivariate regression analysis). Students who are interested in one of the empirical topics should directly contact the topic supervisor for a short conversation before submitting their application to our administrative office. The conversation is meant to clarify the student’s existing knowledge and interest as well as possibly reserve the empirical topic for the student.

Bachelor Thesis Topics for the Winter Semester 2024/25

• Empirical Topics WS 2024/25
• Additonal (non-empirical) Topics WS 2024/25

Application Process

• Applications to complete a Bachelor thesis in Winter Semester 2024/25 at the Chair of Social Policy are due no later than September 15, 2024. To apply, send your completed Application Form WS 2024/25 and current grade transcript via email to our administrative office (wiso-sozialpolitik-office@fau.de).
• If you are interested in one of the empirical topics offered by the chair, you should have an initial conversation directly with the topic supervisor before submitting your application to our administrative office. This conversation is meant to clarify existing knowledge and interest as well as possibly reserve the empirical topic for a student.
• For a non-empirical Bachelor thesis, please include at least 2 topics on the application form. We will respond to applicants after the application deadline.
• If you are assigned and accept a thesis topic at the Chair of Social Policy, the official registration of your Bachelor thesis will then be completed via the Chair with the Examinations Office after the start of the semester.

If you have any questions, please contact Ramona Müller.

Bachelor Thesis Seminar

The requirements of the Bachelor Seminar within the context of the Bachelor thesis include the submittal of a written exposé and giving both an interim and a final presentation.

• An approximately 2-page exposé is to be prepared after the preliminary discussion with your thesis supervisor at the beginning of the thesis work period.
• An approximately 15-minute interim presentation on the research question and structure is to be held about 3 weeks after the start of the thesis work period. The interim presentation is followed by a discussion.
• A final presentation on the research question, structure, and results is to be held upon submitting the written Bachelor thesis. The final presentation is followed by a discussion.

Some guidelines for seminar presentations at the Chair of Economics and Social Policy can be found here.

Format of Bachelor Thesis

You can find our guidelines for scientific writing at the Chair of Social Policy as well as information regarding the formal documentation of empirical analyses here. 

The Bachelor thesis should be 25-30 pages in length (without tables and figures). It is possible to write a Bachelor thesis in either English or German.

Submission of Bachelor Thesis

The completed thesis must be submitted to the Examinations Office by the specified deadline in both printed form (two bound copies) and in electronic form (USB stick or CD).

The opening hours and address of the FAU WiSo Examinations Office can be found here.

Questions?

If you have any questions, please contact Ramona Müller or your Bachelor thesis supervisor.