Theses

This page explains how I supervise bachelor and master theses and what I need from you before registration. The formal rules on registration, deadlines and length are set out in the examination regulations of your programme. The examination office can help with questions about them.

Who I supervise

I supervise bachelor and master theses in German or English, at the university or in cooperation with a company. You can bring your own topic, a topic from your company or one from my research areas. I do not keep a list of open topics. Just get in touch.

First contact

Send an email to robin.mueller-bady@fra-uas.de with the following:

• programme and degree (bachelor or master)
• your topic in three to five sentences
• a preliminary research question
• for theses in a company: company and contact person
• preferred start date

Proposal

Before registration I need a short proposal. One to two pages are enough. It shows both of us whether the topic works in the time available and should contain:

• problem and motivation
• research question
• planned approach
• scope: what the thesis deliberately does not cover
• draft outline
• schedule
• first references

Before registration you also need a second examiner. Finding one is up to you.

Theses in a company

I am happy to supervise theses in cooperation with companies. They have to stand as academic work, not just as a project report: with their own research question, a discussion of the state of the art and a traceable approach. A confidentiality notice is possible, and I sign non-disclosure agreements if needed. Clarify early with the company which content may go into the thesis.

Supervision

You drive your thesis yourself and get in touch when you need to discuss something. Meetings roughly every three to four weeks have proven useful, as has feedback on the outline and on one sample chapter. I read drafts selectively when you have specific questions about them.

Format

There is no mandatory template. Use IEEE citation style. I do not set a target length. What counts is what your research question needs.

Code, experiments and setups

Code is almost never part of the assessment. The thesis has to stand on its own: describe and justify your solution, architecture and decisions in the text. Describe experiments and setups so that others can follow and repeat them. It does not matter where your code is hosted.

AI tools

You may use AI tools. State in your list of aids which tools you used and for what. You are responsible for every sentence and every line of your thesis, and in the defence you have to be able to explain every part of it.

Assessment

I do not grade with a points scheme. I assess the thesis as a whole. So that you know what I look at: my written assessments address these six points.

Problem statement and objectives

Is the problem clearly described and relevant? Is the research question phrased so that one can check at the end whether it has been answered?

Methodology

Does the approach fit the question, and is it justified? Is there a baseline for comparison where one is needed?

Technical depth

Is the work technically correct, and does it go beyond the surface?

Own contribution and novelty

What is your own contribution, and is it clearly separated from what already exists?

Evaluation and quality of results

Are the results checked in a traceable way, and do you state the limitations of your work honestly?

Academic writing and presentation

Are claims properly referenced, and is the thesis clearly structured and easy to read?

The grade follows from the overall picture, not from a calculation.

Defence

You give a 20-minute talk, followed by questions. Prepare it for a technical audience that does not know your topic in detail. The format is up to you: with or without slides, with or without a demonstrator.