Thesis Information

General (also look at the links below)

Thesis writing is one of the most challenging tasks in the life of a young academic. Some of you might have developed a keen sense of the subject you seek to pursue and also know whom to contact. Others, however, could use some help in both direction and staff to approach. For both groups we provided links below. First, though, some general information that will benefit your understanding of the thesis writing process.

  • Writing a thesis can seem like an overwhelming task. Maybe it is a comforting thought that each year hundreds of students accomplish writing a thesis.

  • Writing a thesis is like building a large building: months are spent on developing a foundation. The mere completion of the building goes relatively fast. If constructors haven't paid enough attention to the foundation, the building will never be trustworthy. (of course, in terms of a thesis, building a foundation means doing the literature research, setting up a research design etc. without seemingly making progress in written pages.)

  • A thesis normally earns you 13 study points which is the equivalent of approximately 3 months of full time study work. Although the completing of a thesis can be done within three months, the average completion time lies around 8 months. 

  • Potential supervisors can reject your proposal either because of their current workload or because the proposal does not fit their interests.

  • Please read the thesis guide that we have developed specifically for our department. Here, you will find information in general on writing a thesis but also on how a proposal should look like.

  • We strongly discourage students to write on business press hypes like TQM, BPR, Quality circles, 6 Sigma Management, 'E'-this-or-that, etcetera. Read this interesting article about the value of management-hypes! Other topics that are rather exhausted and practically unresearcheable for students in a reasonable span of time include (organizational) culture, (individual) motivation, expatriates and leadership. Instead of choosing these, go to the library, read and be inspired! Your supervisor will like that!

Links:

If you both know what to write about and whom to contact.

If you don't know whom to contact or what to write about.

List of topics per staff member. This list includes a link to staff member availability.

Hints and tips (includes links to useful resources).

Official faculty regulations: See ELEUM (this link does not work) 

If you finished your thesis. Some ideas if you are looking for a job (provided by others)

 

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