Bachelor Thesis

Bachelor Thesis

Winter Semester 2026/27

  • The deadline to apply to complete a Bachelor thesis in Winter Semester 2026/27 at the Chair of Economics and Social Policy is 5:00 p.m. on Friday, September 11, 2026. Please note that our chair is not able to accept all applicants due to capacity limits.
  • Contact person for questions:

The Chair of Economics and Social Policy supervises Bachelor and Master theses with a focus on:

  • Social Policy
  • Housing Policy
  • Regional and Urban Economics
  • Pension System / Old-age Provision
  • Tax Policy
  • Cooperatives
  • Political Economy

The chair provides concrete thesis topics that are announced each semester on this page. Individual proposals related to the above topic areas will generally be taken under consideration. The thesis can be written in 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 adequate prior knowledge (e.g., good experience with Stata/R and multivariate regression analysis). Students who are interested in one of our listed empirical topics should directly contact the topic supervisor via email to request an appointment for a short conversation, prior to submitting the application form to our administrative office. The conversation with the supervisor is meant to clarify the student’s existing knowledge and interest, and to possibly reserve the empirical topic for the student. When requesting an appointment, the following should also be included in the email to the thesis topic supervisor:

  • current FAU grade transcript (PDF)
  • type and scope of software knowledge regarding R, Stata, Python, etc., as well as more detailed information on further experiences with data analysis and program application.

Individual proposed topics in the areas of housing policy, cooperatives, urban economics, old-age provision, and political economy can also be discussed.

Bachelor Thesis Topics for Winter Semester 2026/27

Application Process

  • Applications to complete a Bachelor thesis in Winter Semester 2026/27 at the Chair of Economics and Social Policy are due no later than 5:00 p.m. on Friday, September 11, 2026.
  • To apply, send your completed Thesis Application Form WS 26/27 and your current FAU grade transcript (PDF) to our administrative office via email to: wiso-sozialpolitik-office(at)fau.de.
  • If you are interested in one of the empirical topics offered by our chair, you should first have a short conversation directly with the topic supervisor prior to submitting your application to our administrative office. This conversation is meant to clarify a student’s existing knowledge and interest, and also to possibly reserve the empirical topic for a student. (See details in the “Prerequisites” section above).
  • For a non-empirical Bachelor thesis, please include at least 2 preferred topics on your application form.
  • We will respond to applicants after the application deadline has passed. If you are assigned and accept a thesis topic at the Chair of Economics and Social Policy, the official registration for the Bachelor Thesis Seminar (see below) will be completed via the Chair with the WiSo Examinations Office after the start of the semester.
  • If you have questions, please contact  Michael Göschl, M.Sc. (thesis in Winter Semester) or Ramona Müller, M.Sc. (thesis in Summer Semester)

Bachelor Thesis Seminar

The requirements of the Bachelor Seminar within the context of the Bachelor thesis include an outline of the thesis, an interim presentation, and a final presentation. Each of these three requirements must be successfully completed in order to pass the Bachelor Seminar:

    1. A thesis outline (ca. 2 pages) must be prepared following the preliminary advisor meeting at the start of the thesis project.
    2. An interim presentation (ca. 15 minutes) on the research question and structure must be given approximately 3 weeks after the start of the project. The interim presentation is followed by a discussion.
    3. A final presentation (ca. 20 minutes) on the research question, structure, and results must be given after submission of the Bachelor’s thesis. The final presentation is followed by a discussion.

The submission deadline for the thesis outline and the dates of the interim and final presentations are set by the Chair. Some guidelines for seminar presentations at the Chair of Economics and Social Policy can be found here.

Format of the written Bachelor Thesis

  • The start of the thesis work period will be specified by the Chair and will occur during the semester’s standard lecture period. The standard time-frame to complete the written thesis is 9 weeks. 
  • The Bachelor thesis should be 25-30 pages in length (excluding tables and figures).
  • It is possible to write the Bachelor thesis in either English or German.
  • Refer to our academic writing guidelines as well as information regarding the formal documentation of empirical analyses here. 

Submission of Bachelor Thesis

The completed thesis must be submitted to the Examinations Office (Prüfungsamt) by the specified deadline in both printed form (2 bound copies) and digital form (1 USB stick).

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

Questions?

Contact Michael Göschl, M.Sc. (for Winter Term) or Ramona Müller, M.Sc. (for Summer Term) or your thesis topic supervisor.