The basis for writing a Bachelor’s or Master’s thesis is the relevant examination regulations at the University of Oldenburg

• Do these regulations also apply to interdisciplinary theses involving educational sciences or special educational needs?

  The allocation process is linked to places on the bam or mam modules in general studies; therefore, you only need to submit a mini-proposal once you have been allocated a place on one of these modules.
  

• What do I need to bear in mind when specifying my preferred examiners?

  At least one supervisor must be a member of the professors' group or a private lecturer in general studies.

• We’d like to write the dissertation as a pair – is that possible?

  Yes, that is possible. If you wish to write the thesis as a pair, two mini-abstracts must be submitted, as supervising this single thesis will then be equivalent to supervising two theses in terms of the allocation of places and marking. Please speak to your primary supervisor in advance to clarify which research questions each of you should and can address.
  The length of the paper is usually doubled, although it must be clearly stated who wrote which part of the paper. You will be assessed individually (see examination regulations).

• Can I send the mini-abstract by email to the specified address before places are allocated in the bam or mam module?

  We advise against this, as only a confirmed place on the bam or mam module in general studies guarantees supervision and assessment.

• Do I have to write a mini-abstract even though I have already completed the bam or mam module?

  In principle, all students who wish to submit their final dissertation in General Studies in the summer semester of 2025 or later, and who have already secured a place on the bam or mam module in General Studies or will be taking a place on it in the summer semester of 2025, must submit a short synopsis.
  This is important as we also use the submission for documentation purposes. You need not worry; your place and your confirmation of assessment will, of course, remain valid.

• Do I have to write a mini-abstract even though I only intend to submit my final thesis in the following semester?

  In principle, all students who wish to submit their final thesis in General Studies and have been allocated a place on the bam/mam module must submit a short abstract.
  For example, if you have a place on the bam/mam module in the winter semester, you must also submit a mini-abstract in that semester.
  In both seminars, we will be working specifically on your research questions and topics. Therefore, please only enrol on the seminar if you have at least a rough idea of a topic and a research question. This is important as we also use the submission for documentation purposes.
  

• Are there any further guidelines on writing a dissertation?

  Once you have secured a place on the bam or mam module, you will have access to courseware containing a wealth of information.
  

• What do I need to bear in mind if I want to carry out a survey in schools?

  The DiZ has put together an information page: https://uol.de/diz/transfer/umfragen-und-erhebungen-in-schulen.
  

  General guidance on writing a final dissertation

• Length: 40–60 (max. 80) pages (approx. 1,500 characters per page, font size e.g. Times New Roman 12 pt or Arial 11 pt with 1.15 to 1.5 line spacing)
• As a rule, a Master’s thesis is between 60 and 80 pages long, whilst a Bachelor’s thesis is usually between 40 and 60 pages.
• The appendix is not included in this page count.
• Larger files (audio, video or transcripts) can be stored on a data storage device (SD card or similar) or in a Nextcloud folder. This data appendix must be explicitly included in the table of contents and in the appendix with a reference to the data.
• Your thesis must be submitted digitally as a PDF file (searchable and without a password!). Please check with your examiners in advance to see whether a printed version is required.
• Section 22(1) BPO: “The Bachelor’s thesis shall demonstrate that the student is capable of independently addressing a problem from one of their chosen subjects within a specified deadline, using academic methods.”
• §23(1) MVO: “The Master’s thesis is intended to demonstrate that the student is capable of independently addressing a problem from one of their chosen subjects within a specified deadline, using academic methods. The topic and scope of the Master’s thesis must be consistent with the purpose of the examination (§ 3). The nature of the task and the terms of reference must be finalised when the topic is assigned.”