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Master Thesis

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At the end of the IOCM programme every student writes a master's thesis. The thesis is a student's own research project and the culmination of the IOCM studies. Here, students have the opportunity to go in depth into their personal research interest. Thus, the thesis usually builds on a student's term paper and/or internship experience. Upon registration, students have six month to complete the thesis of about 80 pages. The thesis is credited with 30 ECTS.

  • Detailed information for enrolled students

    The master thesis process starts with a first meeting before students go abroad in the third semester. After selecting a first supervisor and discussing possible topics with them, students prepare a first short outline, then a full thesis proposal, which is presented and discussed in an obligatory Master's Thesis Workshop at the beginning of the fourth semester and revised for a second meeting five to six weeks thereafter. Once the proposal is finalized and a second supervisor is selected, students notify the examination office (ASPA) of the start of their writing process, which is limited to six months and ends with handing in the 70 to 80 page thesis. More details are provided in due time.

    The first supervisor needs to be a PhD holder from the IOCM staff. The second supervisor must hold a Master's degree, preferably but not necessarily in political science. The second supervisor does not need to stem from the IOCM team. It can be another staff member from the Institute of Political Science or from other Institutes of the Faculty for Social and Behavioral Sciences or other faculties of University of Jena. Second advisors can also be recruited from external research institutions or experts of the field, e.g. during an internship. Such supervisors need the consent of the first supervisor and ASPA.

    DAAD (Promos) offers options to attain a scholarship for thesis research trips abroad. The supervisors can supply a recommendation letter. However, the deadlines for submitting applications need to be observed.

    In the files section below please find the ASPA guidelines on MA theses and the registration form.

    For those students who would like to have some inspiration of possible thesis topics, here is a list of a few past thesis titles:

    1. The impact of sanctions on humanitarian action in armed conflict. A case study of the provision of humanitarian aid in the Syrian Civil War
    2. Bullets and Gorillas. How International Conservation Efforts are Shaping the Virunga National Park in Eastern Congo
    3. Fertile Ground or Barren Soil for Consociational Democracy in Israel?

Files

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    1. Thesis Guidelines ASPA de

      These are the ASPA Guidelines for MA Theses

      File type:
      pdf
      File size:
      181 kb
      Modification date:
    2. Thesis Registration Form de

      You need to fill out this form to register your MA Thesis with ASPA

      File type:
      pdf
      File size:
      168 kb
      Modification date: