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Technical University of Munich
Technical University of Munich

FINAL THESIS AT THE CHAIR OF PSYCHOLOGY (BACHELOR/ MASTER)

Are you interested in psychology and looking for an exciting topic for your final thesis (bachelor/master)? Then apply to the Chair of Psychology! We offer an open and constructive work atmosphere in a young, dynamic, and international team.

We conduct both basic and applied research on the intersection of motivational, industrial, and organizational psychology. Here, we deal with questions regarding implicit and explicit motives, volition (willpower), intrinsic motivation, flow experiences, action regulation, (romantic) workplace relationships, and transformational leadership.

APPLICATION PROCESS

Check out all ongoing research projects at the Chair by inspecting each team member’s profile and research interests. Our team page can help you in finding the right supervisor with the right topic!

If you already have a topic for your thesis in mind or are interested in a particular research area offered, please send an email directly to the team member involved in this research field. 

Please note: Your email should include a few setences on your motivation ("what made you apply?"), how you fulfill the hard criteria stated under "WHAT WE EXPECT" as well as your CV and transcript of records (one PDF). We will get in touch with you as soon as possible!

Depending on the team member’s capacity, she/he will either send you a rejection email or schedule a “Meet & Greet”-appointment in which you receive more information on her/his research field and the Chair’s thesis procedure.

Please note: In preparation for the meeting, thoroughly read our guidelines and policies made on final theses at the Chair of Psychology (see here). Since we now encourage manuscript-style theses instead of "classical" theses, some parts might be obsolet (ask your potential supervisor!). However, the document still provides you with a good overview!

After you have spent some time reading on the topic(s) that aroused your interest, you will meet again with your supervisor and agree not only on your thesis topic but also on the type of thesis (empirical/theoretical and manuscript-style or classic).

Before registering your thesis, we want you to write a short thesis proposal of max. 3 pages (see here for more information). In it, you will refine your research question, build the thesis structure, and organize/schedule milestones for your research work in the form of a timeline. It will also serve as a “contract” for the thesis content after you have registered for your thesis in the next step.

In the last step, your supervisor officially registers your thesis at the Examination Office. Once your thesis is registered, you must submit your bachelor’s/master’s thesis within the next 3/6 months.

Please note: Please read, sign, and send the following declaration to your supervisor via email. In case of manuscript-style theses, please read, sign, and send the following additional document.

WHAT WE EXPECT

1) Hard criteria (mandatory):

Prior experience with/knowedlege of empirical research methods including basic quantative statistics (descriptive statistics, regression, mediation/moderation, etc.) and their implementation with a software of your choice (SPSS, R, JASP, etc.).

In your first email to your potential supervisor, you need to inform him/her how you fulfill this requirement. Either by providing him/her with convining information on your statistical background or by referring to one of the courses listed below:

  • Bachelor's thesis: Successful participation (min. grade 2.3) in the module “Empirical Research Methods” (WI000261)
  • Master's thesis: Successful participation (min. grade 2.3) in the module “Introduction to Statistics Using R” (MGT001243)
     

2) Soft criteria (desirable):

  • Empirical or theoretical/conceptual thesis in manuscript style suitable for publication
  • Preferred language: English
  • Time: 3/6 months full time for bachelor’s/master’s theses
  • Pages: 20-30 pages for bachelor’s/master’s theses (rule of thumb) in manuscript style suitable for publication
  • APA (7th Edition) formatting
  • Presentation of your thesis in our research colloquium
  • Prior experience with psychological/motivational/statistical topics - for instance, gained in one of our seminars/lectures offered by the Chair of Psychology
  • Access to rare populations/samples - for example, companies

WHAT WE OFFER

  1. Insights into psychological/motivational/statistical topics, highly relevant for your future career in or outside of academia
  2. One-to-one mentoring including regular feedback
  3. Our greatest attention because your thesis directly supports our research – your success is our goal (win-win situation)
  4. Access to the Chair’s research laboratory “MotivaTUM” with 20 experimental PCs for empirical research studies
  5. A challenging but supportive work environment in which having fun never falls too short (see point 6)
  6. Table soccer and best coffee at TUM

DOWNLOAD SECTION

In case you should have general questions concerning final theses at the Chair of Psychology, please do not hesitate to contact us by email!

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