Information for Students

Please send your documents such as the data protection documents to the following address:

Friedrich Schiller University Jena

Arbeitsbereich Prof. Dr. Stefanie Hiß

Sekretariat

Bachstr. 18k

07743 Jena

If you would like to submit your documents digitally, please make sure that the document is password-protected, e.g. on the USB stick.

Which courses will be offered this term?
You can find all the courses we currently offer at Friedolin or here de.

All students who are being supervised for the first time with their final thesis at our chair should attend regularly, present the progress of their work and participate in constructive discussions. If you have any questions about the research workshop, please contact Prof Dr Stefanie Hiß (stefanie.hiss@uni-jena.de) or your first supervisor at the department.

What do I have to consider when writing a seminar paper?
Please refer to the general information in your Examination and Study Regulations as well as the module catalogue. Further information can be found in the guidelines for academic workExternal link from the Institute of Sociology. All further requirements will be announced in the corresponding course. We use the following criteriapdf, 108 kb · de to assess seminar papers.

I have difficulties writing seminar papers. Are there any specific tips or exercises I can use to improve my writing style?
There are basic writing techniques that can help you to write academic papers. You can find exercises, help and tips for reading and learning these writing techniques hereExternal link. You can also find more helpful literature on this topic hereExternal link.

Where can I hand in my seminar paper?
Please send a digital copy of your seminar paper to the respective teacher. You can hand in the printed copy to the Administrative Assistant, drop it in Prof Hiß's post box on the ground floor of Bachstr. 18k (past the lecture theatre at the back left of the corridor next to the stairs). 

Can I receive feedback on my seminar paper after I have handed it in?
Yes, this is actually desirable. As a rule, you can come to the respective office hours to receive feedback on your seminar paper as soon as your grade has appeared in Friedolin. The purpose of the feedback is not to discuss the grade, but to help you with your future seminar papers. It is best to make use of this opportunity as often as possible during your studies.

What do I need to bear in mind for oral examinations?
You can find information on oral examinations herepdf, 183 kb · de. Please note that the regulations vary from examiner to examiner. Please also note the information in the seminars.

Can I write my final thesis with you?
If you would like to write your final thesis at the Chair of Sociology with a focus on Markets, Organisations and Governance, you should have attended and successfully completed at least one of the courses offered by the chair. Please contact your potential supervisor in good time. In an email, briefly describe your project (topic, research question, theory, empiricism, etc.) and to what extent you have already come into contact with the topics of the chair (seminar papers, presentations, etc.). You can and should choose your own topics and questions, but they should be relevant to the content of the chair of Sociology with a focus on markets, organisations and governance. If you intend to write your final thesis at our chair, please note the following information (including information on the research proposal|thesis proposal)pdf, 231 kb · de and contact your supervisor in good time. Please also note the general information from the Institute of Sociology's guidelines for academic workExternal link. Master's dissertations can currently be supervised by Prof Dr Stefanie Hiß.

Do you have any suggestions for final thesis topics?
As a rule, you should choose your own topic. The topic and research question of your final thesis should match the content of the chair. Specifically, you are at the right address with market, organisational, economic and cultural sociological questions. It is an advantage if you base your research question on topics that you have either already come into contact with in seminars organised by the chair or that are related to the research projects currently underway at the chair.

Can I conduct interviews for my final thesis?

In principle, it is possible to conduct your own interviews as part of your final thesis. Your own empirical studies must be discussed in advance in the office hours. Please take particular note of the document on data protection and the declaration of consent for interviews. In this case, please also enquire about what other aspects need to be taken into account.

I need a letter of recommendation. Can you issue one for me?
If you need a letter of recommendation for internships, scholarships or similar, please contact the relevant lecturer four weeks before the submission deadline. Please note that we can only issue letters of recommendation for students who have already completed a course at our chair. Everything else you need to consider when requesting a letter of recommendation can be found on this information sheet.pdf, 358 kb · de

For our colloquium, we invite both external guests and FSU Jena employees to give presentations in which they talk either about their research or their professional practice. Anyone can participate in these lectures and the subsequent discussion without prior registration. We are happy to welcome both advanced students and students who are still at the beginning of their studies; with the colloquium we want to give you an orientation in the research landscape as well as for your professional future. You can find past plans here de.

Current: Since the winter semester 2017/18, we have been organising our research colloquium in the format of a research workshop. All students who have their master's thesis supervised at the chair are welcome to take part in the research workshop, which takes place once a week.