master thesis with company

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5 tips if you want to write your thesis with a company / organisation.

As you may already know, the last semester of all master’s programmes at Karolinska Institutet have something in common: thesis! Finding a topic for your master’s thesis project is neither an easy nor a stress-free task, and most of the time it requires a lot of thinking and planning. Although KI has the responsibility to provide you with a topic and supervisor, it is possible for all students to write their thesis with the support of a company or external organisation, but not all programmes offer personalised support in the process of finding a suitable partner . Therefore, it is up to the student to create by her/himself the project proposal and secure support from a third party, if that’s what the student wants. Otherwise, you can can conduct your thesis with any research group at KI. Don’t get me wrong, in both cases you will need a KI researcher as your main supervisor. External supervisors, which are required in case of conducting your thesis with an external organisation, will act as co-supervisors.

I present you with some tips for those of you who are interested in conducting your thesis with an external company, organization, institute, research group (basically anything outside of KI):

1. Contact and expand your network

Taking into consideration that the success or failure on finding an external partner depends on you, then networking is by far the most important and effective strategy you could possibly take. You can start my posting on your social media, professional profiles and/or emailing contacts to let everyone know that you are looking for an opportunity.

It is also very likely that your network is quite limited if your ideal thesis topic is very specific (which tends to be the case). If so, you should consider concentrating on expanding your network by targeting individuals with specific profiles. The best advice I can give you is to send as many emails/invitations/chats as possible since it will increase your chances of receiving an answer.

2. Profit from previous experiences

People you already have worked with can be your best allies in a situation like this. They are already familiar with your skills, interests and work dynamics. Even if these people are not familiar with the topic you want to address in your thesis, the fact that they already know about your background and skills is already an advantage that you can profit from.

Whether you have done an internship in the past or are planning to do so in the future, these are usually great scenarios for capitalizing thesis opportunities. My best advice would be to think ahead when doing an internship and explore topics for thesis with your supervisor/manager. It is very likely that your energy and drive will be well received.

3. Look for explicit opportunities

Although it might sound somewhat obvious, it wasn’t until I already secured a thesis partnership when I realized that there are companies that are explicitly looking for students seeking a thesis project. These advertisements tend to be posted on company’s websites and social media.

On one hand, the issue with these offerings is that it is usually a fixed topic and project that the company has and its just looking for a student to execute it. Although I personally prioritised selecting the topic by myself, there are many students that prefer to be handed in a project. On the other hand, it is usually big multinational organisations that offer this kind of opportunities, and many would argue they are a possible bridge towards a permanent job position within those organisations.

4. Ask teachers

 It is very common for KI teachers to have a side job or connections with companies, government institutions or other external organisations. Therefore, they are an ideal target population for emails and networking. If there was one specific course or subject in your programmme that you particulary liked, then reaching out to the course director is a great starting point. Nonetheless, if your topic of interest is not strictly related to only one course or you just didn’t vibe with the course director, KI’s webpage provides a clear picture of all research groups and their contacts. I would highly recommend you to read carefully each research group’s description and scope, so you have a better understanding of their work and decide better who to reach out to.

If you are interested in writing your thesis with another university, my recommendation would be to target ad approach friendly with an email to teachers and/or researchers in the same way you’d do for KI. In my experience, KI’s name is very well respected and consequently attractive.

5. Go to events (even online)

I saved this one for the end for a reason. I must admit that I was very skeptic when senior students advised me to show up to events and career fairs. It just seemed pointless and non-personal to me. Nonetheless, during the first months of the pandemic I had so much free time that I decided to start attending webinars offered by a very prestigious institute I was interested in. Turns out that I really enjoyed the content, so I began to actively participate in the chat and ask questions to the speakers. This is how I got noticed by senior executives from the institute, who then invited me to an interview and offered me an opportunity to work with them. In conclusion, I would recommend you to join events that you feel interested in. Just showing up does not do the trick, you need to actively participate in order to get noticed!

That’s a wrap! Hope these tips are useful in your future endeavours.

Don’t hesitate to reach out to me if you have any questions!

Julio Sosa.

email: [email protected]

Linkedin:  https:/www.linkedin.com/in/julio-sosa-maldonado-659301175/

Instagram: @julio.sosam

Julio Sosa - Health Economics, Policy and Management

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Writing Your Master’s Thesis Whith a Company – MBS Alumnus Philip Dorpema Shares His Experiences

September 16, 2022

When students reach the home stretch of their degree, they not only need to find a suitable topic for their final thesis, they also need to decide whether to write their thesis at the university or while working at a company. MBS alumnus Philip Dorpema chose the second option and, in this interview, shares some key insights and tips for writing your master’s thesis from within a company.

MBS Insights: Philip, you wrote your master’s thesis in partnership with Generali Versicherung  rather than working on it solely at university. How exactly did that come about? Did you always plan to write your master’s thesis while working at a company? If so, how did you find the right company for your project?

Philip Dorpema: On the  Sports Business and Communications  program, we were told from the outset that we were welcome to write our master’s thesis while working at a company. I soon decided that I wanted to take advantage of this opportunity, because it allows you to get so much input and support for your project that you otherwise wouldn’t be able to access. When the time came to look for a position at a company, I looked for internships at a number of firms who are active in the field of sponsorships, which I had chosen as the focus topic for my master’s thesis. That’s when I came across Generali.

MBS Insights: What differences do you think there are between writing a master’s thesis at a company and writing it at university?

Philip Dorpema: There are certain differences between writing a master’s thesis in a company and writing one at uni. The first difference is that you have at least two mentors you can turn to for advice: one at the university and another contact in the company. There’s also a stronger practical connection when working in a company. My bachelor’s thesis, which I wrote exclusively at university, was far more theoretical than the master’s thesis I wrote while working. For example, in my master’s thesis I was able to use data from active sponsorship projects Generali was running, which meant I was more closely connected to the topic. And, of course, it’s always nice to be paid for your work. I was employed as an intern for six months and was paid accordingly.

MBS Insights: What exactly was the topic of your master’s thesis? How did you come up with it?

Philip Dorpema: My master’s thesis focused on finding alternatives to conventional sponsorship in the digital space, as most events had been canceled due to the pandemic. As a result, companies and events increasingly resorted to digital platforms in order to reach their target audiences. Unfortunately, I can’t share the results because I signed a non-disclosure agreement. I’ve been interested in sponsorship for a long time, which is why I wanted to write my master’s thesis on the topic. At the onset of the pandemic, and many events were canceled and sponsorship contracts were terminated, so the topic soon crystallized in my mind. The staff at Generali were enthusiastic right away because it’s obviously a very important topic for them as a company. That’s another way that writing your master’s thesis in a company creates value: you work on a topic relevant to the company, which allows you to generate genuine added value.

MBS Insights: What insights from your master’s studies at MBS were you able to apply in your internship and in writing your master’s thesis?

Philip Dorpema: There were certain insights from my studies that I was able to apply in my internship and in writing my master’s thesis in the company. Among other things, I spent a lot of time working with social media and digital marketing during my internship, which we had discussed at length at uni. However, sponsorship was also a major part of my responsibilities during my internship. For example, I helped to develop sponsorship concepts for digital platforms and get them ready to present to sponsorship partners. It also involved platforms that were uncharted territory for Generali, like Twitch. In addition, I was responsible for identifying new KPIs for social media, which would then be integrated into new sponsorship contracts. All in all, I had a range of responsibilities in the fields of online marketing and sponsorship, which fed into my master’s thesis – and for which my time at MBS proved excellent preparation.

MBS Insights: How exactly does writing your master’s thesis in a company work? How do you structure your time working as an intern and writing your thesis?

Philip Dorpema: It was all very tightly scheduled. In the six months of my internship, I actually never quite started writing my master’s thesis. At the end of my internship, I conducted my interviews and collected the data I needed to write my thesis. I organized it this way so that I was able to gain as much practical work experience as possible and familiarize myself with the company and the topic as well as I could. After my internship, I started writing my master’s thesis, which enabled me to make optimal use of everything I had learned and the data I had collected.

MBS Insights: Who would you recommend to write their master’s thesis in a company and what tips would you give for writing it?

Philip Dorpema: Honestly, I would recommend that every student (at MBS) writes their master’s thesis in a company. Not only does it give you a better frame of reference for your master’s thesis and allow you to gather tips from your mentor in the company, it also makes it considerably easier to collect very usable data, because large companies collect data anyway for market research analyses. In addition, there are plenty of people in a company you can interview on certain topics, which means that you can write a quantitative, qualitative or mixed thesis in the company. My tip would be to think about your topic from an early stage and start looking for a suitable company early on. I started looking at a relatively late stage and was very lucky to find a good fit with Generali, which meant I was able to start my internship soon after.

After completing your bachelor’s degree, you would like to delve even deeper into the processes of international business administration and specialize in a particular area, such as finance, marketing, or sports business? Then you will find a broad selection of business master’s programs with different focuses at Munich Business School. In all programs, you’ll benefit from small classes, lecturers from the business world, and outcome-focussed learning that makes it easy to start your career. See for yourself: Master’s in International Business Master’s in International Business I Finance Master’s in Innovation and Entrepreneurship Master’s in International Marketing and Brand Management M aster’s in Sports Business and Communication

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Department of Computer and Systems Sciences

Master thesis in collaboration with companies or organisations.

A master thesis is the final work of an academic education and the result is presented in report form. A two-year master thesis consists of 30 credits and equals 20 weeks of full-time work. A one-year master thesis consists of 15 credits and equals 10 weeks of full-time work. The thesis work can be written in cooperation with, or on behalf of, a company or an external organisation.

When the thesis is written in collaboration with an external party, it often deals with an area or a problem that a company/organisation wishes to investigate. In addition to proposing a solution to a concrete problem, the student can contribute new ideas and perspectives that can be used further. This often gives students a good insight into how theoretical knowledge is applied in practice as well as opportunities for new contacts in the working life.

If the thesis is done on behalf of an external party, the same requirements are set for academic content as for all other degree projects at the department. This may be useful to keep in mind when the task is formulated so that no uncertainties arise later on.

We are not able to handpick students. All eventual offers or interests of collaboration from companies/organisations will reach all students. For further discussion, please contact [email protected] .

Important things to think about and discuss before the thesis work begins:

• The student owns the copyright for the thesis.
• If an agreement is written, it should regulate who owns the project results. This applies for patents for example. If no agreement has been signed, the student owns the results. This is especially important when the student is being financially compensated.
• The thesis forms a part of the student’s examination at Stockholm University and must be reported in written form as well as an oral presentation. The university is an authority subjected to the principle of public access to official documents. This means that the thesis is an official document after the examination.
• Usually the external company/organisation is responsible for costs, such as prints, postage and travel.
• Salary/remuneration is a matter between the student and the company/organisation and regulated without interference from the university.

Regarding the thesis work

• Identify what the company/organisation wants to investigate. What problem needs to be solved? Formulate a problem or an issue that also meet the requirements for ideas for a master thesis at the department.
• The student, together with the company/organisation, defines in writing what is included and how process development. 
• Make a schedule for the work that fits within the framework of the thesis. Remember to allocate enough time for writing and reading of literature.
• Who acts as company/organisation contact person?
• Who will own the result?
• How is sensitive data handled?
• How will the completed result and the thesis be presented to the company/organisation?

Students will find ads from companies and organisations in iLearn Please note that not all ads are available in English.

Last updated: August 13, 2021

Source: Department of Computer and Systems Sciences, DSV

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You learn from us – we learn from you. The BMW Group offers you professional support in writing your Bachelor's or Master's thesis with practical relevance. In all areas of the BMW Group, you can show how you would like to shape the future in a sustainable way.

BACHELOR'S AND MASTER'S THESES.

Are you an enrolled student at a university and would like to write your thesis with a high level of practical relevance and delve deeply into a specific field of research? Start as a Bachelor or Master student. General conditions.

• The paid contract period for your final thesis depends on the processing time specified in the examination regulations of your university and the corresponding degree programme (Bachelor's or Master's).
• You do not have any prescribed working hours during the contract period. Your work serves the purpose of writing your thesis. Therefore, you can plan your working hours individually in consultation with your department.
• After completion, you are required to provide the BMW Group with a copy of your thesis.

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How to write Master Thesis in Collaboration with a Company

Companies and organizations want to investigate issues affecting their areas of operation. They will be open to collaborating with students in research. This gives an excellent opportunity to students to get a feel of the industry and prepare themselves for their prospective employment. These research papers also help the creative and analytical best out of students and making them industry ready. In this article, we have outlined a few crucial steps to help with writing master thesis. 

Universities and research institutions encourage collaborations because they benefit the student, institution, and organization teaming up for research. You can get a professional master thesis writing service online to help you complete the work faster and also deliver the most captivating paper. The approach offers the following benefits, among others.

• You have access to financial resources. It helps you to dig deeper in research, producing more captivating work. It will raise your scholarly profile. 
• You have a team to help during the research. The collaborating organization seconds researchers, data analysts, typists, and other assistants to help you achieve the best results. It will be easier since most of the demanding tasks will have been taken over by a team seconded by your partners.
• You have access to data and research networks- organizations have data on the areas they would love to collaborate on during research. You do not start looking for the data from scratch. As a result, you have an easier time completing your paper. 
• Increases your chances of employment- you interact with the organization and its partners in the course of research. It will be easier to get employment in the same field because you have demonstrated your potential. 
• It opens a path for networking in the future- one research opens a door for more. By collaborating in the thesis, you will establish connections that you can use to advance your scholarly life. You can partner during your Ph.D. or engage in other surveys in the future. 

The one challenge with collaborations is that the objectives of the study could be skewed. The organization may have particular goals in mind yet you targeted other outcomes. It will affect your results and may narrow the appeal of your paper. 

Here are tips on how to write a Master’s thesis in collaboration with an organization or company.

Identify the topic

The topic for a Master’s thesis determines the direction you take with research. It will also affect the people you can collaborate with towards the completion of the paper. Choose a paper befitting the stature of a Master’s thesis. 

A topic for a Master’s thesis must be relevant. A relevant topic addresses issues of concern for society or industry at the moment. You will be using the paper to provide a solution. 

Relevance captures the attention of companies or organizations that would be willing to collaborate. You may twist or add objectives to align with the interests of the collaborating organization. However, you should look beyond your partners to ensure a strong thesis. 

Choose a fresh topic for your thesis. A fresh topic promises new insights and information. No reader or partner will be interested in an old topic. Choosing a fresh topic is one of the ways to hook a partner to your paper. 

The topic should cover very specific details. A reader picking your paper should know what to expect. A specific topic also limits your research and activities to avoid going overboard. At the same time, you have a chance to exhaustively discuss the topic instead of covering a wide area and discussing it on the surface. 

Choose a company 

Identify the company or organization you wish to collaborate with within your research. The company must be interested in your subject of research. It is the topic that convinces the organization or company to team up with you. 

The best organizations to collaborate with during a Master’s thesis are those with research departments. Such organizations already have the structures to collaborate with students. It will be easier and faster since you are not proposing a new way of engaging. 

Write a proposal to the organization. Include the details of the thesis. Outline the objectives, expected timeline, your institution, and areas you would like to collaborate with them. Indicate the benefits they will accrue from the collaboration. You need to understand funding cycles and the terms they offer. You must also indicate your contribution to the research and expectations so that the company does not feel like it is shouldering the entire burden while you take all the glory. 

Discuss the terms of engagement 

Collaborations require a clear understanding of the terms of engagement. Outline your expectations alongside the offer they are willing to make. The proposal may be accepted the way it is, with improvements, or deductions. If you are willing to take the offer, you can proceed to sign the agreement. 

Some of the issues to agree on include copyright ownership, duration of collaboration, individual contribution, and resources. You will also agree on constant communication and the protocols to guide such engagements. You might be put on a salary or allowance to facilitate the collaboration. Notify your supervisor and the university to approve the collaboration. The university has mechanisms for protecting and facilitating such collaborations. You will be guided accordingly. 

 Write the thesis 

With all issues settled, it is time to write the thesis. Dedicate enough time and use the available resources from your university, personal savings, and the collaborating company. Endeavour to produce a paper that benefits the partners even as you earn your Master’s degree . 

Collaboration in thesis writing is encouraged in academic circles because of the benefits to scholarship as well as the industry. Protect your turf to ensure that the objectives you set out to hit are achieved. At the same time, offer reasonable benefits to the organization or partner company to strengthen the bond. 

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Master thesis in Germany Writing your master thesis at a company: joining the team as a specialist

Companies have long since recognised the potential of Master's graduates. A growing number of companies are offering students the opportunity to put their specialist knowledge to practical use already before completing their studies - by writing their Master thesis at a company.

Take an application-oriented approach to work

The supervision and topic for the master thesis must be right, feedback loops and deadline extensions, kick-start your career with a master thesis.

For many, the greatest motivation for pursuing a Master's degree is personal development and enhancement of the future career opportunities. The opportunity to develop one's own specialist interests and become an expert also plays a major role. The specialist knowledge students acquire during the Master's degree course is attractive to many companies. According to the "JobTrends 2013" survey conducted by the Staufenbiel Institute, a Master's degree is the most popular qualification for 90 per cent of German companies. This is the reason why many companies advertise topics for Master's theses. 

This option for the final thesis is also advantageous to students: "If you want to do something with a practical application, writing your Master thesis at a company is ideal," says Arno Zimmermann, who is studying industrial engineering at the Technische Universität Berlin. While completing a practical at Bayer in China during his Master's course, he learned of an interesting company project that would make an excellent topic for the Master thesis. "It involves the further development of company technology to convert CO2 into plastic," the 26-year-old explains. "An extremely fascinating and innovative topic." Having written a very theory-based Bachelor thesis at university, the challenge of a Master thesis with a strong practical orientation appealed. "Something always emerges at the end that has an impact on the company, and this is extremely satisfying." The high practical orientation and results-oriented cooperation within a team are a major incentive for many students to spend the six-month Master thesis phase at a company. 

"I spent a solid three months in the library when I wrote my Bachelor thesis, and I definitely didn't want to repeat this experience," Ralf Knudsen explains. The 27-year-old resolved to go abroad after completing his Bachelor's degree in business administration at the Catholic University of Eichstätt-Ingolstadt. He signed up for a Master's degree course at the Copenhagen Business School specialising in accounting, and gained practical experience as a working student and during practical work at a company. He decided also to write his Master thesis at a company. For Knudsen, an important advantage of completing the Master thesis phase at a company was that "later on, there is rarely the opportunity to consider a problem affecting everyday work from a theoretical perspective". He decided on the precious metals and technology company Heraeus that he came upon in a list of so-called "Hidden Champions". These particularly successful companies are often still unknown despite their success. 

Despite being offered the opportunity to cover easier topics at two other companies, Knudsen decided for what he believed to be the most challenging option. "I felt that I would receive the most support at Heraeus." Besides the good expert supervision, Knudsen also receives commensurate remuneration from the company during the Master thesis phase. Zimmermann, who is also able to cover his living costs with his company pay, knows to appreciate the financing. The going is tough for those without any financial support wishing to work on their thesis full-time. However, the most important factors should be an enthusiasm for the topic and a desire to enhance one's appeal to the work market as an expert. Zimmermann also firmly believes that students should not make any major compromises when it comes to the topic for their Master thesis. "If the topic does not knock your socks off, then it won't be any fun to write about - regardless of whether you do so at a company or at university." The industrial engineer also highlights the importance of a structured, concentrated approach for not dissipating one's energies. Even those who make very high demands of themselves should remember that they do not need to re-invent the wheel. 

A whole semester is scheduled for the Master thesis. To ensure students do not lose sight of their goal during these six months, they should ensure they always keep the rules of play in mind. "There are three parties involved: the professor, the student and the supervisor at the company. The overlap between their mutual interests must be reviewed," Zimmermann describes the special challenge of writing a Master thesis at a company. "Feedback loops are therefore unbelievably important. While regular contact can be demanding, it is essential to make good progress." This is particularly the case if problems should arise with the topic chosen. "The topic should be defined narrowly as quickly as possible," Knudsen advises students who still have their Master thesis before them. The breadth of his chosen topic, the cooperation within the company and the need to complete a final few university courses meant he took a total of seven and a half months to complete his Master thesis. Luckily, this was not a problem for his professors in Copenhagen; in Germany, the deadlines are a lot stricter though. Structuring the topic well and starting to write early on is essential to meeting deadlines. 

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Knudsen joined the two-year trainee programme "Finance & Controlling" at Heraeus in February 2013. "We have a great deal of freedom and are able to decide on the individual stations," praises the 27-year-old, who was able to spend several months with the company in the USA. What's more, when the two years are completed, the prospects of a permanent position are good. Zimmermann, who has just submitted his Master thesis, is already planning his next big step: he wants to write a doctoral thesis within the same project. The framework for his collaboration within the EU-funded project has already been defined. Although the Master thesis phase left Zimmermann's and Knudsen's heads spinning, the writing process stalled and the despair was great, both would definitely choose to write their Master thesis at a company again. For the exciting opportunities this opened up to them were so very great. 

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Masterthesis with a company.

Q: How will the supervision work ? A: You will need an authorized advisor as main supervisor (see FAQ). This will be your official supervisor. You naturally also need a supervisor from the company to explain the situation of the company and to supervise you on a more daily basis. If it comes to grading, deciding what to do or any conflict, the authorized advisor has full authority. Q: Can I be employed by the company during the thesis ? A: No. You are not allowed to be paid for writing the thesis, but you can get a reimbursement for living expenses. Q: Is doing a thesis with a company more difficult ? A: The main challenge is in communication: you will communicate with the company and with your supervisor at ETH. In doing so, you should try to avoid misunderstandings, and keep everybody on the same page. Q: Are there any aditional admin requirements I have to meet in order to write the Masterthesis with a company ? A: No. Officially, you are writing your thesis with your authorized advisor. If this supervisor agrees that a co-supervision with another ETH Department or an external company makes sense, then this is his or her full responsibility, and no other administrative instance from ETH will be involved. The only exception is when the material is confidential. Q: What if the material of the thesis is confidential ? A: In principal, we can work with confidentiality agreements. Moreover, the thesis need not be published online (but the abstract and the title will). However, the thesis will be archived electronically and physically locally at ETH. If sensitive data is involved, it is imaginable that you would only work on a computer of the company. But final results (perhaps anonymized) must be in the thesis. In that case, the thesis need not be fully reproducible (since the data would be missing). It is up to your authorized advisor to decide upon the details on this. Please be aware, that this adds another layer of complexity to your project: We would have to get into touch with our legal departement to set up the confidentiality agreement. Moreover, you could perhaps not benefit from our rather convenient computing environment and backup systems. Q: How do I know if my potential project is substantial enough for a Masterthesis? A: Please discuss this with your authorized advisor. However, here are some important points: While projects with companies are usually applied, you have to make sure that it is a non-trivial application or even an extension of existing high-level statistical methods. The thesis may also contain a comparison study of many different methods (perhaps writing a review as you go along) or focus directly on a narrow field, discover the state of the art, and extend or adapt it to the current problem setting. It must be clear for the company that there is no guarantee of success (time might simply run out or you might have started with an unsuitable method). Good projects are usually creative high-risk projects which are interesting for the company but not at all vital. You might explore and test out a novel idea, but cannot be asked to deliver a ready-to-use solution like a software engineer. Q: How can I find examples of previous Mastertheses with a company? A: Have a look at our collection of past Mastertheses . Search for theses where co-supervisors are involved who are not from SfS and have no professor title; if you inspect the title and abstract, you might find out, that this thesis was written with a company.

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Let a Bachelor or Master thesis collaboration be the first step on your career path.

Excelerate matches your thesis project proposal with relevant thesis companies in Denmark.

It is FREE for all students.

Upload your project proposal and we match it with relevant companies in your industry and research area.

Companies contact you through Excelerate. Meet the company, align expectations, and start collaborating.

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Let us help you kickstart your excelerate journey, michelle’s experience with writing her thesis with a company.

Meet the former Master student Michelle.

Michelle finished her Master’s degree at Aalborg University in Sustainable Design. She is an excellent example of why you should write your thesis in collaboration with a company.

Watch the video to hear about Michelle’s experience with writing her thesis in collaboration with Gladsaxe Municipality.

Be like Michelle. Jumpstart your career through a Master’s thesis collaboration.

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Why you should collaborate with a company on your thesis

Having a limited network can easily be a limitation for you in the transition to a full-time dream job when you finish your studies. And as a student, your network and connection to the business world is often times limited.

There can be many reasons for your narrow experience and network within your specific field. Perhaps you have not prioritized working a job relevant to your studies or maybe just not have had the opportunity.

Your lack of a professional network makes it difficult for you to get in touch with the right companies and people – whether that be in the hopes of landing a thesis collaboration or perhaps a future dream job. This is exactly why you should kickstart your career by collaborating with an interesting thesis company when writing your Bachelor or Master thesis.

At Excelerate, you can forget all about the problem of a limited professional network. Our platform helps you get in touch with interesting companies within your field of study – completely free of charge.

Writing your thesis project with a company kickstarts your career

The best way you can get access to the right companies and business world as a student is by building a bridge already before you finish your studies. A great way to do so is by writing your thesis project with a relevant company. A company you could imagine yourself working after you graduate. At Excelerate we make this possible.

A company project collaboration means that you get a smooth transition from student to a full-time employee. At the same time, you give yourself the opportunity to land a dream job directly after your studies. So you don’t end up in a position you’re overqualified for or don’t fit in.

On the Excelerate platform you get to collaborate with a company interested in the same research and thesis topics as you. You will be working closely together with the company on-site for the months you are writing your thesis.

The direct contact and interaction with the company and employees gives you exciting career opportunities within the company. If it’s a good match you are most likely offered a job at the in the company after your collaboration ends.

Who knows – maybe your dream job will end up being in the company where you wrote your bachelor or master’s thesis?

A company thesis collaboration increases your chances of employment

The majority of companies in Denmark hire graduates in a full-time position if they have previously collaborated with the student. This could for example be a student job, an internship, or a bachelor or master thesis collaboration.

In other words, this means that you, as a soon-to-be graduate, significantly increase your chances of being employed in a full-time position if you already know the company from your time as a student.

In fact, it is the case that every fifth full-time employment of a recent graduate in Denmark takes place as a result of a bachelor’s or master’s thesis collaboration. A statistic we at Excelerate do everything for you to be a part of.

Sign up for Excelerate for FREE and kickstart your career even before you become a graduate. Who knows, maybe your thesis topic and collaboration will help you land your dream job?

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Find thesis collaboration with a company, faq – thesis collaborations through excelerate.

Find frequently asked questions and answers about thesis collaborations and Excelerate or reach out to us at: [email protected] .

Yes! Regardless of which university in Denmark you study at you can find a thesis collaboration through Excelerate. Find more information about thesis collaborations in Denmark at your university below: – Thesis collaborations for CBS students – Thesis collaborations for ITU students – Thesis collaborations for KU students – Thesis collaborations for DTU students – Thesis collaborations for AAU students

Upload your project proposal on Excelerate and we match you with relevant companies in your industry and research area. Thesis companies will contact you directly through Excelerate if they are interested in a collaboration. Find thesis companies here .

This is a difficult question to answer as it can vary greatly. It can take a day, a week, or a month. It can take one day, one week, or one month. It depends on when in the semester you start searching for a company and also when you have set the start date of the project collaboration.

Companies contact you based on your Excelerate profile and/or your thesis project proposal. Want to find thesis companies yourself actively? Use Excelerate to find thesis companies with open thesis collaborations.

Yes! And it is actually important that you invite your study group members to your project proposal. You invite your fellow students to your project presentation at the last step in the creation. You can also add more members to your already uploaded project. Go to your thesis topic > “members” > add emails on your study group member. All your study profiles are visible to companies on Excelerate.

At the first meeting with the company, you will have the opportunity to discuss the formalities and the terms of your thesis collaboration. This way, both your and the company’s expectations are met. If you have specific requirements and interests in the thesis collaboration, let the company know to meet your needs and avoid misunderstanding. Find career tips and guidance on the Excelerate career blog .

Yes! Excelerate collaborates with a number of companies that have thesis positions in Copenhagen, Greater Copenhagen, and the surrounding area. You can find both Bachelor and Master thesis collaborations in Copenhagen on Excelerate

Yes. Excelerate helps you to meet companies and find project collaborations on your bachelor’s or master’s degree that many times leads to a job offer at the company after the collaboration ends. Whether it is a part-time or full-time job offer.

Excelerate means when someone succeeds at something so quickly, they excelerate. The meaning of Excelerate comes from the combination of the words “Excel” and “Accelerate”. Accelerate means “to move faster” or “to gain speed”. The word accelerate is especially used to explain when a moving object, e.g., a vehicle, begins to move more quickly or at a faster pace (than planned). Excel means “to be superior to” or “surpass in accomplishment or achievement”. The word Excel is used to explain when someone or something is exceptionally good at or proficient in an activity or subject.

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An exclusive matchmaking event in Copenhagen only for Exceleraters. Find thesis collaborations, student jobs, internships, graduate jobs, and much more!

A free and unique mini-festival where 75 candidates present their Thesis projects.

Join among 1000 other curious students, researchers, companies, and other enthusiasts.

Join our thesis workshop and be inspired by Excelerate and Novo Nordisk employees to kickstart your thesis writing and find thesis collaboration opportunities.

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Thesis collaboration.

Doing your Master’s thesis in a collaboration with a company or a public sector organisations gives you the opportunity to put theory into practice, and puts you in contact with the job market even before you finish your Master's degree programme.

A Master’s thesis written in collaboration with a company or a public sector organisation is subject to the same conditions as any other Master’s thesis at Department of Economics and Business Economics and will be assessed according to the academic objectives in your academic regulations. It means that you must comply with your academic regulations and the rules which apply to Master’s theses.

Getting Started

Students wishing to do their Master’s thesis in collaboration with a company or a public sector organisation are responsible for contacting a partner of their choices.

Explore your options

• Consider what you would like to work with in a company or an organisation.
• Which companies or public sector organisations work in the field in which you want to write your Master’s thesis? Use, for example, LinkedIn,  ORBIS , and your network to find potential partners.

Talk to your supervisor

• Discuss the topic and the framework for your Master’s thesis with your supervisor.
• Discuss your expectations with your supervisor.

Contact a potential partner

Contact the company or public sector organisation well in advance of the Master’s thesis period.

When you contact a potential partner to propose a collaboration you should explain how you could add value to their business. So be specific and focus on how the company will benefit from the collaboration. Also, remember the Master’s thesis must create value for both you and the company.

You can start with the flowing questions:

• Which subject area do you find interesting in the company?
• Why is this particular subject relevant for the company?
• Why a collaboration with you will be beneficial for the company.

Agreement on Collaboration

Master’s theses written in collaboration with business and industry and the public sector are defined as follows: You were in contact with the company and agreed on a research question for the Master’s thesis, and you made an agreement with the company to write the Master's thesis as a collaboration. 

A written agreement is to ensure that you and the company or public sector organization matches your expectations.

Register Your Master’s Thesis Collaboration

To strengthen your job opportunities, we need to collect information about the companies and public sector institutions collaborating with students about their Master's thesis.  

After registration for your Master’s thesis, you will receive a registration form on your AU e-mail. The registration form contains a few questions about your Master’s thesis collaboration with a company or public sector institution. 

Please, fill in the registration form regardless of whether you collaborate with a company or not.             

Do you need help filling in the registration form, you can read more on Aarhus University’s website. Here, you can also send your questions via an online contact form.  

Write your bachelor and master thesis with a company

Benefits for students

Meaningful topic.

Your thesis will help a company and make an impact

Access to data

The company can give you unique insights to analyse

The company can decide to give you financial incentives

More information

Companythesis.org.

We connect students with companies to write their bachelor and master thesis together. Students get a thesis scholarship. Companies get a valuable academic paper and a potential employee.

Master’s Thesis collaboration is a unique way for companies to benefit from the expertise of our international students

To solve the world’s biggest problems, we need to bring the best international minds together. At the University of Helsinki, we work in close collaboration with business and society to help solve real world problems with innovative, practical solutions.  

Currently we have over 1 200 international students studying one of our 36 International Master’s Degree Programmes, who will go on to have a significant impact across the world after graduation. However what is less well known, is the opportunity for external partners to utilise our international students’ expertise during their studies by commissioning a master’s thesis.  

As Liaison Manager for Corporate Partnerships Suvipäivikki Mikola from the university explains, the opportunity to commission a master’s thesis is part of a growing desire for collaboration opportunities between students and external organisations.

– For many years, the university has worked successfully in partnership with a variety of organisations to conduct research and solve problems facing society and business. We are now strategically focused on external collaboration and as part of this mission, we know both our students and companies are keen to collaborate together in different ways and have an impact on society.

Present a challenge- our students will attempt to solve it  

Therefore, at the university we have been exploring different ways to facilitate this form of mutually-beneficial collaboration between our students and external partners. Commissioning a Master’s thesis is one such opportunity.  

As an organisation, you can propose a topic or present a challenge that you’d like our Master’s students to investigate. Once agreed and approved by their thesis supervisor(s), our students can then investigate the topic or challenge with you and present solutions as part of their Master’s Thesis. 

Whilst the opportunity is open to all students at the university, as Suvipäivikki explained, our international students represent a particularly unique opportunity for companies.  

– We believe our international students are a special part of our problem solving community, as they bring new perspectives and expertise to Finland.

– This can often lead to new solutions or help organisations to think differently about the challenges they present. By working in collaboration with a company as part of their thesis, it also serves as a useful introduction for international students to learn about Finnish organisations and helps them to develop their professional networks, which can help them to find work in Finland long term.

We currently have two modes for this form of master’s thesis collaboration: Direct collaboration between a student and degree programme or collaboration through our HELSUS Co-Creation Lab. 

Commission a Thesis directly with a student and Degree Programme  

Firstly, organisations can commission a Master’s Thesis about a specific topic or problem of their choice and work directly with a student. Almost all of our 36 International Master’s Degree Programmes allow for this form of collaboration between students and companies, however some programmes have specific rules to manage this form of collaboration.  

As a university, we can put you in contact with relevant degree programmes to discuss the possibility of collaboration. The opportunity can then be officially advertised by the organisation on the JobTeaser website and students will contact you directly if they are interested in working on your chosen topic. The specifics of the collaboration can then be agreed between the student, thesis supervisor and the organisation commissioning the thesis.   

Collaboration between a student and company is usually arranged in the form of an employment contract, one off fee or contract as a self-employed person/private entrepreneur. It is the responsibility of the student to work with their supervisor/degree programme and the organisation commissioning the thesis, to agree the details.  

As Master’s theses are public, it is important to understand that if material used for the thesis includes data that is considered confidential according to legislation, such as trade secrets, the thesis submitted for assessment must not include any confidential information. Any such information must instead be included in the background material, which is not attached to the thesis submitted for assessment. However to support the protection of intellectual property and confidential information, the university has confidentiality agreement templates which can be agreed between the company and student/supervisor.  

Once completed, the organisation commissioning the thesis typically has up to 30 days to review the thesis and to ensure any confidentiality needs have been met. The thesis is then submitted for assessment. 

Join our HELSUS Co-Creation Lab for Sustainability  

In addition to Master’s thesis cooperation directly with a student, our HELSUS Co-Creation Lab offers a unique form of supervised thesis cooperation between students and companies or public-sector actors.  

The HELSUS Co-Creation Lab is a cooperative, scheduled and facilitated process for master’s thesis collaboration related to sustainability topics. Participating organisations pay a fixed fee to join the Lab, then they present their sustainability challenge that they would like students to investigate. During the Co-Creation Lab, students work with both the participating organisations and their thesis supervisors to develop their specific research question, investigate the challenge and then write their thesis.  

At the end of the Lab, students present their results to the participating organisations and each student who completes their thesis on time receives a scholarship grant of 1500 euros.  

With previous participating organisations including HELEN, Kemira, UPM, the City of Helsinki and the Ministry of the Environment, the HELSUS Co-Creation Lab has proved to be a successful programme for bringing current and future sustainability experts together.  

Benefit from the expertise of our International Students  

By commissioning a master’s thesis or taking part in our HELSUS Co-Creation Lab, you can unlock the full power of our global problem solvers and benefit from our international students’ expertise. 

Through mutually-beneficial master’s thesis collaboration, you can gain valuable new insights for your business and help international students to succeed in Finland.  

If you would like to learn more about master’s thesis collaboration, our team is here to help.    For more information, please contact:  [email protected]  

To solve the world’s biggest challenges, we need to bring the best international minds together. However many international students face additional barriers that limit their chances of success. With your support, we can break down the barriers international students face and help them to thrive during and after their time at university.

This is how you can help:

• Donate to the Global Scholarship Fund.
• Mentor our students.
• Recruit a student trainee.
• Commission a Master's Thesis.
• Hire our students.

Read more about how you can help

Thesis at a company

When writing your thesis with a company you first have to agree on a thesis project with a TU Delft supervisor. Besides a supervisor from TU Delft, you will also need a supervisor from the company.

Steps for graduating at a company:

• Follow the graduation guidelines of your programme, complete the steps required before starting your thesis.
• Find a TU Delft supervisor first! Together with your TU Delft supervisor, you can find a company supervisor
• Discuss your thesis project with your supervisor and your company supervisor
• Fill in the three-party agreement, and check the final version of the agreement with your TU Delft supervisor.
• Get the TU Delft three-party contract signed by the company, and sign it yourself. Send it to [email protected] for approval and signature by the Dean.

Three-party contract

You have to sign a three-party agreement (you, the company, and TU Delft). You can find the contract and conditions that go with it below. It is mandatory to use the three-party contract. Please get the agreement signed by a representative of the company and sing it yourself. You can then send it for approval (and eventual signature by the Dean) to  [email protected] .

TU Delft will not sign an additional agreement between the student and the company.

TU Delft strives toward open access of thesis reports. As a consequence, TU Delft prefers no limitations on publication of thesis reports. If a company holds that their interests are compromised by immediate publication, an embargo at a maximum length of 2 years is allowed. Should a company insist on a longer embargo period, please contact the faculty’s Internship Office as soon as possible with a thoroughly motivated request from the company. This request will have to be approved by the Vice President of the TU Delft.

Non EU students

Non EU students need an additional Nuffic agreement if they do a thesis at a company in the Netherlands. This agreement is used instead of a work permit. The internship office can sign the Nuffic agreement for you. You find the agreement below. Please send the filled out Nuffic agreement together with your contract stating the beginning and end date by email to [email protected] .

Afstudeer overeenkomst

Afstudeer voorwaarden, graduation agreement, graduation conditions, nuffic agreement for non eu students, deel deze pagina:.

My Life in Germany

All you need to know about studying, working, and living in Germany

Thesis in Germany – Tips to write your thesis at a company

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In order to graduate from your bachelor or master studies in Germany, you will probably need to write a thesis in your last semester. Having a thesis semester was not something that I was familiar with. I did my bachelor degree in Hong Kong, where we did not have a thesis semester. When I did my master degree in Germany , I had many questions relating to the thesis semester. In this post, I will explain to you what a thesis semester is and provide some tips about writing your thesis at a company.

Moving to Germany or new in Germany? Check out our Resources Page for all the help you need!

What is thesis semester?

Thesis semester is very typical in German universities. It is normally the last semester before your graduation. By the end of your last semester, you need to submit an academic thesis called Abschlussarbeit in German. You need to find a topic that is approved by your professor, write a thesis and present it in the end. The length of your thesis depends on your department’s requirement. To give you an idea, my master thesis was around 60 pages long. A thesis is a formal document. You need to write with formal wording, and quote your sources for whatever you state in the content.

There are three ways to do your thesis. The first way is to write a thesis by yourself. An advantage is that you are quite flexible with your location. You can write it at home, or even in another country, as long as you can submit your thesis in the end. The second way is to write at the university with a topic from a professor. If you are in a technical field, your professor may have some topics on hand that you are free to choose from. In that case, you need to work with your professor to understand his expectations and requirements for the specific thesis topics.

The third way to do your thesis is to write it with a company. Some companies are looking for thesis students to help them to investigate certain topics that are of their business interest. In this case, you need to write your thesis at the company. It is like you work for this company. You get a contract for a fixed period of time and you write your thesis in the office. In the end, you have to hand in your thesis to both the company and your professor.

Why do companies hire students to write theses?

There are different reasons for that:

To research on a topic

Sometimes, companies want to get more knowledge on a certain topic. A hypothetical example: the government is planning to change the law relating to foreign investment in 2 years. The company wants to know how this law will affect their investment strategy.

Since the regular employees may not have time to do this research, the company may want to hire a student who is fully dedicated to this task. The student needs to collect all information on this new law, and investigates how this law would affect the company and what the company can do about it. It is like a consultation that the company can use for their decision making in the future.

To develop a tool

Companies want to achieve some process improvement. An example: the employees have a tedious task that they need to do daily. They need to pull all the data from system A and put into system B and do some daily analysis with this data. It is a manual process that requires a lot of copy and paste. The company wants to automate this process so that it can save time for the employees.

In this case, the company may want to hire a student to look at how this process can be improved. A tool can be developed by the students which automates this process. This can be a creation of a Macro tool or using one of the existing systems tools in the company. The student needs to develop the tool, explains in the thesis what the tool does and how it helps the company. The company can benefit from the thesis as they get a tool now which helps to improve their process.

To find potential employees

Similar to hiring interns, hiring thesis students is a way to find potential good employees. It is kind of like a probation period. The thesis students work for a few months in the company. This gives a chance for the company to see how the students perform and if they are suitable to work permanently in the company. See also this post about tips to boost your chances of getting hired.

Why should you write your thesis with a company?

For me personally, I prefer to write a thesis with a company. There are some advantages relating to it:

You may get some money for it

As a student, I was living on a very tight budget. If you write your thesis for a company, you may be able to get some compensation (though not all companies will pay). For example, I got about 2000 EUR for writing my thesis. I spent around 6 months to write it. So, it was really not a lot of money. But it helped already and it was better than nothing. Check out this post as well for other ways to earn money in Germany as a student.

Writing for a company is more practical

When you write your thesis with a company, it is like you are working in this company. You work on your thesis in the office, you need to work with different people in the company, and your thesis has a business context. In my opinion, it is more practical as it relates to real life business, rather than just a student work with theory.

Interaction with other people

Writing thesis with a company is like having a full-time job in the company. You have a supervisor in the company who guides you on the topic and you need to work with other employees to collect the necessary information. In my opinion, this is more interesting than if I have to write my thesis at home on my own.

Exposure to the company’s management

After finishing your thesis, it is likely that you need to present the result to the company’s management. This is a good chance for you to practice your presentation skills in a real business setting. And it is your show time on all the hard work you put in for this thesis semester.

Future job opportunities

As mentioned before, some companies hire thesis students in order to find potential good employees. If you write a good thesis, you will have a chance to get hired after your graduation. You have an advantage since you already work in the company for a while and make some connections there. See this post about how I got my job offer after my thesis.

Besides, your thesis experience in a company will also make your CV looks good . You can request the company to give you a reference letter for future job search.

Read also: How To Write Your Cover Letter in Germany (+ English Example!)

How to find thesis opportunities with companies?

Basically, it is the same process as when you are looking for a permanent job. Here are some of the ways:

Apply online

You can find thesis offers in different job portals or directly on the career page of the companies’ websites. If you are curious about the compensation that you may get, check out my post about salary in Germany . Below are some of the portals that I used:

– Gehalt.de 

– Jobs.de

– Monster.de 

– LinkedIn 

– Xing  

It is quite common that some companies participate in job fairs to advertise their companies and find potential employees. These job fairs sometimes take place in universities. Each company has its own booth and it is a great chance for students to ask any questions relating to the companies and job positions. You can also ask around in the job fairs for any thesis opportunities.

Through an internship

I had an internship semester right before my thesis semester. During my internship, I made connection with different people in the company and asked about any thesis opportunities. I had an advantage since I knew the people and had some understanding of the business already through my internship. And this was how I got my thesis contract afterward.

How to generate a thesis topic by yourself in a company?

Let’s say you are doing an internship in a company now and you would like to write a thesis for this company afterward. How easy it is to get a thesis topic in the company depends a lot on your field. For example, if you study in a technical field like engineering, the company may have some thesis topics available already that you can just pick from.

However, if you are in a general business field like me, there may not be as many topics available in the company. What if you really want to write a thesis in the company, but they tell you that they have no thesis topic available?

Instead of waiting for the company to give you a topic, it is better to be proactive and suggest a topic by yourself. Think of a topic and suggest this to the company to see if they are interested. At least this was what I did. Below are some tips on how you can generate a topic for the company:

Research online or ask your classmates

Let’s say you study supply chain management. To get some ideas, you can research online to see what kind of thesis topics are out there. Besides, if your classmates are writing theses for other companies, you can also ask them what topics they are writing about and see if this topic applies to your company as well. The point here is not to pick a topic you find online or from your classmates. But it is more to give you an idea of what a potential thesis topic in your field is. This can help you to generate ideas for yourself which are also potentially interesting for your company.

Networking in your company

During your internship, you should try to network as much as possible. Networking should not be limited to the team you are working for, but also to other teams in the company. Tell the people that you are searching for a thesis opportunity and ask if they need help on any topic. The more connection you have, the better your chance is to get a thesis contract.

Think about what is your company’s interest

Companies like proactive students. You should be there to help the employees to solve problems, rather than to create more work for the employees. So, instead of begging people for a topic, you should be proactive and tell the people why you think writing on a certain topic is beneficial for the company. During your internship, you should already have some understanding of the business. Do you see a gap somewhere? Should any processes be improved?

For example, let’s say you are working in a local real estate company that is growing rapidly. Do you know if the company has a plan to expand internationally as well? If yes, which countries make sense for them to expand? What about expanding in Austria? How is the real estate market in Austria? What factors should the company consider for this expansion?

Another example: your company has recently acquired another company. Can you write a thesis regarding the acquisition? How does it affect the work and the employees? What should the company consider to have a smooth transition? What has the company done and how effective is the process?

These are just some hypothetical examples. You should think from your company’s perspective on what kind of topics can be interesting for them. If you don’t have an idea, start with networking and talk to as many people as possible in your company. Ask them what they do in their daily jobs and what kind of improvement they would like to see in their tasks/company. It may help you to think of a topic which is helpful for the people.

Improve your technical knowledge

Companies like practical and useful tools. The best is that you can create a tool that can improve their daily process. If you study in general business like me, you will probably think that “developing a tool” is too complicated and it is something for the technicians.

This is not completely true. For example, a tool can be as simple as an excel macro. I did not know anything about macro before. During my internship, I bought a book to learn about it because I know this can be beneficial for my thesis or future jobs. It never hurts to learn one more technical skill.

Some companies use enterprise resource planning systems for their operation. During your internship, you should try to learn the system as good as you can. This knowledge will be very helpful in case you want to do data analysis or develop a tool for your thesis.

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Have you written your thesis in a company? Leave a comment below to share your experience!

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4 Replies to “Thesis in Germany – Tips to write your thesis at a company”

Its informative blog, thanks.

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Many thanks for practical tips! Now I have much more clear picture of how I can organize my thesis at a company.

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7 tips for finding a master’s thesis in Sweden

Written by Usisipho

28 Nov 2018

28 Mar 2018

Written by Ivanna

24 Jan 2018

Written by Supritha

16 Dec 2017

Autumn is here, which means it’s the time when most master’s students are on the hunt for thesis topics! Doing this can feel quite daunting or stressful. Here’s some advice to help you find out!

Thesis work, at least at Chalmers , ↗️ starts in January or February. Topics start being advertised in September or October the year before. This gives students 3-5 months to find a topic. Here is my experience, as well as a few tips to help you out!

My personal experience

Luckily for me, I managed to find a thesis topic quite quickly. I started applying in October, and found a topic around mid November. I’ll will be doing my thesis at the Challenge Lab , ↗️ which has affiliations with Chalmers, Johanneberg Science Park , ↗️ as well as some industries within Västra Götaland. Based on my experience and talking to friends, I think the following advice could be quite useful!

1. Apply through your department website

My department has a page on their official website with the current year’s thesis topics. The topics vary between collaborations with industry, to pure research based roles. It is often good to apply within your department, as students from the programmes offered by the department are often preferred over others. As an example, my department has the following page:

2. Apply directly through companies

Doing a thesis at a company has a few advantages. Firstly, you have a greater exposure to industry and companies, which can give you more job-related experience. This is often beneficial for finding a job after graduation. Secondly, doing a thesis at a company gives you “a foot in the door”, where you may be offered a permanent job after your thesis.

3. Go to thesis events and career fairs

Departments and companies often have events where they pitch available topics or areas of research to interested students. It’s good as you can ask questions, meet people personally, or perhaps even pitch your own idea if it is related to the company’s / department’s work.

4. Keep your eyes open for notices and posters

Companies and university departments often post notices around campus with adverts. These can be good to look out for, as sometimes these positions are not posted online! See the image below for an example:

5. Email your lecturers

Professor sometimes have extra capacity to supervise students. So even though a topic may not be advertised, a lecturer may be willing to accept one of your own ideas, or propose a potential topic to you! Showing interest and being proactive is a good sign – a good way of doing this would be to send an email after an interesting lecture!

6. Apply for positions / topics that genuinely interest you

I really believe that applying for topics you truly care about makes a big difference! If you have experience in a subject area, it will likely show from your choice of master’s degree, choice of courses, and perhaps even from your bachelor’s thesis. Additionally, enthusiasm and interest often show when you write a cover letter stating why you would like to pursue a certain topic.

7. Use other online portals

There are a few websites that can be helpful, for example:

• Exjobbsportalen ↗️ – Dedicated entirely to master’s thesis topics in Sweden
• Indeed ↗️ – Although this is a job listing website, companies often post topics here. Just search for the words “master”, “examensarbete” or “ex-jobb”.

You might also have luck looking on your university’s learning platform, where there are often groups dedicated to sharing topics.

Good luck with your search!

Did you find these tips useful? Would you like to share any of your own? Feel free to leave a comment below!

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Innovation is in our blood. What about you? Work with visionary colleagues and mentors on your diploma, bachelor's or master's thesis.

Make the most of your thesis. Work on it at Mercedes-Benz. We'll suggest a subject. And you'll work on a live project with one of our development, manufacturing, or commercial business areas.

We can offer know-how, expertise, valuable experience and the chance to broaden your knowledge and your interpersonal skills. We'll provide tailored support while your write your thesis and help you both on a professional and personal level.

We'll value your ideas, enthusiasm, and academic curiosity, because your work will be making an important contribution, not just to your growth but to ours. And because a good degree is a good start, we may be working together after your thesis as well.

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Master of Retail Innovation

Earn your master’s degree in the business of retail from the University of South Carolina. The new Master of Retail Innovation graduate degree program prepares graduates to advance their careers and lead the retail industry.

Our Master of Retail Innovation graduate degree provides advanced knowledge in three core areas: strategic leadership, emerging retail technologies, and data analytics. Our specialized curriculum includes a solid foundation in business management and in-depth analysis of the industry's driving forces, including retail disruption, strategic management, consumer experience in the age of social media, environmental and social governance (ESG) and more.

Master's Degree Highlights

• 3 program tracks: Choose the track to best meet your educational and career objectives.
• 30~33 credit hours: Earn your master’s in one year.
• Flexible format : Both face-to-face and online delivery options.
• GRE/GMAT waiver for qualified applicants.
• Strategic leadership: Develop skills in strategic thinking and leadership essential for driving success in retail and service-oriented industries.
• Emerging retail technologies: Gain insights and experience with the latest retail technologies.
• Retail analytics: Learn how to harness the power of data analytics to understand consumer behavior and make informed business decisions.
• Executive advisory board: Program support from C-suite leaders in the retailing and fashion industry.

The Master of Retail Innovation graduate degree includes impactful courses in leadership, finance, retail law related to entrepreneurship and e-commerce, retail logistics, research and statistical methods, category management, and social media and data analytics.

Choose Your Track

The Master of Retail Innovation curriculum consists of 30~33 semester hours. Choose from professional, professional with directed study, and thesis (research) tracks.

Professional (non-thesis) Track — 30 Hours

The professional track consists of 30 credit hours of required courses and a comprehensive written exam.

Professional (non-thesis) with Directed Study Track — 30~33 Hours

The professional track with directed study consists of 27 credit hours of required courses, a comprehensive written exam and a directed study work experience. The work experience requirement (three~six credit hours of RETL 798) must include participation in management decision-making in the retail and service-oriented industries.

Note: The directed study must be declared by the student by the end of first semester and approved by the graduate director/department chair.

Thesis Track — 33 Hours

The thesis track includes 27 credit hours of required courses and six thesis credit hours (RETL 799). Students must successfully defend their thesis at the end of the program.

To view specific course requirements for each track, please visit the Academic Bulletin .

Application Deadlines

• Fall semester: July 15
• Spring semester: October 15

Students enrolling for the fall semester can choose the professional, professional with directed study, or thesis tracks. Spring semester enrollees can only choose the professional track.

Admission Requirements

All applicants for the Master of Retail Innovation program must apply through the Graduate School . Prospective students should complete the main application form and pay the $50 application fee online. In addition, applicants must send all supporting material directly to the Graduate School.

Applications will be evaluated using a combination of academic and professional factors. We recommend gathering the required supporting documents and contact information for those who will be writing letters of recommendation prior to beginning the application process. The following supporting material is required with the application:

• A current resume.
• A one- to two-page personal statement of career objectives and how you expect the Master of Retail Innovation program will help you accomplish them.
• At least two letters of recommendation with at least one from someone who can comment on your ability to succeed in graduate studies. The Graduate School requires all letters of recommendation be submitted through the online portal. Upon submission of your application, the online system will contact your recommenders via email with instructions for submitting their recommendation. The Graduate School does not accept recommendations sent directly from applicants.
• One official transcript from each college or university attended (undergraduate and, if applicable, graduate). Successful applicants generally have a GPA of 3.0 or above (on a 4.0 scale). While you are required to submit official transcripts, we encourage you to upload unofficial transcripts to the online application. These unofficial transcripts significantly assist the department in evaluating your application and may allow for a quicker admission decision.
• Four or more years of professional (managerial) experience in a retailing or service-oriented organization.
• A completed baccalaureate degree from the University of South Carolina, or from an accredited institution, with a cumulative GPA of 3.40/4.00.
• A completed master’s degree, with a 3.0 (or better) GPA from the University of South Carolina, or from an accredited institution.
• Eligible applicants fill out the GRE/GMAT Waiver Request form and submit the complete form as an additional supporting document in the online application process. 

Financial Aid

The Department of Retailing may offer financial aid to degree-seeking students. To apply for financial aid, simply indicate "yes" when asked if you desire to be considered for financial aid during the online application process. Visit the Office of Student Financial Aid and Scholarships to learn more about other potential aid sources.

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Want more information or to speak with someone regarding our Master of Retail Innovation degree program? Fill out our form and we'll be happy to assist you!

Get in Touch

Joohyung Park, Ph.D.

Master of Retail Innovation Program Director Associate Professor Department of Retailing

[email protected] 803-777-8459

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Master of science in electrical engineering.

Welcome to the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at San Diego State University! We are committed to shaping a great future for each one of our students. If you are interested in applying to our program, please follow this link . 

MSEE Program Overview

The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering offers graduate study leading to a Master of Science degree in Electrical Engineering (MSEE). The areas of study are Communication Systems, Digital Signal Processing, Electromagnetic Systems, VLSI Systems, Computer Networks, Energy Systems and Control, and Embedded Systems.

The MSEE program comprises of several coursework and a culminating experience which can either be a thesis (Plan A) or a project (Plan B). Each student must complete 30 units either by selecting Plan A (Thesis) or Plan B (Project). This is referred to as the student’s Program of Study or POS. Each of our courses are worth three units – therefore you are looking at completing ten courses for a MSEE degree. Eighteen of the thirty units should be 600 and 700-numbered courses. The remaining twelve units can be from 500, 600 or 700-level courses offered by the department. No more than two courses can be taken from other departments in the College of Engineering or from the College of Sciences to satisfy these requirements, with the prior approval of the Graduate Advisor. Students are required to pick an area of specialization and then choose relevant courses that help the student to gain mastery in that area (referred to as “Depth area courses”) and a few other courses that pertain to peripheral skills that can make the student well-rounded (referred to as “Breadth area courses”). The department allows the student to tailor their individual course selection (or POS) to align with their interest and their career goals, often in consultation with their Thesis/Project advisor and/or the Graduate Advisor. A minimum average GPA of 3.0 is required to successfully complete the degree.

IMPORTANT NOTE: International Students requiring an I-20 immigration document from SDSU must be enrolled in a minimum of 6 units of in-person course instruction on campus, per semester. International students may not take more than 3 units of fully online course instruction, per semester.

Thesis and Project Plans

There are two plans of studies: Plan-A (Thesis) and Plan-B (Project).

Plan A: Thesis Option

Students opting for Plan A must complete 21 units of course work (7 courses), 6 units of EE 797 "Research" (typically as two 3-unit EE 797 “Research”, taken in two different semesters) and 3 units of EE 799A "Thesis" under supervision of a full-time ECE faculty. The remaining twenty-one units can be taken from the course guidelines document , all subject to the approval of the Thesis Advisor and Graduate Advisor.

Credit for EE 799A will be given only after completing the thesis. Credit cannot be given for EE 798 for students in Plan A. An oral defense of the thesis is required in front of a committee of three faculty members one of whom will be your Thesis Advisor, another from your department and the third member from any department other than your own. In addition, a completed thesis report in a required format needs to be submitted to the university. Once your thesis has been published, credit will be given for EE 799A. Please visit the Thesis/Project Procedures site for instructions on how and when to file your thesis and graduation paperwork. Please note, that the University requires you to complete several formalities as you approach your graduation – please stay abreast with the procedures and monitor your progress on your digital webportal.

Plan B: Project Option

Students opting for Plan B or the Project option are required to pick an area of specialization and complete a minimum of 18 units of “Depth Area Courses” and 3 units of EE 798 as the project. Courses can be chosen from the following course guidelines document . Students are allowed to enroll in the project course (EE 798) after the completion of 21 units but must do so in the semester immediately after completing 27 units. EE 797 cannot be used for students in Plan B.

An oral defense of the project is required in front of a committee of two faculty members one of whom will be your Project Advisor and another faculty member from your department. In addition, a project report in a required format needs to be submitted to the department. Once your project has been defended, credit will be given for 798. Please visit the Thesis/Project Procedures site for instructions on how and when to file your project and graduation paperwork. Please note, that the University requires you to complete several formalities as you approach your graduation – please stay abreast with the procedures and monitor your progress on your digital webportal.

Program of Study (POS) Plan

Each student should prepare a Program of Study (POS). The POS allows you to plan your graduate coursework ahead of time and gives you clarity on your road ahead. Therefore, it is in your best interest to prepare the POS as soon as possible but no later than the end of your second semester. You will also find the relevant POS forms under the Thesis/Project Procedures tab on our website. Be sure to stay on top-of-your-game throughout your graduate program.

Tracking Your Progress

The College of Graduate Studies offers an electronic resource for you to track your progress towards graduation. This resource is called the Degree Evaluation (or Degree Audit Report). The report can be found in your my.SDSU account under the 'Degree Evaluation' tile. When you click on the Degree Evaluation, your coursework and other degree requirements will be converted into a customized report. The Degree Evaluation is your official guide for tracking your progress towards your graduation. We recommend keeping a close eye on your degree progress through this tool. Please reach out to the College of Graduate Studies at [email protected] if you see any discrepancies in your academic record. For help with my.SDSU, click on my.SDSU Student Guides and Resources .

We Are Here to Help

We are committed to making your graduate student experience with us as smooth, productive and enjoyable as possible. For academic advising please contact the Graduate Advisor – Dr. Santosh Nagaraj at [email protected] . We highly encourage you to refer to the Graduate Handbook which should answer most of the commonly asked questions. The handbook also explains several rules and regulations that you should abide by, during your graduate studies.

Degree Learning Outcomes

The MSEE degree has been designed to achieve the following outcomes in its graduates. Corresponding methods of assessing the outcomes have also been specified.

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Why Should I Get a Master’s Degree in Chemistry?

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There is a lot more you can do with a chemistry degree than you may think.

Chemistry is everywhere. It is the scientific study of the properties of matter, behavior of matter and the molecular composition of matter. Chemists play key roles in many industries and, because of this, the possibilities for employment are nearly endless for graduates with a chemistry degree.

Sacred Heart University offers a master of science (MS) in chemistry for individuals looking for opportunities in the dynamic field of chemistry. Linda Farber , assistant professor of chemistry and program director for the MS in chemistry program, and Joseph Audie , professor of chemistry, share how earning an MS in chemistry can advance students’ careers.

Why should I study chemistry?

There are so many career paths you can take with an MS in chemistry. Many students graduating with this degree are looking to get their doctoral degree, attend medical school, veterinary school, dental school or another professional program in the health field. Students also go into intellectual property (patent) or environmental law, chemical or pharmaceutical research, chemical sales, education and other science-related fields.

How will an MS in chemistry prepare me for these different career paths?

Not only does an MS in chemistry advance the knowledge you already have, but it introduces new ideas and provides valuable new skills valued in the workforce. SHU’s MS in chemistry has various tracks for students to choose from depending on their areas of interest.

General chemistry

The general chemistry track is for students looking to strengthen their knowledge in inorganic, physical, analytical and biochemistry. “Students in this track get a deeper understanding of these concepts and also strengthen their abilities to evaluate and solve research inquiries,” said Farber.

Chem-bioinformatics

The chem-bioinformatics track is for students who want to enhance their theoretical knowledge of computer science, mathematics and statistics. “This is where artificial intelligence and machine learning comes into play,” said Audie. “This track builds upon those methods and techniques.”

Molecular biochemistry

The molecular biochemistry track is where students learn the chemistry of biomolecules. “This track has more of a biochemistry focus. Students use all their chemistry foundations and apply them to biological applications,” said Farber.

Thesis vs. non-thesis tracks

SHU’s general chemistry and molecular biochemistry tracks offer thesis and non-thesis options for students. Students on the thesis track are paired with faculty members to pursue independent and original research. This involves a lot of time, thought and hands-on skills. The non-thesis tracks are ideal for individuals already working in the industry who are in the master’s program to advance their career.

SHU’s chem-bioinformatics track only offers a non-thesis option.

Can I get an MS in chemistry if I did not get a bachelor’s degree in chemistry?

Yes. You don’t have to earn a bachelor’s degree in chemistry to earn an MS in chemistry. If you have background knowledge in chemistry, you have the potential to succeed in the master’s-level classes.

“You really could have any background as long as you have basic knowledge in general and organic chemistry,” said Farber. “Pre-med students, for example, likely have a lot of the foundational knowledge and have taken required courses.”

Are you interested in earning an MS in chemistry?

SHU’s MS in chemistry program provides a variety of options designed to meet students’ academic, professional and personal interests, leading to exciting professional opportunities. SHU also offers a bachelor’s-master of science in chemistry 4+1 dual degree program , allowing first-year students to be admitted into the graduate program at the same time as their admission to the undergraduate program. Students can also apply for this program while already enrolled in the bachelor’s in chemistry program .

For more information about these programs, schedule an appointment with Lea DiStasio or contact program director Linda Farber at [email protected] .

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